Utopiastadt- Building the future today

CODE: ijgd 25324

Project Location City: Nordrhein-Westfalen, Wuppertal, Düsseldorf 30km, Cologne 50 km
Description of the partner organizing/hosting the project: The ijgd has been organising volunteer service programmes since 1949. We are an independent, non- profit association for international youth work, a recognised independent youth welfare organisation, and one of the largest and oldest workcamp organisations in Germany. Each year, we assist around 5,000 young people into volunteer work in Germany and abroad. We give them the opportunity to be creative, act in solidarity, take responsibility for themselves, and discover their own true potential and strengths. Our principles Ecological learning, voluntary contribution, self-organisation, social development, intercultural learning, gender equality, anti-racism/anti-discrimination and political education.

Social Media Project Partner: https://www.utopiastadt.eu/

Description of work: With an area of around 40,000 square metres, the Utopiastadt Campus offers space for all kinds of urban games. In addition to the big topic of bicycles (rental, repair, cargo bike and electric drive), this also includes our wonderful Café Hutmacher, a small coffee roastery, an open workshop for the neighbourhood, a small garden, lots of open space to create your own designs and even a real circus tent. Just across the bike lane there is a living lab project for sustainable housing (https://livinglabnrw.uni- wuppertal.de/). In 2022 university teams from all over the world came to Wuppertal to plan, build and operate solar houses with a neutral or even positive energy balance for future-proof and sustainable building and living in the city. One of this houses is given to Utopiastadt. So the work is dismantle the barrier-free access and terrace of one of the houses (which unfortunately has to be scrapped) and rebuild it on another (which is to be put into operation under Utopiastadt) Come along and build Utopiastadt with us😊

Description of accomodation and food: You cook together. You will be provided with money for shopping. Vegetarian or vegan meals are possible. Please indicate any intolerances when registering.

Accommodation: you live in three of the living lab solar houses. With privat bathroom and a small kitchen each.
Description of location and leisure: If you don't feel like hanging out in our beer garden, the sandy area, the barbecue garden or at our concerts, there's plenty of variety nearby. There is an outdoor pool within walking distance, which is also being renovated and renaturalised by local residents (https://freibad-mirke.de/). Of course, you shouldn't miss the world-famous suspension railway in Wuppertal. (Life motto: Float through Wuppertal once in your life). And the Schwebodrom gives a great VR impression of the history of this unique means of transport (https://schwebodrom.com/de/). The Wuppertal Green Zoo is also always worth a visit, whatever your age. We also lend out bicycles free of charge. As a group, you will also be provided with an electric cargo bike for shopping. The Nordbahntrasse runs right past our premises and is a straight cycle path without hills, on which no cars are allowed to drive. Ideal for learning to cycle. It is also particularly worthwhile to simply take a stroll through the neighbourhood on foot, as most of the houses are still old buildings. But be careful: Be prepared for the fact that every hill is followed by a new one. You can also get to Cologne, Düsseldorf or Dortmund quickly by train for a day trip.

Nearest International airport: Düsseldorf
Nearest terminal (train or bus station): Wuppertal HBF
Meeting point and time: directly at the accommodation., possible the latest 18 h