JAVVA
International volunteeringprojects
Programme 2018
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 Travels » 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 volunteering projects enable inter-cultural encounters as well as the discovery of others 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 as humanitarian aid or emergency relief, they offer participation in another culture, and teach teamwork through participation in a development project in the heart of a local community.
OUR MAIN ACTIVITIES
International Workcamps
European Volunteering (EVS/ESC)
Medium or Long term Volunteering
JAVVA@School
Trainings
Dear partners,
Please, find below, our program of workcamps for 2018. 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 general remarks and specificities regarding our workcamps:
Workcamps
This year, our workcamps will last 2-3 weeks and will take place from Mai to October. The number of international volunteers in the camp will vary from 8 to 14. If possible, we try to avoid having more than 2 participants of the same nationality in the camp. Usually English is the camp language, but there are some projects where notions of French are necessary (see workcamps’ descriptions).
Conditions for participation
Volunteers should be over 18-year-old and there is no maximum age limit. There are no special skills required from volunteers. Participants should be motivated to do voluntary work, be ready to meet the realities of local life and demonstrate flexibility, tolerance and openness to new experiences. There is no extra fee required to participate in our workcamps.
1 new workcamp this year!
JAVVA18-05 (TBC)
Our mini-project
JAVVAVS18-01
Our MTV project
JAVVAMTV18-01
Do not miss them…
INTERNATIONAL WORKCAMPS 2018
JAVVA18-01 / Special Olympics Belgium / MOUSCRON / 04/05 – 16/05 / DISA/
FEST / 14
JAVVASV18-01 / Festival Jam’in Jette / BRUSSELS / 16/05 – 21/05 / FEST / 10
JAVVA18-02 / Clerheid School / ÉREZÉE / 04/06 - 16/06 / RENO/ENVI / 8
JAVVA18-03 / Red Cross Centre for asylum seekers - Fraipont / FRAIPONT / 02/07 – 15/07 / REFU / 10
JAVVA18-04 / L’Enfance de l’Art – Eco-construction / TEMPLEUVE / 14/07 – 28/07 / RENO/ENVI / 12
JAVVA18-05 / Beavers’ Farm (TBC) / AISEAU / 22/07 – 05/08 / KIDS / 8
JAVVA18-06 / Arthur Regniers Centre / BIENNE / 13/08 - 31/08 / DISA / 9
JAVVA18-07 / Red Cross Centre for asylum seekers - Tournai / TOURNAI / 13/08 – 26/08 / REFU / 10
JAVVA18-08 / Festival Théâtres Nomades (TBC) / BRUXELLES / 16/08 - 31/08 / FEST / 8
JAVVA18-09 / Marsinne Folk Festival / HERON / 03/09 - 14/09 / FEST / 10
JAVVA18-10 / Eco-centre - "La CITE s'invente" (TBC) / LIEGE / XX/09 – XX/09 / ENVI/ RENO / 8
JAVVA18-11 / Red Cross Centre for asylum seekers - Nonceveux / NONCEVEUX / 22/09 – 06/10 / REFU / 8
JAVVA18-01 Special Olympics Belgium
MOUSCRON / 04.05-16.05 / DISA/FEST / 14 vols / 18+PARTNER:
Created by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, "Special Olympics" aim to providing year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Today, Special Olympics is a global movement serving more than 4 million people with intellectual disabilities in 178 countries and representing 30 different types of sports.
Special Olympics Belgium was founded in 1979 and is officially recognized by the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee. It organises National Games every year (alternatively in Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia) and send delegations of Belgian athletes to the Winter and Summer Special Olympics World Games. These competitions are open to any athlete with intellectual disability who regularly practise a sport at his/her own level. More than just a physical and sport training, these activities enhance the social development of the athletes.
The 2018 National Games will take place in Tournai and Mouscron and will host about 3400 athletes and 1200 coaches from 320 sport clubs to compete in 19 adapted sports and disciplines. The programme will include a torch run, opening and closure ceremonies, an Olympic village, a healthy athletes programme and an art exhibition from artists with mental disability.
More information (FR) on : Special Olympics Belgium
WORK:
For this 36th edition of the Belgian National Games, volunteers will help on several aspects of the event logistics, such as assembling and dismantling of structures, building and putting up the decorations, transport and unloading of material, waste management,... Volunteers will work with several teams of the organisation before and after the Games. During the 3 days of competitions, volunteers will provide guidance to athletes for one of the disciplines of the competition: a precision ball sport, related to bowls and "pétanque" called Bocce. The Opening Ceremony as well as the Torch Run will take place on May 9th while the Games will take place from May 10th to May 12th 2018.
Physical work will be asked to volunteers so it is important to take this into account. Volunteers will also have lighter tasks like guidance of athletes, decorations, waste management,...
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will sleep in the logistic centre or in «Festihut», small chalets allowing to host 4 persons each. The accommodation will be located in Mouscron. Please bring a sleeping bag.
FOOD:
Meals will be taken with the different teams of the organisation and will be prepared by local volunteers. Vegetarian food will be available but should be asked in advance.
LOCATION:
The 2018 National Games will take place between Tournai and Mouscron, French-speaking cities located in Wallonia, close to the French border. The National Games will mainly take place in Mouscron where volunteers will spend most of their time. This city is located about 100 km away from Brussels, 25 km from Lille (France) and 25 km from Tournai. The place of the workcamp can be reached easily by public transport.
SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
This workcamp requires physical efforts at some moments. Volunteers are asked to prove a strong interest for the thematic of this event. There will be one free day before and one free day after the competition.
Please bring good working shoes and clothes that can get dirty as well as a raincoat in case of rainy weather.
A project-related motivation letter is required.
LANGUAGE:
The language of the workcamp is English. Basics of French or Dutch are useful but not necessary.
ACCES:
Brussels International Airport (Zaventem), Brussels South Airport (Charleroi), or Lille airport (France). Meeting point at Mouscron train station on 04/05. Train timetables on
SUMMARY OF THE WORKCAMP:
For the 36th edition of the Belgian Special Olympics, a competition hosting about 3400 athletes with intellectual disabilities, a workcamp will take place in the city of Mouscron in order to help on several aspects of the logistics around the competition. Volunteers will also guide athletes for one of the disciplines during the National Games.
JAVVAVS18-01 Festival Jam’In Jette
BRUSSELS / 16/05 to 21/05 / FEST / 10 vols / 18+PARTNER:
Installed since 2008 in the “Parc de la Jeunesse” in Jette, this free festival has developed a strong identity. Jam’in Jette is a world music festival with bands from across the world, playing every style of music known to man against a backdrop of artistic activity (open stages, creative workshops…) for all ages. This festival aims to promote sustainable economic, ecological and social development. The 2018 edition should gather about 15000 festival-goers.
Jam’in Jette is:
- a world music festival
- accessible to all, especially given its free access and the diversity of the programme
- mixed, multicultural, multilingual, multigenerational
- warm, welcoming, family-friendly
- committed, entertaining, optimistic
- festive, creative, colourful
- local, giving the opportunity to the inhabitants of the area to present this unknown and charming part of Brussels
More information (FR) on:
Video on
WORK:
Volunteers will help on several aspects of the festival logistics, such as assembling and dismantling of tents, building and putting up the decorations, transport and unloading of material, installation of the “village of organisations”, waste management... Volunteers will work with all people working on the festival (technicians, stage managers, facilitators, organizers...).
During the festival, which will take place on May 18th (in the evening) and May 19th 2018, volunteers will have the possibility, if they wish, to be integrated in the different teams (tickets, bar, catering...).
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will sleep in tents on the site of the festival. The living conditions are very rudimentary similar to conditions of a “scout camp”. Sanitary facilities will be accessible in a building nearby. Please bring your sleeping bag, a mattress and toiletries. If you have the possibility, you can also bring your own tent. Keep in mind that nights can be very cold in Belgium.
FOOD:
Meals will be taken with the diverse teams of the festival.
LOCATION:
The workcamp will take place in Jette, one of the 19 municipalities of Brussels-Capital Region, located in the northern part. Volunteers will stay on the festival site, on “Parc de la Jeunesse”. The site is easily reachable by public transport.
SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Please bring good working shoes and clothes that can get dirty, warm clothes as well as a raincoat in case of rainy weather. If you have a music instrument or juggling material, feel free to bring it! A project-related motivation letter is required.
LANGUAGE:
The language of the workcamp is English. Basics of French are useful but not necessary.
TERMINAL:
Brussels International Airport (Zaventem) or Brussels South Airport (Charleroi), train/bus to Brussels South – Bruxelles Midi. Train station in Brussels North – Bruxelles Nord. The meeting point will be in Brussels on 16/05. Train timetables on
SUMMARY OF THE WORKCAMP:
Join our “mini-workcamp” at the Festival «Jam’in Jette» and discover the inside of this unique world music festival in the heart of Europe! Volunteers will help on several aspects of the festival logistics at all the stages of the festival organisation.
JAVVA18-02 Clerheid School
érézée / 04/06 to 16/06 / RENO/ENVI / 8 vols / 18+PARTNER:
Clerheid School is recognized by the French Community of Belgium as meeting and accommodation centre offering school camps and holidays camps for kids and teenagers. Most activities take place in the frame of a one-week camp.
Educational priorities of Clerheid School :
• To encourage wonderment, peace, respect of life and what allows life
• To stimulate solidarity learning and caring of each other
• To give priority to fulfilment and welcome every child, each youngster no matter his/her origin, philosophy, age, character
• To encourage a good understanding of freedom
• To raise consciousness of art, responsibility and initiative
• To be especially demanding about enthusiastic motivation of all
• To develop critical thinking skills
More information (FR) on
WORK:
We invite volunteers to give their support to the multiple tasks which will help the school to organize incredible summer camps. The purpose is mainly the exchange between enthusiastic and motivated youngsters in order to share all together our experiences and wishes. There will be two types of tasks: farm work and renovation/construction.
During the workcamp, we wish the volunteers to share with us the everyday life of Clerheid School as well as the maintenance of the site, by performing the following tasks:
• To take care of the animals (2 horses, 2 donkeys, 2 goats, sheep and chickens),
• To prepare the fields, to fix the fences, and various farm works,
• To maintain the forest (wood collecting, pruning and storage) and of the 12 hectares of fields (haymaking, cutting weed…), to construct a dry stone wall, gardening,
• To prepare, maintain and renovate various installations, wooden construction…
Volunteers will also have the opportunity to visit and work in the wooden village hosting every year hundreds of kids. This enchanting place is the fruit of the work and imagination of generations of kids and activity leaders, and today it extends considerably (more than 20 huts over 2 hectares, a bridge, an amphitheatre, a fence...).
Tasks are fairly diversified so that there is something for every taste. The planning of activities will be developed progressively according to the progress of work, the weather, needs of the organisation and wishes of volunteers.
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will live in a small cottage, with a kitchen, a bathroom and two bedrooms (2 x 4 beds), as well as in a dormitory with a bathroom. Volunteers may also sleep in tents or in a hut during one weekend. Please bring your sleeping bag.
FOOD:
Volunteers will either take their lunch with groups during the camps or they will cook by themselves in the kitchen at their disposal.
LOCATION:
Clerheid School is located in a hamlet in the province of Luxembourg, in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. The domain is located between 350 and 550 meters of altitude, away from major roads on a crest of the Ardennes. The place of the workcamp is isolated and it is not reachable by public transport. The closest town, Marche-en-Famenne, is 30 minutes away by car.
SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
This workcamp is designed for nature lovers who are not afraid of outdoor work in an isolated place (no wifi). Volunteers should be willing to interact with children as there will be camps and activities with kids organised during the workcamp. There will be very limited access to Internet and a phone in the office of the organisation.
In order to preserve conviviality and harmony within the groups, we wish the workcamp to be alcohol-free.
A project-related motivation letter is required.
LANGUAGE:
The language of the workcamp is English. Basics of French are useful but not necessary.
TERMINAL:
Brussels International Airport (Zaventem) or Brussels South Airport (Charleroi), meeting point at Bomal train station on 04/06. Train timetables on
SUMMARY OF THE WORKCAMP:
Join the workcamp at «Clerheid School» in Erezée and help this educational organisation to promote human values like solidarity, respect, freedom...! Volunteers will contribute to the improvement of the outdoor facilities to give the opportunity to the kids who come here in summer camps to experience an amazing time.
JAVVA18-03 Red Cross Centre for asylum seekers - Fraipont
Fraipont / 02/07 to 15/07 / REFU / 10 vols / 18+PARTNER:
The centre for asylum seekers in Fraipont is one of the reception centres managed by the Red Cross in Belgium. Asylum seekers come from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Balkans and other parts of the world. They left their country for different reasons such as forced marriage, war, persecution due to religion, sexual orientation or political opinion. Many of them were separated from their family, and they found themselves without any resource or shelter. The Red Cross is mandated by the government for the reception of asylum seekers, and its work in this area adheres to its principles of humanity, independence and neutrality.
The centres provide the following services :
• accommodation and food
• necessary hygienic means
• support and monitoring on the asylum procedure and social support
• medical support
• compulsory education for minors
• cultural and sports activities
The centre “Le Merisier” can host up to 305 residents.It hosts different kind of family situations: families, childless couples but mostly isolated persons and 50 unaccompanied minors.
The infrastructure of the centre enables it to have, besides the usual accommodation facilities, some convivial areas such as a cinema, a refectory, a games library, a fitness room, a football and volley-ball field...The centre is surrounded by a wood easily accessible.
WORK:
The aim of this workcamp is not only to raise volunteers’ awareness about migration issues and enable them to have a personal approach to this topic, but also to bring a breath of fresh air to the residents of the centre.
Volunteers will take part in the community life of the centre and their tasks will mainly consist of some renovation works within the centre but also the organisation of entertainment activities for residents :
• Diverse renovation works will be carried out together with the technical team of the centre (for instance : renovation of some bedrooms, cleaning, painting, renovation of the outdoor equipment,...)
• Activities for the residents organized with the workers in order to understand better the way the centre works :
Examples of activities volunteers can work on:
• Sport competitions (badminton, indoor football,...)
• Cooking activity
• Entertainment activities for adults : board games, film club,... (depending of volunteer’s initiatives)
• Support to the games library
• After school homework help program (for children and teenagers of the centre)
• Walk in the wood
• Discussion table
• “CV and motivation letter” workshop
ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers will sleep in small chalets with the centre. Showers and toilets will be provided.
FOOD:
Volunteers will have their meals in the restaurant of the centre with the residents.If you have a special diet, please let us know in advance.
LOCATION:
Fraipont is a small village in the province of Liège, in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. It’s situated to the top of a hill. The centre, from Nessonvaux train station, is served by the train and a bus (number 31 destination Nessonvaux). The centre is at 20minutes walking from Nessonvaux train station.
SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
• Volunteers are asked to prove a certain interest for the topic of migration and to be willing to interact with asylum seekers. Experience in animation will be appreciated (games, song, entertainment activities, dance...).
• A project-related motivation letter is required.
• Volunteers will have to respect the regulations of the centre. Alcohol is formally prohibited in the centre.
LANGUAGE:
The language of the workcamp is English. Basics of French are useful but not necessary.
TERMINAL:
Brussels International Airport (Zaventem) or Brussels South Airport (Charleroi), by train from Brussels to Nessonvaux train station (meeting point) on 02/07. Train timetables on