Inclusive Environmental Education Path - Schiffweiler

CODE: IBG 03

PROJECT: The project is organised by the municipality of Schiffweiler and the district of Neunkirchen in cooperation with organisations working in the fields of nature conservation and inclusion. The project is located on an agricultural hill close to the village of Schiffweiler. In 2009, an international Workcamp created several stations along the nature trail on the Strietberg. The trail today includes many stations where environmental and nature topics are conveyed in a vivid and tangible way for people of all ages. Several information and display boards complement the offering and deepen knowledge about nature and the environment. In the new project, the trail will be designed and expanded with the help of international and local young volunteers. The new stations will focus on inclusion, so that the trail is as barrier-free as possible and accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Among other things, there are plans to build interactive sensory experiences and redesign various existing stations to make them barrier-free. This project is about way more than daily work. An essential part of the experience is connecting with local young people. This will include cultural exchange and shared activities, learning from each other’s lifestyles and perspectives, lots of teamwork, conversations, and fun moments. You will be accompanied by experienced camp leaders from IBG and local youth workers. Enjoy your free time together, go on excursions, explore the surrounding area and make new friends.

WORK: The main goal of the project is to make an environmental educational path accessible for people who are challenged in different ways — physical, sensory or cognitive. This educational path was originally created in 2009 by an international group of volunteers. Local volunteers then continued the task and now it’s time to take the next step together. Work includes improving accessibility of the existing environmental education path, help expanding the path with new stations, and create interactive and sensory experiences that engage different senses.

ACCOMMODATION: You stay in the sports and community hall in a district of the municipality called Stennweiler. There is sufficient space, a kitchen, showers and toilets available. Camping beds are provided, please bring your sleeping bag. The entire group does grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning together. Food will be bought with the camp budget. To minimize our carbon footprint on the planet, we encourage volunteers to reduce meat and try more environmentally friendly meals.
LOCATION: Schiffweiler is a municipality with 16’000 inhabitants in south-west Germany (federal state: Saarland). There are supermarkets, various shops and a skate park in town. Nature lovers will find hills, meadows, and forests in the surrounding area. Young locals will show you their favorite places and activities. You will have the chance to go on excursions and visit local festivals. The nearest large town, Neunkirchen, can be reached by bus in 20 minutes. Saarbrücken, the capital of Saarland, can also be reached by train in around 20 minutes.
EXTRA REQUIREMENTS: This project is dedicated to young volunteers between 16-20 years old. You should be motivated to do physical work, spend several hours outdoors, and carry out manual tasks under supervision. No special manual skills are required. A willingness to work together in an inclusive and supportive environment is desirable. Please be prepared to interact with people of diverse backgrounds. If you’re motivated, open-minded, and ready to contribute your energy and ideas, we’d love to have you on board!

Underage volunteers have to provide a parental authorisation and a medical fact sheet; you will get the forms after inscription. By joining this Workcamp you can make a real social and environmental impact and gain international volunteering experience. You learn about accessibility, inclusion, and environmental education. You meet inspiring people from different countries und become part of a meaningful and fun group full of like-minded.
EXTRA FEE: 200 Euro
MEETING POINT: Train station Ottweiler(Saar) There are direct connections from Saarbrücken, Frankfurt and Mainz to Ottweiler. Your camp leaders will arrange a couple of pick-up times. Please arrive in Ottweiler between 3PM and 7PM. You can check for connections from anywhere to Ottweiler(Saar) on: www.bahn.com/en.
NEXT TRAIN STATION: Ottweiler(Saar)
NEXT BUS STOP: Saarbrücken
NEXT BUS STOP: Frankfurt (FRA)