Info Kit - Servizio Volontario Europeo

„„Under the Golden Hill“

                          Info Kit
                   EVS: „Under the Golden Hill“

            1. february 2018 - 31. December 2018

                     Prenčov, Slovakia

  Here you can find some useful information, about this
project that you need for your preparation and your stay in
         Slovakia for EVS. Please, read it carefully!

„„Under the Golden Hill“

About Us:
 Civic association ART KRUH established in 2004 is corporation of artists, craftsmen, creative
and natural people. Our mission is preservation of cultural heritage and development of
traditional values in the fields of arts, crafts, and sustainable live-style specifically in rural
areas. Our philosophy is based on principles of Permaculture and we are founding Village
center of non-formal education “Golden hill”. Aim of this place is to create a space for
education, expression and exploration of one’s Self through creative, artistic and also
everyday-life activities. Our main target group is youth (but also children and adults) that we
aim to motivate to active, creative, meaningful and sustainable life-style. Throughout year
we organize several events, like trainings, seminars, workshops happenings or festivals.
Besides that, we carry on local museum “Black kitchen” with traditional way of cooking and
living.

Venue:
Our organization is located in Prenčov a small village in the middle of Slovakia, Banska
Bystrica region, under the fabulous hill of Sitno and beautiful natural surroundings. Village has
many traditional houses, rich cultural heritage and many living traditions. Life of the village is
closely connected to nearby town of Banská Štiavnica. Town is part of UNESCO cultural
heritage and it is one of the favorite Slovak destinations in the summer with many cultural
events through the whole year.

„„Under the Golden Hill“

Description of project:
Region of Hont, where we are settled, is mostly rural region with lot of small traditional
villages, with beautifull enviroment, but lack of working, educational and social possibilities.
Also here consumerism is becoming the leading motivation and traditional rural methods
and crafts are vanishing. People are loosing relationship and contact with soil, with nature
and with themselves alone. As a result rural areas are loosing productivity and
independence, with rising level of dependence on national budget or EU grants. The lack of
working opportunities leads young people to passivity or migration to cities or abroad and
rural areas are facing depopulation. In reaction on this situation our long-term aim is to
explore possibilities of sustainable individual and community lifestyle in the rural area. We
want to support the process of change in our region towards modern rural lifestyle with an
emphasis on interconnecting cities and rural areas. For our main activities we chose folowing topics:

    -   Healthy food and local products + Medicinal herbs and products
    -   Natural and traditional constructions
    -   Crafts and workshops (poterry, jewlerry, woodcraft...)
    -   Ofering rural natural enviroment for holyday, relax and also education
    -   ...

We get inspiration from philosophy and also praxis of Permaculture, which means - building
of sustainable human settlements. By project “ „Under the Golden Hill“ we want to support
topics mentioned above. Here are some examples of specific activities:

    -   Gardening ( Three sisters garden)
    -   Medicinal herbs picking and processing
    -   Reconstruction of buildings
    -   Property maintenance
    -   Re-cycling, or Up-cycling
    -   Building garden furniture
    -   Organizing cultural events
    -   Managing projects
    -   English lesons with local comunity
    -   Creative workshops
    -   ... and other needed

4 seasons
Our life is closely connected with the rhythm of the nature. Our activities are dependent from year
season calendar and also from weather conditions. In the summer, days are long and warm, there is
lot of life around, beautiful nature with hills and lakes, lot of cultural events and festivals. However,
project will start on February!                                                                       →

„„Under the Golden Hill“

           In the Winter period (when new volunteers will come) there are limited opportunities for
entertainment, culture and rich social life. Winter is the „dreaming time“ when people together
with the nature shrink their life energy back to the roots. It is also time for creativity, planning, but
also time when you can “touch your soul”, and explore your inner world. It will be time for getting
know of environment and comunity, heating with wood, repairing of tools, preparing and
planing for the next season.                                                         .

           In the Spring everything is born again -nature, garden and also our self. Spring is
awaking of life. We are starting new things, working outside again, puting seeds to the ground,
preparing the garden. We also prepare enviroment and background for projects for the late
spring and summer. Most of the work need to be done during this period, but it is very
reasonable to invest our energy here to later on get the abundance back.

           Summer is the biggest celebration of life, when lot of festivals and cultural events
are all around. We take part on few events and also organize our own. Sometimes is summer
to hot to do anything else, except lying close to the lakes. But our plants need our care. We
have to water them every day!                                                                 .

           Autmn, is time for harvesting, not only fruits and vegetables, but also our skills and
knowlage. It is important to name and celebrate what we have learned and experienced. It is time to
finish work outside and prepar for winter...

                                          Management
As managing tool for our projects we are using Dragon Dreaming project methodology,
where individual positions and tasks are distributed according to the capabilities and needs of all
participants. We want to support volunteers to get skills and competencies important for life in rural
areas and communities. They will have options to discover rules and principles of life in nature, but
not only there. We want to support and develop their creativity and enterpreneurship, so they are
able to discover potential and sources offered by countryside. Thus enabling young people (not only)
to live a meaningful and realistic life in rural ares.

„„Under the Golden Hill“

                                 Practical arangement
Duration of the EVS:
Project is designed for one year. Possible start is from 20. Jamuary 2018. Final duration (10-
12 months) we will manage with volunteers.

Working Time:
Usualy we work from 9:00 to 17 with 1hour break, 5days per week. For possible weekend
work,volunteers get compensatory time according to oral contract, to fit the actual
conditions. For each month, volunteers have 2days holyday.

Accommodation:
We have separate part of our house with two
bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and toilete,
where we can accomodate four persons. This
part of the house will be volunteers
accomodation. In second part of the same
house is another flat, where director of
ARTKRUH and his family lives. Both places are
independently separated with own entrance, just
connected with the corridor.

Food:
Volunteers have for using their own kitchen. In the village is a small grocery, also there is
a school kitchen with reasonable prices, and also there is option of food delivery. We often
also cook or eat all together.

Money :
In the first week of each month Volunteers will get pocket money 95€. Also they have
another 150 per month for food and usage. 130 in euros and 20 maybe in Dukats (our
                              experimental money, which can be used for local food,
                              ecological cleaners, cosmetics and so...)                   .
                               Slovakia uses Euro, for those of you coming from countries
                              that don’t use it, be prepared by either changing money prior
                              to your travel, changing money at the airport or in the
exchange places in town or if you prefer just bring your bank card and withdraw money in
the ATM's or pay with card, anyway it’s always nice to have some pocket money with you at
the beginning.

„„Under the Golden Hill“

Costs:
This project has been funded with the support of Erasmus+. Accommodation and food costs
will be covered by the project grants.

Travel costs: We will reimburse your travel costs up to the defined limits (check table). Travel
costs will only be refunded after we receive all related tickets and invoices (including
boarding passes). This means participants (or their sending organizations) will have to
advance the Money themselves and they will be reimbursed after later.

 France                                          275 euro
 Spain                                           275 euro
 Portugal                                        360 euro
 Italy                                           275 euro

Special Needs
In case you have some diet requirements/ food allergies/ medical conditions that could
influence your participation etc., please let us know soon, so that we can arrange accordingly
and be ready to support you.

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
- The participants commit themselves to actively participate in the whole process, including:
to read all the information carefully, communicate timely with the organisers, prepare
adequately for the EVS; to take actively part in the full duration of the activities; to
participate in the evaluation process after the EVS;

- Pictures, videos, images taken at the project, as well as the materials produced during the
activities, can be used to document the activity in reports or websites or social networks, or
for promotional material;

- Providing information on special needs, does not remove the participant’s personal
responsibility for ensuring their own health and safety..

Please think in advance which activities are most interesting for you
and send us your feedback, CV and motivation letter!
For any question or support, don't hesitate to contact us: info@artkruh.org
Contact persons:

Martin +421 905 723 958, or Majo +421 901 789 978

We are looking forward for hearing from You!                           ART KRUH crew

„„Under the Golden Hill“

Some examples of our activities: