Information about ESC vacancy 2024/2025 in Lipka – Scool Facilityfor Environmental Education
Receiving organisation:
Lipka – School Facility for Environmental Education
Accreditation: 2021-1-CZ01-ESC50-094575
Website in English: http://www.lipka.cz/lipka-en
Coordinating organization:
Luzanky – Centre of Leisure Time (SVC Luzanky)
OID: E10146786
Accreditation: 2021-1-CZ01-ESC50-094574
Website in English: https://solidaritycorps.luzanky.cz/
Website of Luzanky: https://www.luzanky.cz/
Duration of activity: 12 months
Beginning of activity: 15/09/2024
End of activity: 14/09/2025
Contact person (ESC coordinator): Hana Klenovská
Phone Nr: +420 724 200 131
Email: evs.assistant@luzanky.cz
Selection process:
Please choose the ESC placement you are interested in, you will find descriptions on our website here https://solidaritycorps.luzanky.cz/category/calls-2022/ and fill in the google form https://forms.gle/WjjXJVYTDtCfvSX18 to apply for the ESC. Attention – in the google form you will be asked to answer around 5 questions where you will describe your motivation for that particular ESC placement, so be ready the filling of the google form might take you some time. You will be asked to attach your CV and motivation letter as well.
Deadline for applications is 31st of March 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact us at evs.assistant@luzanky.cz
If you are chosen to the second round of selection, be ready for a video call interview during April. The results will be known in the end of April/beginning of May 2024. Kindly note only the volunteers selected for the second round will be informed about the results. Thank you for understanding!
Description of the workplace
Training facility Lipka-Rozmarýnek, Rozmarýnová 6, Brno – Jundrov
Rozmarýnek is the second oldest training facility of Lipka. It designs and implements natural science and environmental education programmes for primary and secondary schools, afternoon courses, clubs and camps, especially for kids. A lot of activities are connected with animals and are mostly run outside in the garden and the closest surroundings.Rozmarýnek has a unique natural garden with permaculture elements. It bears Model natural garden certificate confirming that we care for our garden without using e.g. peat dust, fast dissolving artificial fertilizers and pesticides. The visitors can also see special garden structures and unusual elements managing water or promoting distribution of animals on cultivated land etc. The unique garden enables Rozmarýnek to run courses on permaculture for professional public, pedagogues and enthusiasts from afar. We operate an Ecohouse as an example of environmental friendly way of living.
The volunteer will have responsibilities mostly in these areas
- Maintenance of the natural garden, of the Ecohouse and care for animals. Garden jobs are seasonal (picking fruits, processing them, planting herbs, watering, composting, cutting grass, other manual tasks…). Animals require feeding, cleaning, repairing either terrariums or coops (we have rabbits, gooses, chicken, lizards, snake, stick insects, turtles). Within the care of the Ecohouse volunteer is among other things for example in charge of seasonal decoration or maintenance of the fireplace during Christmas programs for kids.
- Participating in afterschool hobby clubs (approx. once a week). According to his/her skills volunteer will take part in one of our hobby clubs for primary school kids (handicraft, cooking, pet breeding, scientific clubs). He/she can also lead his/her own activity within the club. Kids do not speak English but English-Czech speaking pedagogue will help. Some activities of our hobby clubs can be carried out on weekends (half-day activities).
- Participating in environmental programs for teenagers. Environmental education is the aim of our facility, so the volunteer will participate in preparing or leading activities for teenagers during one-week residential stays, weekend events and summer camps. (approximately 5 weeks during the year). Teenagers speak English.
- Public events held by the facility. (app. 5 times a year). The volunteer will also participate in preparing public events (taking photoshoot, helping with manual preparations).
- Manual preparation of aids and props for environmental programs (e.g. printing, cutting, laminating materials, handicraft). Few hours a week.
- According to his/her skills volunteer can be involved in cooking (especially vegetarian, from organic ingredients) for our culinary workshops, residential programs or camps (approximately twice a month or 4 weeks during the year).
- According to his/her language skills volunteer will lead English lessons, workshops or conversations. Few hours a week.
- Cooperating in creating posts and taking pictures for Lipka Facebook and Instagram, working with Canva editor.
By mutual agreement the volunteer will have the possibility to visit and cooperate with other facilities of Lipka – Lipová, Kamenná, Jezírko, Rychta – public events, residential programs for teenagers, handicraft events, English courses for employees etc.
We are looking for someone who likes working with small children as well as teenagers, who is communicative and is not discouraged by language barriers. Someone who likes animals, can handle manual work outside in the garden but also inside the house or in the office.
Open-minded creative soul wanted! 🙂
The time schedule of the volunteer:
30 hours weekly
- 9 hours weekly – manual work in the garden/Ecohouse, looking after animals, preparing schooling aids and props for environmental programmes (varies through the seasons)
- 5 hours weekly – preparing and conducting programs for children (irregularly, one week stays or weekends, afternoon hobby clubs)
- 3 hours weekly – leading English lessons, workshops or conversations (with employees of Lipka or teenagers)
- 3 hours weekly – other activities (irregularly, preparation and organisation of public events, photographing, preparing materials, cooking etc.)
- 2 hours meetings with coordinator and other ESC-ers – time you spent with your ESC coordinator discussing your work and planning the future events, projects etc.
- Up to 3 hours Czech language class/ studying at home
- Up to 5 hours for your Mini project – time you spend on preparing your own mini project/s
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:
- Why are you interested in environmental education or natural sciences?
- Please describe your experiences, if you have any, with pedagogical work (age of the children, form of activities, length of your experience).
- Please describe your English language abilities (e.g experiences with teaching or holding English conversation with adults or teenagers).
- Are you interested or experienced in working in the garden (take care of animals, do seasonal work in orchard – picking apples, gardening)?
- What would you like to gain from your ESC volunteering?
- In what area are you good at and you can share your knowledge and experience with others?
General description of volunteering project in Luzanky:
There are 8 ESC volunteers working at different places on individual projects, meeting every week on common meetings with the coordinator and from time to time with all the colleagues to evaluate and plan the project. Luzanky hosts and coordinates ESC volunteers also in other organizations (focused on environmental education, preschool education etc.), so all hosted and coordinated volunteers will meet during the project and can visit workplaces and events of each other.
The volunteers work also together with the coordinator on tasks connected with their integration into Luzanky and presentation of their presence in our organization. Those tasks will be mainly related to the promotion of Solidarity corps program.
Volunteers can visit some of the courses and events organized by Luzanky for free (circus training for adults, ceramics etc.).
The organization will host only volunteers older than 18 years old.
Days off and holidays: volunteers have 2 days a week free + 2 days per month of vacation. While working occasionally on weekends they have extra days off during the week.
Allowances: Volunteers get their pocket money and food allowance monthly (at the beginning of each month), and they are provided with a card for Brno public transport.
Accommodation: Volunteers live in rented flats (not in the centre of the city), it can happen that two volunteers will share one room. There will be 4 volunteers in the flat with 3-4 bedrooms. There is no living room, only common space/eating area in the kitchen. Distance to your working place from the flat can be around 30 minutes by public transport, even a bit more. Getting affordable accommodation in Brno is very difficult in recent years, so please be ready for described conditions of accommodation if you apply to our project. The advantage for you is that you will stay in quite a big city, which offers cultural and other events for young people, some even in English or other languages.