ESC Team at Ostello dei Balocchi: caring for donkeys and maintaining green spaces
ASSOCIAZIONE DI PROMOZIONE SOCIALE JOINT
CIRCOLO LEGAMBIENTE LIGONCHIO APS
CASALINO DI LIGONCHIO, Italy
Description
Ostello dei Balocchi is located in Casalino di Ligonchio at 1000 meters altitude in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, a UNESCO MAB area, in the province of Reggio Emilia. Managed by Legambiente Ligonchio, it serves as an Environmental Education Center offering donkey tourism, artistic workshops, and nature-immersed stays. The ESC Team at Ostello dei Balocchi runs a one-month intensive volunteering program, with activities 4 days a week for up to 36 hours. Volunteers handle hostel and Ravinart park maintenance, donkey care (including trekking and outdoor sessions), trail cleaning, educational activities and intercultural meetings with seniors. All takes place in an immersive natural setting, promoting environmental sustainability and social cohesion through the European Solidarity Corps Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas program.
Accommodation, food and transport arrangements
Pocket money: 17€ per day (the traveling expenses are included in this total sum). Accommodation: will be provided inside the hostel managed by the organisation, inside a triple/doble rooms shared with other volunteers. Food: breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided.
Training during the activity
On arrival training: first 2 days - organized by the coordinating organization Associazione Joint. Final evaluation with Youhpass Certificate and last 2 days.
Participant profile
MUST be resident /citizen of an EU country. Available for the whole period of the project (18/04/25 - 18/05/25). aged 18 to 30; interested in living in the nature and in an isolated area; ready for activities with donkeys; open for physical or manual work and “get hands dirty”; ready for trekking experiences; ready to cook for the others; proactive and respectful; ready to go out from comfort zone, experiment, and explore; at least intermediate knowledge of English; ready to share private spaces with the team; be open minded; positive and peaceful attitude; flexibility to adapt to possible changes;
Activity dates
From 18/04/2026 to 19/05/2026
Activity location
VIA POPOLARE 140, CASALINO DI LIGONCHIO, Italy
Activity type
Volunteering teams
Looking for participants from
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine
Activity topics
Environment and natural protection
Health and wellbeing
Education and training
Support to local Small and Medium Enterprise
Deadline for applications
Application deadline: 09/02/2026 00:00
Project code
2024-1-EACEA-VTHPA-101179748