Help implement the Tale Festival of Chiny!

CODE: BE-SCI 12.3

Description: The Chiny Youth Centre aims at the socio-cultural development of its region by offering young people various exchange-related, leisure, and discovery activities. Within this framework, in collaboration with the association “Chiny, Cité des Contes,” the Chiny Youth Centre has been participating for many years in the organization of the Chiny Storytelling Festival. This festival lasts a weekend and is held in the enchanting setting of Chiny village. It offers the public several storytelling performances in French, played by international storytellers (Belgium, Niger, Canada, Italy, Japan). http://www.mjcf.be and http://www.conte.be.

Type of Work: Volunteers work with the region's local youth and the festival professional staff (about 200 volunteers) to set up the performance halls, ensure stewardship during the festival, help with the organization, and finally re-arrange the site at the end of the festival. The festival takes place on the weekend, and the volunteers will work for 8 days, having 3 days off at the beginning and at the end of the project.

Study Theme: Manual work, storytelling, youth, and socio-cultural work focused on rural areas.

Accommodation: Volunteers will sleep in a cottage in Chiny (sleeping bags are needed). Transportation to the workplace is provided by the festival's organization. The Youth House staff is does the shopping. Every day, volunteers will choose and cook their own morning and evening meals. At lunchtime, meals will be prepared and shared with the staff and other festival volunteers. If the volunteers have specific diets (halal, vegetarian), it is important to specify this when registering for the project.

Language: French proficiency is required (for exchanges with the residents and local volunteers, and to enjoy the storytelling performances during the festival).

Requirements: Speaking proficiency in French is compulsory. An interest in cultural and artistic activities is also required. During the installation and dismantling of the festival, the work will not be too harsh, as the heaviest tents are set up by professionals.

Approximate Location: Chiny is a small town located in Wallonia, in the province of Luxembourg (French-speaking region of Belgium), near the French border (South of Belgium). Various outdoor activities are possible (kayaking on the Semois River, hiking, visiting the Bouillon Castle, and the Abbey of Orval).

Notes: Many SCI camps will have an additional fee of €50.00. This will cover: local hosting costs; International Insurance costs for the volunteer; a small travel fund to enable disadvantaged volunteers to join projects; SCI International administration costs.