Apare What is Workcamp

Our definition
Volunteer heritage workcamps: An active personal commitment An APARE work camp brings together the personal commitments of both a team of volunteers and a local council authority with the objective of carrying out a project to preserve and develop features of local heritage and of the environment. No particular technical skills are required for participation: motivation and good-will are sufficient. This means that registration is accessible to everyone.
A fun opportunity for discovery and exchange…
A volunteer work camp implies the desire to share unforgettable moments alongside a wide diversity of participants:

>> An initial contact with a territory and its identity, exploring the intimate streets of the hilltop villages that so shape the Provençal landscape, the historic heritage that ties you in to the restoration work at the camp, local celebrations, the markets of Provence that reveal the region’s smells and flavours (honey, olive oil, cheese, fruit and vegetables, lavender…) and the traditional games of pétanque (or boules).
>> Exploration of natural sites: enjoy the exceptional landscapes, run down the footpaths of the Provençal scrubland redolent with the smells of wild herbs, walk up cool gorges or dive into the Mediterranean.
>> An opportunity to engage in a variety of artistic and cultural activities, under the instruction of experienced guides: paint a watercolour, visit an exhibition, watch a show and talk about it afterwards, or see the latest film on an open-air screen under the stars.
After such intense activities, you’ll deserve a good siesta in the shade of some olive trees, lulled to sleep by the song of the cicadas.
Shift to a different way of life for a while, and enjoy personal discovery and new horizons as you take up the challenge of this original human adventure.

Participants
APARE offers workcamps for adults, with an 18+ requirement, and camps for teenagers that welcome participants of 16 and 17 years old*. Groups are mixed, male and female, and made up of 10 to15 participants. During the workcamps, French is the main language used for communication and exchange, although English can also be useful. Testimonies

Workcamp animation
One or two technical supervisors (depending on the theme of the camp) with professional experience in construction work are present to supervise participants in the practical aspects of the work. They are in charge of guiding volunteers in the common planning of the work. They introduce volunteers to the techniques and materials that are needed to comply with traditional building methods and they provide the input necessary for completing the project. In addition, there is a group leader in charge of group dynamics. He or she is responsible for the camp’s finances and organises leisure activities. In the teen camps, a state accredited director complements the leadership team, particularly from an educational perspective.
* Teen workcamps are registered with the regional authorities administration for youth and sports according to applicable legislation. Accommodation complies with regulations relating to holiday and leisure centres.

Daily life
APARE looks after accommodation needs, as well as food and leisure activities. With the help of the leadership team, the group sets up a rota system for the required tasks of daily life such as preparing meals and cleaning. Accommodation is occasionally quite basic and varies depending on local circumstances (village school, public hall or gîte, stadium, campsite, etc.)

Time for work
The time dedicated to work takes up about 35 hours per week for adults, 25 hours per week for teenagers. Most of the work is carried out in the mornings, starting early because of the summer heat. In effect, this means 6 to 7 hours a day (5 to 6 for the teen camps) with a break for a snack part way through. Old clothes are necessary, as are solid safety shoes (for example safety boots or moutain shoes), suitable for heavy-duty construction work.

Time for leisure
After the morning’s work, afternoons, evenings and week-ends are used for rest, discovery and entertainment, often in the open-air. Group trips will make use of a 9 seat van to complement any individual cars available (all expenses for mileage in this context will be refunded).

Security-Insurance-Health
Each participant must be in a good state of health and able to keep up with all the activities on the construction site (check that vaccinations are up to date). Construction sites are required to comply with safety regulations set out by labour authorities and it is compulsory for all participants to apply and ensure application of all safety standards (work and fire prevention).
APARE has a civil liability insurance policy for the duration of the camps but personal medical expenses are not covered by the organisers. Therefore, participants must obtain the necessary documentation to prove that they have medical cover from the social security services of their home country. Volunteers from countries of the European Community must obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the social security services of their own country. Each participant is expected to share in the cost of the stay.

You will appreciate the change in pace, the personal discovery and the novelty of unknown scenery but only if you choose to take part in this original human adventure.

By registering for the workcamps, participants commit themselves to comply with the participation requirements and conditions stated in this chapter. The organisation reserves the right to dismiss any volunteer who does not comply with conditions for participation.

Some of the information in these pages may be modified at the last minute.

conditions for registration
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