Project environment Local Community.

Volunteers will participate in the projects running at the different moments. Activities take place in the town Fuentes de Nava (Palencia) and the region of Tierra de Campos.
Altitude of the region of Tierra de Campos: between 700-800 masl
Climate: Mediterranean: dry summer, high temperature fluctuation (between 10º and 20ºC), precipitations around 450 mm/year. Vegetation is conditioned by the use of the territory. Cereals are abundant.
There are few tree areas, these are usually related to river vegetation. Regarding animals, there are birds such as the Great bustard, Red partridge, Black-throated bobwhite, different larks, birds of prey,.... Among the mammalians, we have to point out the hare, rabbits, hedgehogs and different micro-mammalians (Microtus sp., field mouse,…). In lakes associated to the Channel of Castille and steppe lakes (La Nava, Boada, …) we have to point out abundant aquatic birds (ducks, geese, herons, ). The folk architecture of the region is based on the use of mud. The constructions with adobe give a personal character to the region, both for houses and other constructions (pigeon lofts, yards,…)
La Nava used to be a steppe lake in the endorreic basin of the region of Tierra de Campos, which used to be covered with water during winter and spring in a surface of about 2,200 ha. In summer it almost disappeared and the stock used to eat its grass until it dried in summer. The drying-off carried out between 1940 and 1950 changed this environment by farming and pastures. In 1990 the recovery of the lake near the town of Fuentes de Nava is started and now occupies over 370 has. The number of animal and vegetable species colonising the ecosystem is increasing. Around 300 vertebrate species have been counted, with other 225 species of birds, which is almost half of all the species found in Spain.

Fuentes de Nava is a small town with almost 1,000 inhabitants in Tierra de Campos, at about 25 km. The town has supermarkets, a bakery, a restaurant, 5 bars, drug store, health centre, swimming-pools and four banks (although none of them has a cash dispenser). The Interpretation Centre of the Government of Castille-Leon is also here. There are interesting buildings as the churches of San Pedro and Santa María (both of them with Iberian organs) and the chapel of San Miguel. The town receives a lot of people in summer and is very quiet in winter.

Youth Programme experience

The organisation has participated in the EVS since 2001. It has also participated in Action 1 projects (Youth Exchanges) and has participants from the programme Eurodysea.

Boarding conditions and rules

The volunteers will be hosted in Fuentes de Nava, in our hostel, in a big double room with bathroom shared with another volunteer. Kitchen and living-room will are common spaces.

When there are no activities in the hostel, the volunteers will cook their food. If there are activities, they may eat in the dining-room with the participants of the activities.

Proposed activities for EVS volunteers

Motivation:

Hosting EVS volunteers is a basic part of our actions. This programme means benefits for both parts and an added value for the participant, the organisation and the local community. The chance of getting in contact with a rural region and knowing it is many times forgotten and the active participation in its conservation is very important. At the same time, the organisation receives help in its activities. The local community may also widen its knowledge about other countries and cultures through the direct contact with the volunteers.

What we offer the volunteers. Role of volunteers:

Volunteers may acquire different abilities through the participation in our project: an important language, as well as other abilities related to the tasks (recognition of plants and animals, organisation and management of activities,…). His/her role will be to participate in our organisation as any other member as far as his/her abilities and attitude permit. They will participate in our activities since the first stages and therefore, they may contribute with ideas and suggestions (camps, spreading campaigns,…) or participate in our fix activities (bird ringing campaigns, census, introduction of data in computer,…).

Activities for volunteers:
These will change throughout the seasons. Winter: there is less field work and more computer work, preparation of projects, spreading activities,… In Spring and Summer there is more field work: monitoring of fauna. In Summer we also carry out environmental education and leisure activities. We usually carry out camps and work-camps for children and youth, as well as Action 1 youth exchanges.
The volunteers may participate in seminars, training courses and other activities carried out for the staff as any other member of the organisation in order to improve his/her knowledge in environmental matters.

Type of activities:

· Field work: bird ringing campaigns, census of birds, vegetation studies, control of predators, radio-tracking (monitoring of fauna marked with transmitters), adaptation of the environment, marking routes.
· Internal work: introduction of data in computer, collaboration in preparation of projects, collaboration in the elaboration of reports.
· Collaboration in the tasks of the Centre and the Hostel: support to participants in environmental volunteering campaigns, students,…; attendance in hosting; support in the external management of the organisation (contacts,…).
· Collaboration in the elaboration of didactic material: design of material, revision of existing material
· Collaboration in training courses
. Participation in inside and external Training courses
· Participation in environmental education campaigns
· Awareness campaigns

The volunteers will not be responsible of management or organisation. They will carry out a support task, guided by the mentor and the technical staff and responsible people in the Fundación. No task will be done with the aim of recruiting, reinforcing or training other EVS volunteers.

Projection activities:

· Organisation and carrying out of youth activities: about their cultural heritage, dynamics learned in their country and any European matter interesting for youth and children.
· Elaboration of a project about his/her country and his/her experience in Fuentes de Nava and Spain so we may learn about a local reality in Europe and his/her perception of our region. This may be done together with the culture department of the Town Council in order to spread it in the town, especially among youth.

Participation: 5 days/week, including mentorship and language training. The latter will be adapted to the level and learning process and to the intensity of the "seasonal" tasks.
Holidays: Minimum of 2 days/month of activity

Volunteer profiles and recruitment process

Volunteer:
-Awareness about environmental and youth matters.
Organisation:
-Entities committed with the conservation of the environment.

Number of volunteers hosted:

2.