What is the European Solidarity Corps
The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is an initiative by the European Union that empowers young individuals aged 18 to 30 years through volunteering or work projects within their country or abroad. It’s designed to promote solidarity, encourage social engagement, and facilitate personal growth by offering opportunities to contribute to society, gain experience, and develop new skills across diverse activities.
Participants benefit from essential support like food, accommodation, travel, pocket money, insurance, and mentorship throughout their engagement funded by the European Union.
Volunteers have the opportunity to learn and grow by engaging in meaningful projects that encourage teamwork, collaboration, and cultural exchange, enabling them to immerse themselves in diverse communities and work collectively. More info about ESC here.
6-WEEK ESC PROGRAM
Make a Difference, Grow, and Connect!
Are you ready for an unforgettable experience that combines community, sustainability, and creativity? Immerse yourself in the heart of Ängsbacka and play a crucial role in preparing for the upcoming European Ecovillage Gathering and other festivals.
Contribute to the creation of a vibrant and sustainable environment for the festivals while gaining valuable skills and forming lifelong connections.
Ängsbacka invites you to be part of our ESC Volunteering Teams for a 6-week program starting on April 29th.
If you are a resident or citizen of the EU and under 30 years old, this could be the perfect opportunity for you! We are welcoming 40 new ESC volunteers who are excited to be an active part of creating the Ängsbacka experience.
The volunteering program starts on April 29th 2024 and lasts for 6 weeks.
Volunteer Profile
We are looking for volunteers who are highly motivated and are ready to dedicate their energy both to practical work and communal involvement. We base the selection process mostly on your reasons to apply and willingness to learn and also on whether you already have existing skills or experience.
The successful candidate should also be engaged in or open to some sort of self-development practices (meditation, yoga, dance or some other mindfulness practice).
Volunteers must show an interest in learning and living in a community. Living closely with a community of diverse individuals can be both challenging and rewarding, and we seek people who are open to that experience, and eager to support our shared values and goals. Please find our Ängsbacka Guidelines here.
We wholeheartedly welcome and encourage individuals facing diverse challenges and fewer opportunities to join us. Ängsbacka is committed to create an inclusive community where everyone’s unique journey is valued, respected, and supported. (More information available in the application forms)
Practical information about your work as an ESC volunteer
THE WORK
As an ESC volunteer, we expect a 35 hour per week commitment from you. You will be supporting Ängsbacka with practical work 5 days per week, 5 hours per day. You will also join the morning circles, community circles, sharings and silent sittings, which are our main community practices. The ESC additionally offers ESC meetings, sharing circles and language learning. All these activities will make up a total of around 35 hours per week.
Your working hours will be mainly done with your work leader and 1 day per week you will be part of a different operational team (Kitchen, Garden, Housekeeping & Beautifying, Site…). This way you have the opportunity to get to know all of Ängsbacka during your time here.
- Every week you have 2 days off
- You will have 2 days holidays for every month, which makes a total of 16 holiday days for 8 months of service.
As a volunteer, you work in a team with a work leader to support the general activities of the project. In addition, you have an opportunity to develop your personal project that is in accordance with the general aim of the ESC project.
You are welcome to join all our festival activities outside of your working hours or on your days off. Our volunteers most often report that they have developed useful practical skills, but even more importantly, improved their self-awareness and social skills during their time with us. Most likely, you will bring some deep insights and newfound friendships with you after this immersive experience at Ängsbacka.
ACCOMMODATION
As an 8-months ESC volunteer, you will live in shared double rooms with communal showers and toilets. There is no opportunity for single accommodation. We will provide pillows and duvets, sheets and towels.
As an 6-weeks ESC volunteer, you will live in tent with communal showers and toilets closeby. There is no opportunity for single accommodation. We will provide pillows and duvets, sheets and towels.
You cannot bring your dog or cat to Ängsbacka to live with you.
FOOD
Our kitchen serves delicious vegetarian and vegan meals 3 times a day. You have access to tea and coffee, and sometimes fruits or snacks. There is also a separate community kitchen if you want to prepare something special for yourself.
ALCOHOL-FREE & DRUG-FREE
Ängsbacka is best experienced in full presence and therefore we are a completely alcohol- and drug-free environment. If you are found under the influence we will ask you to leave immediately.
TRANSPORTATION
Ängsbacka is located in the beautiful Swedish countryside, ca. 2 km from the village of Molkom and 30 km from the town of Karlstad. Molkom can easily be reached by foot or a volunteer bike. There you can find a supermarket, a gym, a sports hall and a medical centre. In Karlstad, there are more services, including a public bath, library, hospital and shops. There is a local bus to and from Karlstad.
PROGRAM
We encourage all our volunteers to take part in our daily volunteer program where different practices like yoga, dance, meditation, massage, conscious work out, films, sauna, open stage etc. are offered. You will have an opportunity to join a workshop almost every morning, afternoon and evening. You can offer one yourself if you like holding space for others.
SHARING
Sharing is at the heart of Ängsbacka, and supports everybody here. It is considered a sacred space for speaking and deep listening from the heart. It invites you to be seen in your truth and to see others in theirs, without judgement or fixing. One person shares, while the others sit in silence paying attention to the person sharing. Everyone in the group will have the same amount of time available to them, and everything that is said or done stays in the group. We do not bring it up again outside of sharing. Sharing is an essential and honoured practice at Ängsbacka, and we welcome you to this special space with the sensitivity and open-heartedness that is at its core.
SUPPORT
As a volunteer, you are fully responsible for your own health and wellbeing during your stay. As an ESC volunteer, you are supported by work mentors and a social mentor (Miky Dănăcică) who will assist you with any practical or emotional issues. Sometimes we also use the help of professional coaches if there is an immediate need. For people with fewer opportunities we offer enforced mentorship/ support. We encourage you to participate fully and devote yourself to the daily program and the exploration of how the tools offered in meetings, workshops and sharing can be of support for you.
6-Week program – TEAMS
Starts on April 29th 2024 and lasts for 6 weeks.
As an ESC volunteer, we expect a 35-hour per week commitment from you. You will be supporting Ängsbacka with practical work 5 days per week, 5 hours per day. You will also join the morning circles, community circles, sharings and silent sittings, which are our main community practices. The ESC additionally offers ESC meetings and learning circles. All these activities will make up a total of around 35 hours per week at maximum.
You will be doing a variety of hands-on activities, including site preparations, tent and structure construction, thematic space decoration, wood cutting at Ängsbacka’s sawmill, diverse maintenance of festival spaces, and garden preparations to grow sustainable food and herbs. Most of the tasks could include physical labor and working outdoors.
- Every week you will have 2 days off.
- You will have 2 days holidays for every month, which makes a total of 1.5 holiday days for 6 weeks of service.
The volunteer experience is supported by a weekly program of activities such as dance, yoga, singing, meditation, reading groups, movie nights, and a whole variety of practices that provide daily opportunities for exploring ways of meeting oneself in an authentic and meaningful way. The program is put together by the community, so you are most welcome to bring your ideas & gifts and to share your enthusiasm in your area of interest!
Extra Gifts
Ängsbacka wants to provide extra support by gifting a Global Ecovillage Network membership to the participating volunteers who would like to see the fruit of their work, come back to the European Ecovillage gathering and continue their development and engagement with sustainability and regeneration movement.
JOIN our 6-week program
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so apply soon!
And no later than March 10th.
Ängsbacka and the European Solidarity Corps
Ängsbacka Kursgård is Scandinavia’s largest Course and Festival Center, and it hosts volunteers throughout the year. In 2017, we added the EVS/ESC program to our regular volunteer program. We are a working community that aims to contribute to the development of more conscious life, caring for our planet and living from the heart.
In our organisation, all four dimensions of sustainability (the economic, ecological, social and cultural) are seen as mutually reinforcing. Attention to each is essential for holistic and healthy community development. Here, people learn not only through courses and workshops offered, but most importantly through the immersive experience of sharing the sustainable lifestyle incorporated into everyday life in an intentional working community.
Service
During your stay at Ängsbacka, we invite you to explore the mindset of service. Not as a concept, but rather as a way of living. Service to your fellow community members, to course participants, to the planet and all its inhabitants, and to yourself.
We believe that through selfless service, through connecting back to our deep need to contribute to the world, we grow in compassion and joy.
Working meditation
Working Meditation is our shared daily practice of service and togetherness. We encourage everyone to use their working hours as active explorations of the present moment. Everything that comes to our minds and bodies is welcomed into the moment. We support each other to remain light-hearted and connected.
Ideally, the time spent in work is happy and fulfilling, regardless of the task. The realisation to be discovered is that the enjoyment of the task comes from within ourselves, not from the nature of the task.
Sharing
Sharing is at the heart of Ängsbacka, and supports everybody here. It is considered a sacred space for speaking and listening from our hearts. It invites you to be seen in your truth and to see others in theirs, without judgement, advice or fixing.
One person shares, while the others sit in silence paying attention to the person sharing. Everyone in the group will have the same amount of time available to them, and everything that is said or done stays in the group. We do not bring it up again outside of sharing.
Sharing is an essential and honored practice at Ängsbacka, and we welcome you to this special space with the sensitivity and open-heartedness that is at its core.