Cultural and education programs for the children
of Wando island
Wando, Jeonnam
July 23 - August 4, 2012
Volunteer project: Wando is an island located in the south-west, about 500 km away from Seoul. It has a bridge to the mainland so that people can reach there conveniently by public transportation. Wando is famous with its sea food and beautiful landscapes.
However, Wando faces depopulation issues especially with youth, because their parents consider the better opportunities for education in the bigger cities. International exchange and experience is rare for the local children. Therefore, this project aims to provide new experiences for the local children and youth with the help of international volunteers through diverse cultural and education programs. The project is run in cooperation with a local children's center providing social and educational services for children and youth in Wando.
The volunteers will plan and run activities in two 5-day long cultural camps. There will be 20-30 local children in each camp who don’t speak English well. Any kind of activities and ideas from the participants are very welcome such as cultural activities, sports, games, choir, drawing, educational workshops, and so on.
Language: English
Free time: Wando has a beautiful beach and famous tourist sites around, which you will have the chance to visit.
Accommodation: In the local children's center
Location: Wando, Jeonnam Province (5 hours 30 mins from Seoul by express bus)
Terminal: Incheon International Airport
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Eco-farming
and intercultural learning program for teenagers
Ganghwa Island, Gyeonggi
July 26 - August 7, 2012
Volunteer project: This teenage volunteer project is organized together with “Sanmaeul High School” since 2010. The project host is an alternative school focusing on eco-farming education, energy independency, foreign languages and peace community building. Students are learning about human rights, peace and nature by practicing their own beliefs in the school. The school is small and is located in the nature. The students are interested in different cultures and ideas. The school is trying to bring intercultural learning to the students so that they could get to experience diverse cultures. Active exchange between school students and volunteers will be held during the project.
Teenage volunteers will mainly work in small farms around the school during the day, and will experience agriculture and value of labor. Workshops on global issues and intercultural learning will be organized in the evenings, including language teaching, culture and sharing food from each of the countries represented. During the project, the participants will go on an excursion to some local sites and Seoul.
Language: English
Free time: The school has various outdoor sports equipments.
Accommodation: In a guest house in the school.
Location: Ganghwado, Gyeonggi
Terminal: Ganghwa bus terminal (1 hour from Seoul by bus). It’s near to Incheon international airport so that it’s quite convenient to get to the meeting point. Airport pick-up & drop off service before/after the project can be arranged if requested.
Age range: 14 - 17 years old
Extra fee: 200 Euros
Support
the art projects in Gyeonggi Creation Center
Ansan, Gyeonggi
July 30 - August 12, 2012
Volunteer project: This project is organized together with Gyeonggi Creation Center, located on Sun-gam island by the west coast of Korea. The island is conncted to the mainland by a long bridge, so it’s easy to reach. The Center supports creative works and research for domestic and foreign artists through an art residency alongside a wide range of programs and facilities, including art studios, exhibitions, local collaboration, international exchange, education, artwork storage, workshop, and international summer festival. The center likes to communicate with the local community and share the value of art through diverse programs.
The volunteers will assist the artists’ jobs which mostly are installations with various materials such as ceramic tiles, old vessel, wood, videos and pictures. The works will be exhibited to the public in the end.
Special requirements: Interest in art. Should be highly motivated and physically fit.
Language: English
Free time: Island Tour, fishing and picnic at the beach.
Accommodation: Guest-house in the Center
Location: Ansan Si, Gyeonggi Do
Terminal: Sun-gam island (3 hours from Seoul by bus)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Environmental protection and awareness activities in Busan
Busan
July 30 - August 10, 2012
Volunteer project: This project is organized in cooperation with various environmental associations in Busan and its rural area. They have a plan to build an eco-village on the island and are going to promote the value of the island and the eco-village initiative through an awareness campaign in the city.
The volunteers will clean the coast of the island with the aim to protect the wetland, and will promote the beautiful scenic eco-tourism path of the village. They will also join in the monitoring of amphibians in the city. In addition, the group will participate in activities related to the awareness campaign in Busan city.
Special requirements: Interest in eco-village and environmental movement.
Language: English
Free time: Various tourist sites around the island and Busan.
Accommodation: Village community center on the island and a youth center in the city.
Location: Busan Si
Terminal: Gimhae international airport or Busan train station
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Preserving the traditional culture
and heritage in the historic Yangdong Village
Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk
July 30 - August 10, 2012
Volunteer project: Yangdong village, founded in the 14th-15th century, is a traditional village from the Joseon Dynasty and is one of the most representative historic clan villages in the Republic of Korea. The village is located in Gangdong-myeon, 16 km northeast of Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, along the Hyeongsan River and just south of Mt. Seolchang. Its layout and location reflect the distinctive aristocratic Confucian culture of the early part of the Joseon Dynasty. The village was listed as UNESCO World Heritage site, together with Hahoe Village, in 2010.
The village has put a lot of efforts to preserve its traditions and heritage and promote its value to visitors and general public. However, they are looking for help from international volunteers because most of the village residents are seniors. The project participants will assist the old house experience programs and will run the World heritage awareness education program for visitors and local children.
Volunteers will make guidance and information boards in English for guests of the old house experience programs. They will also help local people in their farming work. In addition, the group will run World heritage awareness education programs for visitors and local children at the school. This will encourage understanding of world heritage in general and of Yangdong village in particular.
Language: English
Free time: Visiting Gyeongju city.
Accommodation: In the community center in town.
Location: Gyeongju Si
Terminal: Gyeongju KTX train station (3 hours from Seoul KTX station)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Park improvements and cultural exchange activities with the youth of
Seongnam
Seongnam, Gyeonggi
July 31 - August 11, 2012
Volunteer project: This volunteer project is organized together with “Pangyo Youth Center”. The youth center has specialized in eco-education for local youth and they are managing an eco-park behind the center. The international participants will build facilities for visitors in the eco-park mainly and will have various cultural exchanges with the local youth.
The volunteers will make safety fences alongside paths in the eco-park for a week. They will also have cultural exchange programs with local youth in the second week, such as k-pop dance learning, making food, excursions, intercultural learning, etc.
Special requirements: Interest in environment and the work of local youth centers in urban areas.
Language: English
Free time: Excursion to a city nearby or Seoul.
Accommodation: In a classroom in the Youth center.
Location: Seongnam Si, Gyeonggi Do
Terminal: Pangyo metro station (Shinbundang Line)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Buddhist temple life experience
Donghae, Gangwon
July 31 - August 11, 2012
Volunteer project: This project has been organized
together with Samwha-sa (a Buddhist temple) since 2005. Samwha-sa was
built in the 9th century as a symbol of united ancient Korea and peace.
Samwha-sa tries to let people know about Buddhism, so they have various
Temple stay programs for all ages and cultures. Anyone interested in
Buddhism can experience temple life, meditate, and eat Buddhist meals.
The temple is located in Duta Mountain which is very famous for its
beautiful Mureung valley. The aim of this project is to give opportunity
to the international participants to experience Buddhism together with
local youth and exchange different cultures.
The volunteers will renovate the temple and its surroundings. They will also join in the Buddhist camp for local youth and experience temple culture and intercultural learning through hiking, games, sports, meditation and learning Buddhism. Participants should respect the lifestyle in the temple during the project (waking up early in the morning, early morning service, sleeping, eating and attitude).
Language: English
Free time: Trekking Mt. Duta and swimming in the Mureung valley.
Accommodation: Traditional temple house. Only vegetarian food will be served.
Location: Donghae Si, Gangwon Do, 200 km east of Seoul. It’s very close to beaches and mountains.
Terminal: Donghae Bus Terminal (3 hours from Seoul by express bus)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Recycled creations
Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi
August 6 - August 18, 2012
Volunteer project: The volunteer project is held in cooperation with a re-cycling designer. The designer creates his works from garbage from our daily life such as furniture, books, toys, and clothes. The artist runs a workshop in order to promote the value of recycling and creation. Materials get new usage due to his work.
The international volunteers will be trained to use various tools and daily garbage. They will try to put their own ideas into creating new objects. Then the group will set up an exhibition on the street to promote the value of recycling. The volunteers will also renovate the workshop place which is an old school building.
Special requirements: Interest in recycling and using tools. Skilled hands. Creative ideas.
Language: English
Free time: Excursion to Yangpyeong or Gangwondo or Seoul.
Accommodation: In the building of the workshop.
Location: Yangpyeong Gun, Gyeonggi Do
Terminal: Danwall Bus Terminal (1hours 30 mins from Seoul by bus)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Support artists and prepare an exhibition in Busan
Busan
August 6 - August 20, 2012
Volunteer project: This volunteer project is organized
since 2009 together with a young artist network in Busan - the second
largest city in Korea. They are specialized in installation art and
are interested in reviving the city through art such as painting, making
posters and boards, benches, and so on for non-profit purpose. The works
will be exhibited during the Flower Village Nature Art Festival.
The Flower Village is a natural recreational forest which is loved by
citizens as a trekking course. In this natural place, young artists open
"Flower Village Nature Art Festival" every year since 2005. After the
festival, most works of the artists remain and visitors are free to
visit.
The volunteers will work with the artists on a wall and a shop in the village in order to renovate and create new designs. They will also assist with the preparation and running of the exhibition of artists' works, so there will be various manual works required.
Special requirements: Interest in art. Volunteers should be highly motivated and physically fit.
Language: English
Free time: Various tourist sites around the island and Busan.
Accommodation: Rooms in the workshop.
Location: Busan Si, approximately 400 km from Seoul
Terminal: Busan train station (3 hours from Seoul by train)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Learn and promote the traditional martial art Taekkyeon
Chungju, Chungcheongbuk
August 7 - August 20, 2012
Volunteer project: This project is organized together with the International Taekkyeon Association in Korea. Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial art in which one uses fluid, rhythmic dance-like movements to strike an opponent, while teaching consideration and moderation. It started during ancient time in Korea. Taekkyeon was included in UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in 2011 and is the first martial art in the world to be listed by UNESCO. International volunteer group will support the promotion of Taekkyeon to preserve this heritage.
The volunteers will promote the Taekkyeon martial art in the city through public events and performances in cooperation with Taekkyeon Match committee after learning Taekkyeon from a master and practicing a performance. Participants will also join Kids Taekkyeon camp for 5 days in order to assist the camp with cultural exchange activities and sharing the value of heritages from each country.
Special requirements: Interest in martial arts and public events.
Language: English
Free time: Visiting cultural sites around Chungju and Seoul.
Accommodation: Taekkyeon Youth Hostel
Location: Chungju Si
Terminal: Chungju bus terminal (2 hours from Seoul by bus)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Peace
promoting activities with children and support for local farmers in
Gangwon province
Hwacheon, Gangwon
August 11 - August 23, 2012
Volunteer project: This volunteer project is organised in cooperation with a local farm village in Hwacheon prefecture. The region has been historically related with the Korean War and North Korea issues (due to its closeness to the border), but it's also a very environmentally clean area. The county wants to promote the region as a memorial place for peace and as a healthy region with rice and vegetables. Participants will offer assistance in the Peace kids camp and will join the farming activities with local farmers. This will contribute to the local empowerment despite the depopulation of the region.
The volunteers will join in "Life and Peace Camp" and will organize activities for children such as peace education, intercultural learning and outdoor activities. The group will also help local farmers in the vegetable fields to pick vegetables. The volunteers will experience various local cultures and the daily life in Korea. They may also join the local lake festival.
Special requirements: Interest in peace and agriculture.
Language: English
Free time: Visiting historical and cultural places such as DMZ; visiting lakes nearby.
Accommodation: In the local community center.
Location: Hwacheon Gun, Gangwon Do, 100 km east of Seoul.
Terminal: Chunchoen train station (2 hour from Seoul by bus)
Age range: 18 - 35 years old
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