Description

The family eco-volunteering program on Kibbutz Lotan is a complete and practical introduction to both ecology and cooperative living. As participants in the program you will be interwoven into the daily life of the kibbutz and volunteer for the Center for Creative Ecology (CCE).

The CCE is a unique ecological center that combines hands-on, experiential environmental education within the framework of a living community. Utilizing creative recycling and alternative/natural building techniques, the center now includes an ecological theme park, migratory bird reserve, nature trails, recycling center, and constructed wetlands for treating the waste water of the entire kibbutz.

As a volunteer family you will be exposed to the challenges involved with the designing, building and running of sustainable communities, linking together ecological, social, economical and spiritual aspects into a unified whole. Practical skills are developed through hands-on work in our environmental education center, organic gardens, alternative/natural building projects and the Lotan migratory bird reserve, complemented by theoretical sessions in topics such as ecological design, permaculture and sustainability. Practical work includes:

- Organic gardening
- Natural, alternative building with mud, straw and straw bales, tires, and junk
- Creative recycling: creating art and usable objects with discarded materials
- Expansion, maintenance and running of the Center for Creative Ecology
- Development and upkeep of the bird reserve and nature trails
- Setting up workshops for educational tour groups

Location: Kibbutz Lotan 55km north of Eilat

Highlights

In your free time, why not explore Israel? Because Israel is such a small country nothing is too far away! Go relax by the historic sea of Galilee, play in Eilat on the Red Sea, or float in the Dead Sea. Hike the National Trail through the desert, visit a Bedouin tent in the Negev Desert, hit the beaches of Haifa or Tel Aviv, tour the dozens of historic sights in Jerusalem.

Additionally, throughout the entire Eco-volunteering program families are encouraged to take part in cultural / religious events on the kibbutz and in the region that occur throughout the program. The program also integrates tours to local points of interest, neighboring kibbutzim and other ecological projects, and hikes in the region around Lotan. During the summer, the kibbutz pool is open for refreshing afternoon swims. The tourist city of Eilat and the Red Sea are only 55 Km away.

Travel Types

• Birdwatching
• Volunteering

Qualifications

- Min age 0 - Max age 70
- Basic English or Hebrew
- Good physical fitness
- Motivation to work in practical ecology
- Able to work in harsh desert climate
- Full travel and medical insurance
- Immunizations (please consult your doctor)

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

1,580 per family for 1 week, 900 each additional per week

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

- Accommodation: Family guest suit
- Food: 3 meals a day (Kosher)
- Orientation kit: Full project details will be sent following registration
- Training: Pre-departure preparation and In-country orientation
- Support: Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Volunteers with GoEco are united by their passion for travel and desire to help people. Our volunteers are from all over the world, representing a host of religions, cultures, and languages. Ultimately, GoEco volunteers are fun-loving, adventurous, and outgoing agents for change.

Age Range

0-80

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Guest House

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records

GoEco - Volunteer Abroad's Mission Statement

(1) Encourage ecological and volunteer tourism that promotes sustainable development (2) Enable travelers to experience different and more rewarding kinds of tourism. (3) Encourage travelers to volunteer for the benefit of others and thus to serve as a good-will ambassador to other countries in the world. (4) Encourage travelers from all over the world to come to Israel for ecological and community-based projects, in both the Arab and Jewish sectors, and experience firsthand the unique cultural and natural diversity in this region. (5) Support environmental and humanitarian projects that promote understanding and good will between ethnic societies in Israel. (6) Conduct further research in the field of ecological tourism, such as the 'Ecological Footprint' as a tool for sustainable tourism development. (7) Establish an in-depth and up-to-date data base of the relevant projects worldwide. (8) Create a platform from which to explore the various organizations that support the environment and actively encourage volunteering.

Year Founded

2005