Workcamps Program

JAVVA

workcamps program

2011

JAVVA is...

JAVVA stands for “Jeunes Actifs dans le Volontariat et les Voyages Alternatifs” or in other words “Young People Active in Volunteering and Alternative Travel” and was founded as a non-profit organization in 2000. Since 2003, JAVVA has been recognized as a youth organization by the French-speaking government of Belgium.

Our mission

We aim to promote an ideal of tolerance, solidarity and peace between young people from around the world and to encourage their active participation and mobility. JAVVA has no political or ideological affiliation.

Our approach

International camps and volunteer projects enable intercultural encounters and the discovery of the other and therefore, in our opinion, represent a useful tool in the construction of peace. They contribute towards a fairer world with more solidarity and respect for differences. Even if our projects cannot be considered to be within the framework of humanitarian aid or emergency relief, they do invite participation in another culture, and teach team work while participating in a development project in the heart of a local community.

Our main activities

- International Workcamps

- Medium or Long term Volunteering

- European Voluntary Service (EVS)

- Trainings

Dear partners,

Please, find below, our workcamps program for the summer 2011. We do hope to host many of your motivated volunteers this summer, and that they will have a good time in Belgium. We would like to point out some specificities of the list, concerning some workcamps :

- Workcamps in Red Cross Centres for Asylum Seekers (JAVVA 03 and 06)

A couple of years ago, JAVVA started to organise workcamps in Centre for Asylum Seekers. The aim is to give volunteers an opportunity to see the issue of refugees and asylum seekers from a different perspective than from the media, and to give residents the possibility to meet persons from around the world, providing them with “a bit of fresh air”. Needless to say, such a workcamp should be promoted to motivated volunteers, who have some interest in this particular issue and who do not mind spending much time in somewhat isolated centres. Moreover, activities can be subject to change, as they must concord with the Centre's staff availability. A lot of asylum seekers come from French-speaking African countries, so some notions of French are welcome. However, the “official” language of the workcamp remains English.

- Workcamps in Bienne-lez-Happart (JAVVA 07)

This workcamps takes place in an isolated centre hosting young persons suffering from cerebral and motor handicaps. The workcamp can be emotionally challenging, and the centre is quite isolated. Therefore, it is also directed to volunteers motivated by this specific kind of experience.

Keep in mind that an average level of French is required for this workcamp, as work will be done with French-speaking children.

- Workcamps with Cemôme (JAVVA 01 and 08)

Most of the children on the CEMôme camps are with fewer opportunities. An average level of French is required, because of the target group (French-speaking children).

Five new workcamps ! Do not miss them ...

JAVVA 02

JAVVA 03

JAVVA 05

JAVVA 06

JAVVA 10

For all matters related to workcamps, please contact :

incoming (Laure) : (skype : communication.javva)

outgoing (Maëva) : (skype : exchange.javva)

+32 2 478 29 19

JAVVA ASBL

86 Rue de Parme

1060 Brussels

Belgium

JAVVA 01

CEMôme: holiday camp SOC

Dates : 12/04/11 – 23/04/11

Number of volunteers : 5

Activities : Volunteers will help organizing a summer camp for 40 children aged from 6 to 12 who come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. They will prepare meals for the group (and will be allowed, if they want to, to propose activities together with the social workers of the camp). A camp preparation will take place from 14 to 22 April. For more information :

Accommodation : In a guesthouse, please bring a sleeping back and a pillow if you need any

Location : Volunteers will spend the first two nights in Brussels to decide about the menus for the camp. They will then go to the camp place which is a 2-hour drive from Brussels. The camp will take place in Wellin, located 15 km from Rochefort.

Remark : Three volunteers will take care of the food and two others will be responsible for the animation. A certain level of French is expected of them as activities will take place with children who don't speak English.

JAVVA 02

Namur en Mai CULT

Dates : 25/05/11-09/06/11

Number of volunteers : 10

Activities : Every Ascent weekend since 1996 the City of Namur welcomes the «Festival des Arts Forains». More than 80 artistic groups settle in streets, squares, courts, gardens and theaters during 4 days to offer the best of contemporary Belgian and international creation inspired by the fairground community.

Volunteers will get various tasks linked to technical and scenographic areas. They will take part together to : the construction and assembling of tents and decoration sets, the arrangement of artists and teams' living space, the loading, transport and unloading of material. During the festival, it will be possible for the volunteers who want to and who ask to be integrated in teams in charge for instance of the ticket office or the bar.

Accommodation :Volunteers will sleep in an ideally located building as it is situated in the heart of the city centre, a 5-minute walk from the train station, in the office of les Arts Forains. Beds will be provided as well as showers and toilets. Volunteers should bring their own sleeping bag.

Location : Namur is the capital city of Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium. Namur counts more or less 100 000 inhabitants.

Remark : This is the very first time this workcamp takes place. For volunteers who wish to visit some parts of Belgium, they will have to do it before or after the festival because they will have no time to do it during the festival !

JAVVA 03

Festival Fier Monde Oignies SOC

Dates : 01/07/10 - 20/07/10

Number of volunteers : 9

Activities : This international workcamp will take place in a centre for Asylum Seekers managed by the Red Cross of Belgium. Along with local partners, the team and the residents of the Centre are organising a music festival called “Fier Monde”. The aim of the festival is to raise awareness about globalisation, immigration, difference and respect for other people and other identities. The main idea of the festival is to allow everyone to have their own citizenship whatever their origin, their religion, their status... Volunteers will be in charge of the decoration of the festival's various sites. They will be asked to design and realize this decoration themselves.

Accommodation : Volunteers should sleep in tents. They will have access to a solid bungalow where they will be allowed to leave their luggage and have a shower. Meals will be taken with the residents.

Location : The Centre Chantecler is located in Oignies-en-Thiérache, which is a small village in the South of Belgium. The Centre is very close to Couvin, a small rural town.

Remark : Volunteers will be asked to have a certain interest in the topic of migrations. They will have to take part to the community life within the Centre. In the summer, the region offers many leisure possibilities.

JAVVA 04

Domaine de Mozet – Mozet ENVI

Dates : 15/07/11-29/07/11

Number of volunteers : 12

Activities : Volunteers will be involved in different renovation in the Park of «Domaine de Mozet»: creation of a pond, clearing of bushes and paths. There's quite some physical work!

Working hours : 5 to 6 hours of work per day, from 8 to 15.30

Free time: weekends and evenings.,

Acommodation : In a little house who belongs to the Scouts near the castle of Domaine de Mozet. Please bring your sleeping bag.

Location : Mozet is a wonderful little village in the South of Belgium, situated at about 14 km from Namur and 75 km from Brussels.

Check out the website of Domaine de Mozet:

JAVVA 05

Heure Manu / Study

Dates : 17/07/11- 29/07/11

Number of volunteers : 12

This workcamp takes place in the frame of the global project “Volunteering 2011”, which is supported by the CCIVS (Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service) in occasion of the International Year of Volunteers +10 and European Year of Volunteering. Volunteers, coming from different continents, countries and backgrounds, will have the opportunity to work together, but also to express ideas, opinions, dreams : their contribution will be included in the upcoming common Plan of Action of the international volunteer service organizations. During the summer, other groups in similar camps will do the same in Africa, America and Asia. More than ever, volunteers will “act locally, think globally”! On a national level, this workcamp is also the result of a unique collaboration between 3 Belgian workcamps organizations –CBB-JAVVA and SCI- and a local youth movement – “Les Scouts et Guides Pluralistes”. It is then a great opportunity to promote international volunteering in Belgium. The local youth will be widely invited to visit the camp and to share one day of work with the international volunteers.

Work : Most of the workcamp will be dedicated to manual work. With the help of local Scouts, the volunteers will build tables for picnic, dry toilets, as well as taking care of a beautiful natural area. Two workshops on the theme of “Social inclusion through international workcamps” will be organized during the camp. The results of these workshops will contribute to the development of a common Plan of Action for the different networks of international volunteer service organizations.

Accomodation :in a cottage, where the living conditions are quite basic. Take a sleeping bag with you! Mats will be provided.

Situation : Nature lovers are very welcome! The workcamp will take place in “Le Domaine de Heure” a green –and isolated- area located close by a small village in the South Belgium. The closest town (12km) is Marche-en-Famenne, a cozy countryside town where a panel of modern services such as supermarkets, schools, industries are to be found.

Remark : No Internet connection available during the camp.

Be ready for physical work and to enjoy a lot of outdoor activities.

JAVVA 06

Center for asylum seekers - Yvoir SOC

Dates : 18/07 - 01/08

Number of volunteers : 9

Activites : JAVVA has organised workcamps in Red Cross Centres for asylum seekers for several years now. It seems to us that the topic of migration, which has always been a priority for JAVVA, has proven to be raising more and more interest among the public in these past few years. The aim of these workcamps is not only to enable volunteers to have a personal approach to this topic, but also to bring a new atmosphere to the residents of the centre.

Volunteers will organise 2 workshops with the residents :

a musical workshop : creation of instruments, singing, rhythm,world music, musical evenings, visit of the museum of “pataphonie” in Dinant.

creation of a removable mini-golf for the children living in the centre

Logement : In an independent area inside the centre, where the volunteers will dispose of several rooms with a kitchen, showers and toilets.

Situation : Yvoir is located in the Province of Namur and is a 30 minutes' drive from the city of Namur

Remark : The workcamp takes place in a Red Cross Centre for Asylum Seekers which is quite isolated. Volunteers are asked to prove a certain interest in the topic of asylum seekers and a sincere desire to be in contact with them.

JAVVA 07

Arthur Regniers Center - Bienne-lez-Happart HANDI

Dates : 08/08/11-31/08/11

Number of volunteers : 10

Work : The centre “Arthur Regniers” hosts people suffering of a cerebral and motor handicap. The volunteers will mainly be asked to attend to the basic needs of the children of the Center ( such as helping with the meals …) but will also have the opportunity to participate in the creation and the setting up of artistic and cultural activities, with the Center’s staff. They will also be able to suggest their own activities.

Accomodation : inside the centre.

Location : Bienne-lez-Happart is a very small town near Binche, Mons and Charleroi. The Center itself is quite isolated in the countryside but bicycles and a car will be available to use*. These means of transportation can be used in the evenings or in the weekends, to discover the region and visit other places in Belgium.

*Please bring your bike helmet and your driver’s license, if possible.

Remarks: This workcamp is for volunteers who have a strong motivation for the topic. The Center is quite isolated, and the work can be challenging. An average knowledge of French is required, as activities will be conducted with children…who do not speak any English ;)

JAVVA 08

CEMôme: holiday camp SOC

Dates : 13/08/11 - 29/08/11

Number of volunteers : 3

Activites : Volunteers will help organizing a summer camp for 50 children aged 6 to 12 who come from socially disadvantaged background. They will prepare meals for the group (and will be able, if they wish, to propose activities together with the social workers and carers of the hosting organization). A camp preparation will take place on August 15th and 16th . The children camp will take place between August 17th and 28th . For more information :

Accomodation : In a guesthouse, please bring a sleeping back and a pillow.

Location : Volunteers will spend the first two nights in Brussels in order to discuss about the menus for the camp. They will then go to the camp's site which is a 2-hour drive from Brussels. The camp will take place in Moresnet, located 50 km from Liège.

Remark : A certain level of French is expected from volunteers as the activities will take place with children who don't speak English.

JAVVA 09

Youth Centre - Braine l’Alleud RENO

Dates : 17/08/11- 31/08/11

Number of volunteers : 15

Activities : For more than 10 years, international volunteers have taken part in the renovation of the youth centre in Braine l'Alleud ( . This year too, volunteers will carry on the renovation work in the house by doing some painting, some gardening, etc…Expect to be involved in physical work.

Accommodation : Volunteers will sleep in an old castle next to the Youth Centre. Sleeping bag and sheets are needed. There is the possibility to have vegetarian and halal food (please inform the organisation beforehand)

Location : Braine l’Alleud (30 minutes from Brussels).

JAVVA 10

Jyva'Zik CULT

Dates :19/09/11- 29/09/11

Number of volunteers : 10

Activities :Volunteers will help on several aspects of the festival logistics, such as assembling and dismantling of tents, building and putting up the decorations, doing some tidying up and cleaning, taking care of the catering and others. The festival will count on the participation of 20 artistic bands (mostly musical bands but also street art bands). It will take place from September 23rd (in the evening) until Saturday September 24th (in the evening).

Physical work can be expected but the panel of tasks in which volunteers will be involved is quite heterogeneous.

Accomodation :Volunteers will sleep in tents and are asked to bring a sleeping bag and a camping mattress.

Location: Walhain is a little village in the Belgian countryside located between Brussels and Namur.

Remark : Both days of the festival will be free for the volunteers, they are not expected to work on those days.

JAVVA ASBL

Rue de Parme, 86

1060 Brussels

Belgium

TEL : +32 2 478 29 19

FAX : +32 2 478 03 74

Facebook : JAVVA asbl

email :

Find on the website the details of

the various members of our team