APPLICATION: There is a special application form and you need to attach a motivation letter in French - Pleaseplease contact the IBG office!

LTV SJ 02 - Centre de Beaumotte
Starting dates: 01.06.2012, 01.07.2012, 01.09.2012
Volunteers can participate between 6-12 months and agree with the host on the length before their arrival. Minimum length to participate is 6 months.

The Centre de Beaumotte was founded in 1979 and is a non-formal educational association. It is the regional delegation of Solidarités Jeunesses' in the Franche-Comté region. The aim of our centre is to support people who have fewer opportunities and to encourage them to take responsibility for their own lives.
The project: One of the most important things we do at the centre is to simply participate in the everyday exchange that occurs when people from different social and cultural backgrounds live together. There are about 20 people who live and work at the centre, and 10 more who come to work during the day. The centre hosts teenagers and adults who are facing social and professional problems, and who often have difficulties functioning in society and perhaps do not have support from their family. They live at the centre from 6 months to one year. The exchange between the volunteers and those living at the centre is extremely important, and together we focus our efforts to realise specific projects around the centre and in neighbouring villages. The residents also participate in seminars covering subject such as alcohol and drug addictions and help with employment or other life skills. The volunteers are welcome to participate in these if they would like, for example to give a presentation about your country. Throughout the year we also organise different social and cultural events, such as concerts, theatrical productions, workshops, and the like. This project requires no specific knowledge or skills. You do not have to be able to speak French but it is important to be aware that not everybody living here can speak English. There is the opportunity to have French lessons while you are here. All long term volunteers receive 105 Euros every month and have 15 days holiday per year.
OUR WORK:
We work approximately 7 hours per day, sometimes we are based in the house, other times we work outside the house. The outside work could be:
* Renovation of the centre (masonry, carpentry, etc.)
* Preservation of the grounds
* Renovation of the local heritage (fountains, ancient wash-houses, etc.)
* Environmental projects (preservation of the river, gardening, etc.)
PLANNING:
After breakfast we all clean the house for 30 minutes. The work day ends around 4.30 pm and we have a morning break and an hour for lunch. Each day 2 or 3 of us work in the kitchen and prepare the meals for the day. Residents and volunteers work together on these tasks.
GROUP LIFE:
Volunteers and residents live together in one part of the house. Our house is very big! The staff and their family live in another section of the house but we all eat and socialise together. It is important for volunteers to take part in the communal life and to try and get to know the residents because we live together as one group. The volunteers share their bedrooms with residents and usually another volunteer; there maybe 2 or 3 people in one bedroom. The rooms are mixed gender so male and female share the same room.
As stated above, the daily intercultural exchange is a great way to achieve some of the goals of the project. The lives of both the volunteers and the residents are enriched as they confront their similarities and differences, and this produces some very powerful moments.
As can be imagined, it can be difficult to get things running smoothly when you are living with 25 other people. To make things easier and more comfortable for everyone, there are a few rules that must be respected at the centre. The first is that, with the exception of organised special occasions, no alcohol is allowed at the centre. This is out of respect for residents who have had alcohol problems in the past. Also mobile phones are forbidden in the house. Volunteers are allowed to bring their phones but they will be kept in the office. You can use your phone when you need to but we just ask that you don't use it in the house. There is also a fixed phone that is available to the volunteers (you will need a phone card) and internet is also provided so you can stay connected with family and friends. The final rule is that we expect all those who live at the centre to respect night time quiet hours.
Once a week everybody from the house (and those who come here to work but do not live here) participates in a meeting where we discuss how we feel about our week and plan for the week ahead. There is also a separate meeting every 2 weeks just for the volunteers and here we discuss anything you would like to raise. There is a person here who is responsible for the welfare of the volunteers (Paola) and she also has responsibility regarding the work that the volunteers do here.
The Centre de Beaumotte has been hosting medium and long term volunteers for the past 30 years, and each of them have left their mark. At any given time the centre hosts 8 international volunteers. As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to live a unique life experience, to develop your own projects, to learn French and discover the culture here, and to be a positive influence in the lives of those at the centre. You will work at times with local youths on projects in the surrounding areas. During your time here you will also have the opportunity to lead one or two of Solidarités Jeunesses' international work camps and to participate in events such as training seminars and general assemblies.
Why do we host international volunteers?
* To provide an intercultural exchange and dimension to all of our projects
* To enrich the learning process of the residents by mixing different people.
* To stimulate local development by working in collaboration with the community and local associations.
* To give young French people the opportunity to be confronted with new ideas and cultures, and to allow the same for the volunteers.
The Social Environment:
The centre is located in a small, rural village where there is not much social activity. This, however, does not mean the volunteers will be either lonely or bored! At any given time there are around 30 people in the centre, with many more passing through.
The Geographical Layout:
The Franche-Comté is a beautiful region well known for its wines, sausages and cheeses. The centre is situated on the edge of a river in the village of Beaumotte (pop. 380), in the countryside of the Haute-Saône. The nearest large towns are Vesoul (25km) and Besançon (30km), though the small town of Rioz rests just 12km away. Trips into town are organised every week based on the activity schedule. A large garden surrounds our building, and we have an activity room we call "le Bateau". In "le Bateau" we arrange cultural activities with the young residents of the centre, and also organise events that the locals can come and participate in.

LTV SJ 03 - Le Créneau 01.09.2012 - 31.08.2013
Created in 1993, the association 'Le Créneau' is the delegation of Solidarités Jeunesses in Auvergne/Rhône-Alpes. Its objectives are the following:
* To have a meeting and hosting structure where the dominant theme is intercultural exchanges through group life and .
* To help enliven and develop the region by working in cooperation with the local government and education centres (recreation centres, clubs, schools, etc.).
* To support projects sponsored both by our association and the community by organizing international work camps.
* To help people with social and professional difficulties get back on track.
The Créneau keeps it's doors open to everyone. in doing this we hope to enable all types of people to meet and live together, learning from each other in spite of linguistic, social, and economical barriers. We feel that these kinds of exchanges are crucial in fighting prejudices. The Créneau encourages active and responsible citizenship through promoting values such as solidarity, justice, respect and peace.
The project is based out of the Château des Prureaux, in the village of Montcombroux-les-Mines in the centre of France. The nearest towns are those of Vichy (45km, pop. 26,000), Moulins (50km, pop. 22,000) and Roanne (60km, pop. 40,000). Clermont-Ferrand is the nearest city (90km, pop. 250,000). The château is surrounded by fields and forests, and itself rests on a piece of hedged farmland. Montcombroux-les-Mines is a small village with around 400 inhabitants, and both the name of the town and the architecture reflect it's mining past. The region is rich in natural and architectural beauty, but marked by an ageing population. With little to no industry, the locals here rely on green tourism, the sale of artisan goods and quality farming dominated by cow breeding. There is little public transportation, and the closest train stations are St. Germain-des-Fossés (35km) and Digoin (25km). The château itself is located in a very isolated spot, 6km form the nearest services. However, the presence of the permanent team and the groups that we host regularly make up for the relative isolation.
The Château des Prureaux is a bourgeois mansions that was built in the 19th century over the foundations of an old farm. In addition to the main building there is a small forest, a farmyard, a vegetable garden, and several smaller buildings that make up a courtyard. Since 1993 the association has been devoted to the restoration, maintenance and revival of the area by promoting the artisan traditions of the region (basketry, bread making, etc.) and other local actions and organizing international work camps that host volunteers from all origins.
There are some rules that the members of the association, the volunteers, and all hosted groups are asked to live by, namely the schedule, the sharing of daily responsibilities (cooking, cleaning, etc.), break making, ecological awareness, and the fight against all forms of waste.
The association is made up of two permanent staff members, around 15 active members, a number of individual and collective partners, and the French and foreign volunteers who frequent the centre regularly. In addition to this, Le Créneau is a member of several local associations, and as a result volunteers have the opportunity to participate in many local events such as La Zoreille Festival with the General Council, the association forum, environmental days, and the like. The volunteers are also encouraged to participate in international work camps that are organized each year (12 in 2006), either as a volunteer or a leader. This is an excellent way for them to meet local youth, and for the youth to gain a knowledge of the possibilities that await them at Le Créneau.
The work :
1) The main part of the work consists in restoring the buildings and keeping them in a good state, as well as laying out the gardens, farmyard, etc.
2) Throughout the year groups of people will join us at the Château, many of them with social difficulties. Volunteers will help in planning activities, workshops, etc. according to their personal
interests.
3) Other opportunities may include organizing workshops in the schools, participating in and/or
leading an international summer work camp, gardening, and promoting the association through
local events.
4)Individual project :
We strongly believe that is important for the volunteer to implement, during his/her voluntary service, one or several personal ideas in accordance with the values and the project of the association. We think voluntary should also be an opportunity to reflect, to experiment and to take initiatives. Time is set aside each week in order to allow to the volunteers to dedicate themselves to their personal projects.
The collective life :
The volunteer will participate in the group life, together with the staff, the official members and the guests.
His/her accommodation will be in a shared house close to the mansion, and he/she will contribute:
* to the general renovation: masonry, painting, maintenance;
* to the daily tasks: cooking, cleaning, shopping, bread making;
* to the general organisation: weekly meeting, host and transportation of the guests;
* to the activities implemented: video projections, debates, games, happenings, trainings.
The volunteer will work an average of 30 hours per week and will take his/her free time in accordance with his tutor and the needs of the association. We do not have any specific criteria of selection. We want to offer an opportunity to share in the experience here to all kinds of people, regardless of their age, their social origin, their level of French language, or their skills.
We just ask that the volunteer :
* to participate to the whole project, which will at times include evenings and weekends;
* to have the willingness to join other people, share impressions and ideas and to live a sometimes hard but very rich collective experience for several months;
* to note that Le Créneau is situated in a very remote place, in the middle of the countryside, without any public transport.
Villages des jeunes
Village des jeunes is the Solidarités Jeunesses local office in the Provence Alpes Côtes d'Azur, in the south-east part in France. It is located in the Hautes Alpes region, between Grenoble (80 km) and Gap (45 km), 12 km away from a small town called Veynes. There are three different centers: Le Faï, les Crots et Vaunière.
These structures are all in isolated areas where you will have the opportunity to be very close to nature. Modern technology should not make us forget that recycling, management of water use, and the maintenance of our natural heritage are integral parts our daily life and our prospects for the future.

LTV SJ 05 LA FERME DU FAÏ    01.04.2012 - 31.10.2012
The association Village des Jeunes, the regional delegation of Solidarités Jeunesse in Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, is an informal education association recognized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Through its actions, the Villages des Jeunes aims to promote :
> The voluntary participation of everyone, especially the youth and the underprivileged, in local, national and international life.
> Local development that keep in mind individuals, the environment and cultural heritage.
> Communication between people from different countries and different generations.
> The concrete construction of peace.
Toward this aim, the association organises short and long-term international programmes, integration actions, trainings, international solidarity actions, and manages three hosting structures in rural environments, including the farm called le Faï. Le Faï is a old farm, located 3 km from the village of Saix (80 inhabitants), in a rural area with a declining population.
Collaborating closely with the SIVU (Dedicated Inter Community Union) of the villages of Saix and of Saint Auban d'Oze and the local authorities , the association promotes actions in the above areas that foster activities in the following areas:
Local action: By transforming the farm into a hosting centre and international meeting place, by youth projects in nearby villages to promote local projects, and by social utility actions such as rehabilitation courses for the long-term unemployed, retreats for adults and adolescents, hosting of families, groups and handicapped persons.
Cultural action: The geographic situation of the farm at the foot of a natural circus led to an acoustic project unique in its kind, using speakers to transform the cliff into a genuine natural organ. Here we hold many cultural gatherings, and we also help to organize events in the surrounding region.
Environmental action: Located in a sensitive natural area, the different installations of the farm are also didactic tools. They can make the public aware of the protection of nature (sorting the garbage, dry toilettes, reflection over renewable energies).
Throughout the year, the farm is managed by two permanent employees and a team of volunteers (4 persons including two EVS) who help implement the project. The association also includes 15 administrators and about thirty volunteers who come to help in the organisation of the different activities on a regular basis.
Permanents, volunteers, administrators and hosted public are all responsible for the daily life in the camp, and to ensure that the rules are respected. This means that everybody takes part in the maintenance, upkeep, cleaning and cooking. Volunteers who wish may also attend board meetings.
The association les Villages des Jeunes aims at welcoming different types of people, especially the young and the underprivileged. As the association evolves, the continued presence of volunteers of all nationalities, along with the presence of French people from different social backgrounds has become essential to the association. It ensures an intercultural exchange which is the foundation of our association, and represents an important lever for our local development actions.
The objectives which lead us to welcome volunteers are the following :
* Enriching our actions and starting new ones;
* Promoting peace by confronting different ideas;
* Proposing a real intercultural exchange to the hosted public;
* Fighting deep-rooted prejudices in the local population, through actions developed externally;
* Giving the hosted volunteers the opportunity not only to give but also to be on the receiving end of exchange as they meet the local population.
The volunteers will participate in the following activities :
* The project/work camps: This category describes the ongoing work that occurs at the farm. It is the area in which education takes place, and where people can exchange through work. It concerns environmental projects (cleaning rivers, clearing brushwood), cultural heritage projects (working on a old Chalaisienne abbey), restoring and improving projects of buildings in villages or in the farm.
In agreement with the paid staff, the volunteers who want to may become pedagogic activity leaders on these projects.
* Hosting: The ferme du Faï has space to welcome groups, families and individuals who are on holiday and/or desire to participate in projects. The volunteers will be encouraged to participate in leading these activities (cooking, organising cultural nights, games, hikes in the mountains).
* Cultural activities: We strongly encourage the volunteers to join our team in organizing the cultural activities which take place in the farm or in the nearby villages. Examples could be music festivals, farmers markets, parties around a traditional baker's oven, shows, etc.
Personal projects are seen as a way to reflection, discovery and personal enrichment for the volunteers, and to this end, after an initial period of settling in, the volunteer will have the chance to carry out one or more individual or collective projects that go along with the goals of the overall project.
French lessons can be arranged according to interest.
To take part in this project, the volunteer must:
* have a genuine interest in the proposed activities;
* be willing to live in a group for several months;
* be aware that the ferme du Faï is located on a mountain in a very isolated place

LTV SJ 06 VAUNIÈRE         Starting date: 01.07.2012
Minimum stay 6 months, maximum stay 12 months
The association Village des Jeunes, the regional delegation of Solidarités Jeunesse in Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, is an informal education association recognized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Through its actions, the Villages des Jeunes aims to promote : Ø The voluntary participation of everyone, especially the youth and the underprivileged, in local, national and international life. Ø Local development that keep in mind individuals, the environment and cultural heritage. Ø Communication between people from
WORK
The project/work camps: This category describes the ongoing work that occurs at the farm. It is the area in which education takes place, and where people can exchange through work. It concerns environmental projects (cleaning rivers, clearing brushwood), cultural heritage projects (working on a old Chalaisienne abbey), restoring and improving projects of buildings in villages or in the farm. In agreement with the paid staff, the volunteers who want to may become pedagogic activity leaders on these projects. • Hosting: The hamlet of Vaunières has space to welcome groups, families and individuals who are on holiday and/or desire to participate in projects. The volunteers will be encouraged to participate in leading these activities (cooking, organising cultural nights, games, hikes in the mountain). • Cultural activities: We strongly encourage the volunteers to join our team in designing and organising cultural activities which take place in Vaunières or in the nearby villages. The team of the hamlet has put specific tools in place which will enable the volunteers to appropriate this aspect of life on the site. Personal projects are seen as a way to reflection, discovery and personal enrichment for the volunteers, and to this end, after an initial period of settling in, the volunteer will have the chance to carry out one or more individual or collective projects that go along with the goals of the overall project. French lessons can be arranged according to interest.
ACCOMODATION
Volunteers share a bedroom with four to five other volunteers, and all share in the household tasks (cooking, cleaning, etc.).
LOCATION & LEISURE ACTIVITY
In the early 1960s, Vaunières was an abandoned village. Thanks to a renovation project and international youth work camps, the hamlet has become an national and international meeting centre. Vaunières is situated 7 km from the village of Saint Julien en Beauchêne at the bottom of a valley in the Alps, at an altitude of 1,200 m. The hamlet is made up of 6 buildings on 80 ha, which allows us to accommodate up to 150 people at a given time
REQUIREMENTS
To take part in this project, the volunteer must:
- have a genuine interest in the proposed activities;
- be willing to live in a group for several months;
- be aware that the hamlet of Vaunières is located on a mountain in a very isolated place.