Projects
Our emblematic projects:
JAM SESSION ?
In this project, De Amicitia decided to use local oranges and recycle old jars to make our own jam. The idea of making the jam arose not only because we wanted to carry out some nice activity. It is an act to make visible that the Valencian orange groves need a solution.
The volunteers picked the oranges in the field of a local farmer with whom the Sanet y Negrals town hall put us in contact.
The orange is so cheap that there are now many fields without harvesting it. Farmers don’t want to do it because they can’t make a profit, so it doesn’t make sense. And it’s a shame because the oranges are really good.
The best formula we have thought of to prevent that orange from being lost is to make the jam and gift it to the inhabitants of Sanet y Negrals. So the volunteers elaborated a perfect recipe, made the jam and put it in the recycled jars to be respectful to the environment. And they have already given it to some neighbours, friends and other people who support or have some relationship with our organization.
jam session
Donkey Caravan
Donkey Caravan is a special project of De Amicitia held annually. Participants prepare a street theatre show with an environmental message, creating their own performances (dance, music, juggling etc). Donkey Caravan is a travelling initiative that was born 15 years ago. It brings together young volunteers from around the world and donkeys to develop an environmental awareness program.
For this, they carry out a whole series of street shows, recycling workshops, theatre performances every year for 3 weeks in summer in a Spanish community.
You are my Queen
At De Amicitia we manage a beautiful beehive adoption project. With this, we support the traditional activity of beekeeping with the environmental benefit that it entails. We call this project ‘You are my queen’ and we offer the possibility of giving your adopted hive the name you want, visit it and receive the honey that is made in the Sierra Norte de Madrid.
Dome sweet dome
The project consists of the construction of geodesic domes. The volunteers learn the necessary techniques and together with the group and the monitors build a dome, applying the learned techniques in practice. We have already built several domes in different parts of Spain.
Swing under my wing
In this project, De Amicitia collaborates with Swing Peaks. Swing Peaks is a local Lindy Hop association that promotes this type of vintage dance and the whole philosophy of cooperation, peace, mutual understanding and the theme of gender. This project is a special art and culture project based on the promotion of voluntary activism through performances of Swing, Lindy Hop and dance. The volunteers’ task is to perform on the streets organized by different local Lindy Hop groups as a swing band while the locals dance Lindy Hop. The group plays live music while some of them provide information and visibility to the citizens’ initiative and the European Solidarity Corps.
European Solidarity Corps (ESC)
From urban to rural
This project takes place in the mountain region of Madrid. It was elaborated together with workers of Town Hall of Lozoyuela who will be responsible to give tasks to the volunteers. In general, there is a wide range of activities in different fields depending on what the volunteer can and wants to do. New ideas and initiative are always welcome. Main topics: supporting the Town Hall of Lozoyuela including work in the local library, tourist office and museum; help with the organisation of festivals, workshops, holiday shows, sport competences and other activities that the Town Hall prepares for the local people; supporting office De Amicitia online; leading or supporting workcamps.
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Mediterranean life
The volunteers will assist in administrative work, planning events for citizens and working with children and the elderly. This work will be done together with the Town halls of Altea and Calpe. Also, the work may include assisting in the Tourist office of Altea and local associations of Altea and Calpe (can be an animal refuge centre, a charity shop, etc.). The volunteer may do some administrative work for De Amicitia too and during summer will participate in leading workcamps and other international activities. The project is very flexible, it involves a lot of different tasks and the volunteers are welcome to suggest their own ideas.
Training
CAMP LEADER Training
Every summer De Amicitia organizes more than 40 workcamps in different parts of Spain, welcoming international volunteers. In each project, there are 1 or 2 monitors (camp leaders) for the group. We train our leaders, giving them all the information and tools to lead a workcamp well. Usually, the leaders are people who have had previous experience of participating in similar projects as volunteers, but all interested people with the intention of working in the field of international volunteering with De Amicitia are welcome ?
