Diploma Europeo
Federparchi
Home » Volontariato » Il Progetto di Volontariato
VERDE - BLU - BIANCO - GIALLO - ARANCIONE - RED - ROUGE - VIOLA - AZZURRO
RED PROGRAM
Few people know about the Nature Volunteers structure. Those who it do are
mainly women and young people who silently and modestly take up the banner
of environmental and social care which is needed every day to protect Nature,
and they do it with incredible efficiency and dedication. These people undertake
a whole range of activities: protecting flora, fauna and habitats that are
at risk; promoting the recovery of rubbish; promoting the Park activities in
education, information and creating awareness; defending the Park against wood
fires; defending it against pollution; maintaining biodiversity and involving
others in conserving Nature.
The Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park , since it began its recovery back
in 1970, has always considered volunteers as being an important aspect. Each
year hundreds of young people, students, environmentalists, researchers and
teachers cooperate, by freely offering their time, to help the many activities
the Park volunteers promote. These cover aspects like collecting rubbish, helping
the public in the Visit Centres, marking the pathways, controlling the Park
lands, creating awareness among visitors, mountain rescue, cultural activities,
maintaining simple open-air structures. Individually and in small groups, in
organized committees, the Park Volunteers grow in number each year and also
become more specialized and devoted to the actions which they carry out.
The youngest take part in groups in the Nature Camps; the others, organized
in special patrols, take part in the programme "Volunteers for Nature" which
makes up watch-dogs in those more fragile and strategic areas of the Park,
maintaining a surveillance over the Park lands and helping educate and raise
awareness about the problems the Park faces.
Without the Volunteers life in the Park would be less funny and poorer.
Nature Volunteers
This initiative is promoted by the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park
to offer young people who deeply care about the environment, a unique opportunity
to work and live in contact with Nature. They spend a period up to 7, 14 or
21 days together with other motivated and involved people in an outpost of
the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise Park , working with Park operators, researchers,
technicians and rangers in their various activities of prevention, control,
education, assistance, maintenance and research. To participate they must be
over 18 years old and those who take part need to have some previous work experience
in a natural environment and be able to live comfortably for a period in a
mountain area, quietly and self- sufficiently in conditions that are sometimes
difficult. This Volunteer service is provided by a group of 2-3 persons equipped
with radio telephones, a badge from the National Park and basic equipment that
allows them to carry out their activities.
This experience can be done throughout the year according to a calendar the
Park holds. The Park provides lodging and contributes to the costs of food
(€ 7,00 for day), while the Volunteer spends the period following the
directions given by the Park personnel. The most interesting roles are: patrol
activities by telemetric methods, fauna and flora surveys, keep into radio
contact with the Park rangers, assistance to the public, follow scientific
works and researchers, photographic reporting, special activities with very
young visitors. All these activities are carried out with the help and the
supervision of the Park personnel.
Equipment Required
- Rucksack
- Sleeping bag and pillowcase
- Binoculars (not obligatory)
- Camera (not obligatory)
- Drinking Canister
- Torch, spare batteries and bulbs
- Napkins
- Warm wind-cheater (if possible green)
- Light raincoat or waterproof cloak
- Walking Boots
- Hiking shoes
- Wool Beret (if possible green)
- Cotton Beret (if possible green)
- Sewing kit
- Personal first aid kit
- Notepad
- Pen, pencil and rubber
- Towels
- Clothing and underclothing
- Shirt with pockets, beige or green
- Cotton tee-shirts (green) in summer months
- Cotton handkerchiefs
Data regarding the Volunteers
- Applications: over 2000
- Participants: over 1.000
- Women: 59%
- Men: 41
- Average age: 25 years
- Occupation:
60% STUDENTS,
5% UNEMPLOYED,
35% WORKERS (different positions) - Country of origin: 87,9% Italy , 12,1% other countries ( France , Canada , Spain , Germany , Japan , Switzerland , Jordan)
How to be a Nature Volunteers ?
If you wish to participate as a Volunteer "Red Programme" Scheda_RED_2009.pdf (PDF
1,2MB) you should apply by sending the appropriate form to: Centro Operativo
Servizio Educazione.
Tel +39 0864-89102. Fax +39 0863-912132.
Web www.parcoabruzzo.it Email centroservizi.villetta@parcoabruzzo.it (writing
as subject: volunteer programme).
If you are accepted, you have to pay the cost of insurance and secretariat
assistance requested by the Park. The amount is € 110,00 (+ 1,00 € tax)
for 7 days, € 170,00 (+ 1,00 tax) for 14 days, € 230,00 (+ 1,00 € tax).
Should you decide to give up the service, the payment will not be reimbursed.
Should you not hear from the Park Authority, this means your application has
not been accepted for that period.
This does not mean that a further application from you in the future would
be rejected again, as your previous exclusion was only due to an excess of
applications in the period you had applied for.
How to get to the National Park
You should take the train for Avezzano (the Pescara line) from Roma Tiburtina
station.
From Avezzano you should take the bus that leaves nearby for Castel di Sangro.
Ask the driver to drop you off at the Casone Antonucci (or Camosciara centre)
12 kilometres after Pescasseroli.
If you are late, remember that the last bus for the Villetta Barrea leaves
Avezzano at 4.30pm
(i.e. the last train would leave Rome at about 1pm).
The Volunteer's Rulebook
- The Park Volunteers should be first of all an example of behaviour to visitors, scrupulously respecting the By-Laws of the Park.
- Volunteers do not take personal initiatives different from those programmed by the Park Authority without being authorized by the Park Director.
- It is absolutely prohibited to bring relatives, friends or domestic animals to accompany the Volunteer.
- The programmes that the Park Authority lays down must be scrupulously followed respecting instructions and times.
- The Volunteers have to ensure their presence and their service to the Park Authority for the agreed period.
- While in service it is prohibited to smoke.
- The Park Authority will supply the Volunteer with material to use in his role there, and it must be returned at the end of the stay in perfect condition.
- Any damages that are carried out to the Park property will be charged to those responsible.
- Two or three Volunteers make up a Park patrol; all the patrol groups appoint one volunteer who is responsible to keep the money needed to buy food for the group.
- If a Park Volunteer is unable to terminate his period of service he has no rights to claim his further share of the food money that is automatically returned to the Park Authority.
- The Volunteer undertakes to scrupulously respect his personal hygiene as well as that of the buildings and areas he works in for the Park Authority.
- The Volunteer undertakes to behave in a polite and clear way with his colleagues and with the public.
- The uniform and badge worn by each Volunteer should be kept clean and ordered and the badge clearly visible.
- The Park Authority does not assume responsibility for damages or accidents caused by Volunteers
- The Volunteer must pay for his insurance once arrived in Italy .
- The insurance payment will not be reimbursed should the Volunteer decide to give up the period of service.
- Should the Volunteer behave in a way which the Park Authority considers disrespectful of the Park by-laws, the Authority holds the right to immediately suspend or expel the volunteer from the service
