Virtual camp Environmentally Aware - Learn from home

PROJECT: Maybe you were prepared to join an environmental camp and work outdoors in nature, perhaps planting trees or building hiking paths. Maybe you wanted to help build a childrens’ school or playground or help renovate an old castle. Maybe you wanted to support a non-profit cause, a festival or a social or environmental project. Maybe you were prepared to join a SEEDS Environmental camp and volunteer in Iceland for 10 days. 

You were probably looking forward to traveling around, learning new skills and meeting new friends. At this moment, however, due to the spread of the new coronavirus, borders are closed, flights are suspended and entire countries are in lockdown.  That means, of course, that it is impossible for many volunteers to travel. It also means that workcamps which were planned for the next few weeks have to be postponed or cancelled. But looking on the bright side it is still possible to meet people from all over the world online! So join us in this virtual camp and volunteer and learn in a different way!

What will we be working on together? SEEDS camp leaders will be creating opportunities for you to focus on different current environmental and sustainability issues through a selection of workshops and activities online. One of our aims is to help create more environmentally aware consumers & travellers. During this camp participants can share their love for (and learn more about) global & local environmental topics such as: climate change, waste management, sustainable solutions & other environmental topics. There will be two to three different sessions each day. Participants are also encouraged to join the weekly challenge that will be published on SEEDS Instagram channel. The sessions we offer include: 

• Plant-based Cooking & Baking Classes - These classes will provide you with an insight into plant based diet and food, with recipes, and tips and tricks to cook and bake. Every other day, for one hour, we will prepare a dish (main course or a dessert).  You can then share your final creations through photos. 

• Fun Environmental Quiz - Our leaders will post a question about environmental topics twice a week and then it will be up to you to research to find an answer. The answers will be posted the next morning.

• Eco Friendly Cleaning Products Tips -  Every other day, for 30 minutes,  we will share cleaning tips, facts about ingredients, and Do It Yourself ideas. You will learn how to avoid harmful chemicals, how to read labels when you are shopping, and how to use simple ingredients as cleaning alternatives. 

• DIY Selfcare Products Workshop - Every other day, for one hour we will teach you how to DIY your own natural cosmetic and personal hygiene products with ingredients that you can probably find at home! 

• Conscious Consumerism Workshop - Every other day, we will have one hour workshops where we will address three areas in our daily lives where we can take measures to reduce our environmental footprint. Participants will work in teams and present their ideas to the group. Over the course of the camp, each participant is encouraged to try at least one of the ideas at home and share a video or picture of the new habit with the group. At the same time, all will research the environmental policies of a preferred brand, and try to look for more sustainable alternatives, sharing their findings with the others.

Note this project is a learning/sharing camp, so we encourage everyone to share their knowledge and participate actively in this learning process. And of course, this is a great way to meet new people from all over the world, so you can exchange ideas, experiences, language, music, recipes and much more with the other online volunteers, just as in a real workcamp. Bring your own ideas and let’s be creative together!

When your application gets accepted, you will receive an invitation for the Virtual camp common area and you will need to create an account for it, which is free as well.

Note this project is a learning/sharing camp, this project has a smaller work part and puts a bigger emphasis on the personal learning process than on the community impact.

ACCOMMODATION: Your own home! It might not be a brand new experience, but hey, you might be missing out on sharing a room with the whole workcamp group or having to make a schedule for the showers. Is that really so bad...? Plus, in our virtual camp, you might have a chance to see how different homes all over the world look!

LOCATION: This camp takes place online. It is accessible to everybody with a working internet connection. No borders, no visa, no need to travel, so you are saving CO2-emissions which is really nice for our beautiful planet! While it is important to keep physical distance at the moment, we can create social proximity in the digital world.

We believe that especially in times as challenging as these, it is important to raise our voices for solidarity and international friendship. International workcamps were created 100 years ago to work towards mutual understanding, peace and solidarity beyond borders. 

Let’s keep this spirit and find new ways to get to know and support each other. These virtual camps are organized as an effort to keep up international volunteering, even if most of us cannot travel right now.

LANGUAGE: English will be the language in the camp; conversational skills are required.

REQUIREMENTS: Internet connection, and a laptop camera and microphone.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: There is no application fee for this camp, but you are of course welcome to support our work financially on a voluntary basis. 

Applicants need to send us a concise motivation letter stating their interest to join. You must attend at least 80% of the activities and complete the homework and assignments in order to receive a certificate of attendance.

Once  accepted, you will receive a link to the Virtual camp common area and you will need to create an account.