Landscaping & Goatscaping
Hands-on learning in nature through eco-building, gardening and animal care
Group volunteering opportunity
Date: 4-24 May 2026
- Arrival on the 3rd of May
- Departure on the 25th of May
Location: Mány, Hungary
Organiser: Szatyor Association
in cooperation with Szent Ferenc Tanyaóvoda és Kertmuhely
(St Francis Centre for Learning in Nature and Farm based Kindergarten)
The Activities
Renovation of the seedling greenhouse
- Construction of seedling-growing tables
- Building a traditional oven inside the greenhouse
Installation of a mobile house next to the greenhouse
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Interior construction and furnishing of the mobile house
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Woodworking tasks related to the interior
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Landscaping and garden development around the mobile house
Animal care activities
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Daily care of animals
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Walking and handling donkeys and goats
Please note that this programme does NOT involve direct work with children.
The venue
Our Community Centre for Learning in Nature has been created by local families in a picturesque environment on the territory of a former horticultural farm.
Our aim is to promote an ecological, a practical, solution-oriented approach to protect the environment and the created world. Anyone who likes to work with their hands in a community, to be in nature, to learn about nature-friendly farming methods and techniques, to get practice in these and to strengthen the view that less is more can join the St Francis Centre's programmes.
The St Francis Centre is envisioned as a place where visiting children's groups/adults can learn by doing - using nature's tools.
Accomodation
You will stay in the attic of the community house in shared rooms. Matresses are provided but please bring your own sleeping bag and a pillow if you need one.
The house also features:
- Indoor showers and toilets
- Drinkable tap water
- Washing machine
Food
- On working days lunch is provided by the Farm-kindergarden
- Breakfast and dinner is prepared by the participants with provided ingredients
- On free days you are welcome to cook for yourself from the provided ingredients or prepare food to take away if you travel
We are looking for you if:
- You're aged between 18 and 30 and are a legal resident of the European Union
- You're someone with curiosity and enthusiasm to learn about eco-construction and animal care
- You're not afraid to get your hands dirty and enjoy being surrounded by children
- You're open to living in a community, working in a team and connecting with others
Practicalities
- Pocket money: You will receive 7 EUR/day as pocket money to cover daily expenses.
- Travel reimbursement: Your travel costs will be reimbursed by Szatyor Association according to the distance between your home and Mány (up to 309 EUR, 417 EUR if choosing green travel options).
- Green travel options: To minimize the project’s carbon footprint, we invite all of you to opt for green travel options such as buses or trains, making the journey to Etyek as eco-friendly as possible. When you opt to do so, the reimbursements are more flexible.
- Hungary is part of the Schengen area, easy to enter for EU citizens with a passport or an ID. We can host only European residents in this event.
- Bank account: You must have a European bank account with an IBAN number to allow Szatyor Association to reimburse your travel costs and pay your pocket money.
- Health insurance: Please make sure to have your valid EU Health Insurance (EHIC) card with you. Volunteers are also insured through the ESC’s Henner insurance scheme. We encourage you to have your own travel insurance as well.
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Currency: The local currency is Hungarian Forint (HUF), with 1 Euro being approximately 400 HUF.
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Electricity: Hungarian electric system operates on 230 Volts, 50 Hz, with round prong European style pugs.
What to bring
- EU Blue social security card (EHIC)
- comfortable, clothes/shoes that you do not mind if they get dirty in the garden, while working with mud or doing some other work. Best to bring sturdy boots that are safe for work on a construction.
- sleeping bag
- pillow, if you need it
- raincoat
- hat, sunscreen
- your own water bottle
- working gloves
- headlamps
- mosquito and tick repellents
- toiletry items
- towels
- preferably natural soaps and shower gels
- special medication, if you need them
- personal documents
Who are we?
Szatyor Association is a community-focused association dedicated to sustainability and nature connection. We provide information, inspiration, and learning opportunities for both young people and adults through non-formal education, trainings, and participatory events. Our mission is to provide hope, tools, and space for individuals and communities to live their lives in an environmentally conscious, authentic, free, and collaborative way.
By volunteering with us, you become part of a team transforming a rural learning space into a thriving, sustainable community hub. Every seed you plant, every skill you share, and every connection you make helps grow a space where sustainability is practiced, shared, and experienced together.
