Beskrivelse av organisasjon

The once abandoned village of Valmayor is situated in a small valley between friendly hills. In May 2015 a small group of young people from Spain and the Netherlands arrived to the village to start a project of permaculture, bioconstruction and sustainable living, and through this project, is offering a second chance to this little mountain village lost in time.
At Valmayor we aim, through (bio)construction, permaculture, apiculture and community living, to develop a sustainable way of living by regenerating the land we work with and using traditional and sustainable building and food conservation techniques.
Our electricity comes from solar panels and our water comes from springs in the mountains.
We feel it is important to not consume more than we can generate in our surroundings. Although food-wise we are not 100% self sufficient, we do feel it is important to eat as much of our food locally produced and organic.

We are looking for people who have an interest in sustainability and self-suficiency. People who have an interest in learning from the land and to be in touch with their natural environment. Work in Valmayor is mostly physical work, so we are looking for a person who enjoys that. Another important characteristic of the person we are looking for is that he or she shouldn't be afraid to go ‘back to basic’.
The living spaces, water, electricity, internet infrastructure and heating systems in Valmayor are all developed by the Valmayor community team. We cannot guarantee that there will be electricity, warm water or internet at all times. Also it is not always possible to charge or use electrical equipment. Therefore, we are looking for people who do not suffer if they cannot charge their phone for a day. There is limited cellphone reach in the village to make phonecalls, that is why we depend on communication with the outside world on the internet (which doesn't always work). Please realize this before applying for this project.
The shower area is outside and so are the shared dry toilets. The views are amazing and we are looking for a person who can enjoy the liberty of an outside shower/ toilet and feels comfortable with this type of bathroom setting.

The association 'Los Amigos de Valmayor', which is the official organism of Valmayor Eco Aldea, is active in the following fields:
- The organization and facilitation of educational and cultural activities.
- Maintenance and development of local biodiversity through holistic lifestock management, soil enhancement and permaculture.
- Reconstruction of the historic patrimony of the village of Valmayor de Cuesta Urria.
- Development and construction of new living spaces through bioconstruction.
- Development and implementation of new, sustainable means of resource management.

Some of the projects we work on are being followed up throughout the years and some projects are more short-term and time specific.
Our yearly projects consist of:
- Work in the vegetable garden. Development through hugelkültur, intercropping and companion planting, and maintaining the beds and crops by weeding and biological plague control if needed.
- Maintenance of the fruit trees (pruning, watering, harvesting)
- Conservation of the harvests (mermelades, pickles, vacuum sealing)
- Maintenance of the beehives (preparing new beehives for swarm season, catching new swarms, varroa treatment, regular health checks)
- Holistic lifestock management
- Water management and evaluation of consumption
- Maintenance of human waste 'humanure' in closed cycles
- Participation in monthly farmers markets of local production.

Next to our yearly activities, every year we dedicate ourselves to other 'side projects', like educational activities, summer camps or new constructions through bioconstruction or traditional building. In previous years we have hosted courses in Holistic Lifestock Management, Bioconstruction and we have received groups of young scouts during summer camps to familiarize them with the principles of Permaculture.
In 2019 we have started building a strawbale roundhouse, and in the summer of 2020 we will continue the construction by putting a green roof over the building. By 2021 the outside of the building will be finished and our 'side project' will consist mostly of carpentry, putting in floors and making furniture for the kitchen.
Next to this, the spring/ summer period of 2021 will be used to insulate the roof of one of the houses.
During construction activities safety is a priority for us. Safety shoes, glasses, gloves and helmets are obligatory at all time at the construction sites.

We are convinced that the skills and tools our volunteers will learn during their stay with us are valuable attributes that will enhance their capabilities, their autonomy and their self-esteem, making them involved young people with a hands-on attitude and knowledge to be a factor in the sustainable development of their local communities and their personal daily lives.

Inkluderingstemaer

This organisation is willing to involve volunteers who face situations which make their participation in activities more difficult, from the following categories for different types of project:

• Cultural differences
• Educational difficulties
• Refugees