Mandala - Brick by Brick (2023) Archive

5-week ESC volunteering project in Hungary

19. June - 23. July 2023.

Are you interested in traditional sustainable architecture? Would you like to gain practical experience on how to live more eco-friendly? Are you between 18-30 years old? Can you imagine yourself in an international group of like-minded people for five weeks in the countryside of Hungary?

If your answers are YES for the questions above, we have good news for you!

We are looking for participants for our 5-week ESC volunteering project from the following countries:
- Estonia
- Spain
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Croatia
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Poland
- Hungary

About us:
Our place Dombfalva is a community-based, environmentally sustainable initiative for cultural and recreational activities. Our goal is to create a multi-purpose venue that is suitable for hosting various events, meetings and camps. We organize programs for young people, children and families (workshops, volunteer-days, summer festival) and we think of Dombfalva as an inclusive space where the ideas of external partners could be realized. 

Activities:
During the 5-week volunteering program we would like to realize the development of our infrastructure, so that it can better serve our cultural-art and community events.

No previous professional knowledge is needed for the tasks, but the activities of the programme are going to give the opportunity to all participants to develop their personal skills. During the programme the tasks are going to be built on each other, and by the end they are going to create a bigger, complex system, which is going to be justified by the results of our common and personal efforts.

In addition to the main activity there will be dedicated time to rest, and volunteers can also participate in workshops and community building programmes, like intercultural-evenings from time to time. We are planning to swim in a nearby lake, take a walking tour among the stunning hills surrounding the venue or visit Budapest.

Main activity:
- our goal is the improvement of an open terrace and its surroundings built in one of our previous projects by constructing a unique and artful brick mosaic mandala floor.
- participants will be involved in preparing the site, the building materials and laying down the mosaic mandala floor which results in a visually pleasing, practical and durable long time solution. Meanwhile they will be learning the techniques and practices of this.
- with the mosaic mandala floor we would like to create a unique area which can be the main feature of our atmospheric community space

Secondary activity:
- During the project a traditional wooden barn will be constructed on the venue by qualified carpenters. Here volunteers can observe and learn the different phases and methods of construction and can also take part in several work phases like marking and building the foundation, parts of carpentry and roof tiling

Other activities:
- maintenance of our park trees that are planted utilizing permaculture design: gardening, irrigation, mowing
- theoretical training on straw and clay architecture
- presentation of construction techniques used on the various on-site buildings including a straw bale tiny-house.

The group of volunteers are going to participate in tasks with clear goals, mainly related to the eco-architectural development of the area. They are going to get acquainted with the water management of the venue, the use of reclaimed bricks in construction and the environmental and economical results of using local materials.

Location:
Dombfalva is located in a quiet valley of the Gödöllő hills, approximately 40km from Budapest. The size of the area is 4 hectares in which we have a small forest, fields and our buildings.
To reach the place it is a 20 minutes walk in the village and a forest from the nearest bus stop.
We are going to help organize the travel of the volunteers from Budapest to the venue at the beginning of the project and the way back to Budapest at the end. 

Dates:
The project activity starts on 19 June 2023, volunteers should arrive on the weekend before the start date. The project ends on 23 July 2023.

We are planning another volunteer project later in the summer and we offer and recommend for the volunteers to stay with us. We are going to cover the food and accommodation for these extra days between the two projects for the ones staying with us. Further info about it will be available soon.

Participants/ volunteers profile:
We are looking for participants aged 18-30 with a strong interest in environmentalism, who are open to learn new methods, to get to know a different, sustainable lifestyle. We are mostly going to do physical work, so we would like to have volunteers who are not afraid of getting their hands a little dirty.
We are planning to include volunteers with fewer opportunities, because we believe that the methods and knowledge gained during the project could be an asset to them. 

Accommodation:
The volunteers are going to be accommodated in one building all together on single beds. Participants should bring their own sleeping bags and pillows. We are going to use outdoor solar showers and composting toilets, and a washing machine is available. 

Food:
During the project the volunteers are going to cook together. Every day there is going to be a cooking team responsible for the meals. Participants are going to be welcome to plan the menu and to bring their own ideas. We are planning to use ingredients from local farmers. 

What is covered by the project?:
The project is going to be realized in the framework of European Solidarity Corps. 

The following costs are going to be covered:
- Travel cost from the country of residence to the project location is going to be reimbursed up to the amount in the table below.
- Pocket money: 42 €/week
- Food: hosting organization provides the ingredients and the volunteer team prepares the meals together with the help of staff.
- Insurance: the programme covers private health insurance, but volunteers have to possess the “blue” European Health Card. 

Travel cost limits:

This is a group-volunteering project, so you can participate even if you have already done individual EVS/ESC project before!

How to apply:
If you would like to participate in this project, we invite you to fill in the application form.

Deadline for application: 9. May 2023.

Selection process:
We give feedback for all the applicants until the middle of May. If you are selected for the second round, you are going to be invited for an online interview with the hosting organization. We would like to have the final volunteer team by the end of May. 

Inclusion:
We value all volunteers as unique individuals, and we welcome the variety of experiences they bring to our project. We are committed to equal volunteer opportunity without regard to age, ancestry, disability, national or ethnic origin, race, religious belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political belief. 

Contact:
If you have any question regarding the project, don't hesitate to reach out to us here:
esc.dombfalva@gmail.com
www.dombfalva.hu
fb.com/Dombfalva