An international workcamp brings together a group of young people from different backgrounds who want to share and live together. It aims to carry out a project leading to concrete social, educational, cultural or environmental results. These projects are managed in Belgium by the SVI in partnership with local associations in different countries.
Volunteers are divided into groups of 5 to 15 people and take part in the activities of the host association for about 30 hours a week. The groups are made of volunteers of different nationalities, since intercultural exchanges and beautiful encounters are an integral part of the project. We are neither talking about holiday clubs nor sports centres.
Groups are monitored by a local animator, who is also a volunteer and a member of the host association. During your free time, you will have the opportunity to visit the region with local volunteers. The internal organisation of the group, both on and off the workcamp (like meal preparation), requires the participation of everyone, a sense of responsibilities, the desire to live together and to share.
Going on an international project is a solidarity act but also the opportunity to discover a new culture, a new language, the traditions of the locals but also of the other international volunteers who are with you on the project. A workcamp is a place of non-formal learning, a group experience in an international context and a personal commitment. You apply for a project as part of a personal process (most often with the desire to be useful) but the people you meet and the discoveries you make during this experience are just as important.
The activities you will take part in during your volunteer project will depend on the project you choose, which is why it is important to think about it carefully.
Evaluating your motivation allows you to choose your poject !
Once again, we encourage you to give more importance to the project you want to engage in, than to the destination. The team SVI will help you make your choice : we know our partners and their projects, so we can advise you the best way possible. The full list of our projects is available on our search engine.