what do we do?
what do we do?
international volunteer work
The Lava Legato foundation offers volunteer work abroad for young people between 18 and 30 years old as part of the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) program. The program lasts between 2 and 12 months and offers fulltime volunteer activities, a language course, an additional health insurance and training programs. Food allowance and accommodation are covered.
In order to do international volunteer work, you need to meet certain criteria:
-All ESC volunteer projects need at least three partners: a hosting organization, a supporting (sending) organization and a volunteer.
-You need an English CV and motivation letter to apply for a project. The motivation letter is used to explain why you would like to participate in the project.
More information about the Rotterdam - Zoetermeer project can be found here: INFO KIT
More information about the biodynamic farm can be founde here: INFO KIT
You need to find a project abroad where you can do your volunteer work. Please check the European Solidarity Corps website.
A grant should be applied to finance the project. This is done by the sending or hosting organization. Please take into account the deadlines for applying for a grant. Only after the grant is approved you can go abroad. Contact us to find out about the next deadline.
The volunteer work offered by ESC is not a holiday: it means committing yourself between 2 and 12 months -depending on the offer by the hosting organization- to fulltime volunteer work. The idea is that you learn and develop new skills while being engaged as volunteer.
ESC projects can take place all over the world, but Lava Legato only works on projects that take place in Europe, including the Dutch Caribbean region.
It is possible to obtain a certificate of your participation: a Youthpass. In this certificate you formalise your learning experiences.
Lava Legato sends, coordinates and hosts volunteers. In the Netherlands, the hosting takes place in different areas. In Rotterdam and The Hague volunteers work for a variety of social and educational organizations. In Vorden, volunteers work at the biodyanmic farm Urtica de Vijfsprong.
why us?
For more than 23 years we have been working on activities to support people but also communities and districts that can use help. We set up and execute social projects with international stakeholders, but also with small scale local partners. A few of our well known projects are:
We do not receive structural funding. It is important for us to be self sustaining. We therefore inform young people -volunteers and students- about the impact of being independent. We do our best to teach them basic entrepreneurial skills. New partnerships are always interesting for us, under the condition that we are allowed to think out of the box and work professionally & with our hearts. Inspiration comes from people and organizations who dare to be different and who strive for excellence. We know that it is not always easy to make changes but we stay optimistic in trying to make the world a better place.
gallery
Since 2001 we did many things, were part of many very nice projects, met a lot of wonderful people and saw wonderful things happening. The pictures are just a few of the wonderful memories.
who are we?
JESSIE VOERMANS
BOARD MEMBER
graduated in 1994 in the field of Child & Youth Psychology at Tilburg University. After her studies she started her own company, aimed at developing assessment tools for staff selection and recruitment and personnel management. From 2001 she made a career shift: from working for commercial organizations to being involved in social and educational activities. Creative expression, international activities and special needs students are her fields of expertise. In 2020 she finished her MA (with distinction) in Fine Arts. This allows her to organize more creative and artistic activities to contribute to the mission of the foundation.
EWALD RENAR
BOARD MEMBER
Grew up on the south side of Rotterdam. He knows this area and the developments that took place there like no other. After Ewald finished his studies in the catering business, he started being an entrepreneur. He specialized in mediation of art projects and the stimulation of enterpreneurship among artists. He collaborated with a variety of commercial and governmental organizations like Honda Nederland, Wyett, the ministry of Trafic and Water, the ministry of Security and Justice and DSM.
With his own company Fruit de Renar he started the collaboration with the Lava Legato foundation. Together they founded the Rotterdam fruit preserve in 2011. In 2018 this social -best practice- business was handed over to the Social Delight foundation.
HERMAN DE GROOT
BOARD MEMBER
Herman de Groot studied Architecture at the University of Delft. During his studies he used his free time to support residents’ associations for housing and district improvement in Delft. In the 80’s he worked for the Rotterdam City council on projects that aim to boost the city. In 1990 he started his own business in this area. More than 25 years he was engaged in innovative housing projects, for the most part in Rotterdam. He always strived for solutions that have added value for residents. The appreciation for his work is shown in the fact that local residents named two squares after him, one in Delft and one in Rotterdam.
MARTA BARROS
MENTOR
Marta has been a volunteer as part of our Zoetermeer team. After her project, she decided to stay and work in the Netherlands. She now supports the seven current volunteers in Zoetermeer, togther with our senior mentor Robert. Her experience on working as a volunteer herself is very beneficial for her role as mentor. She knows as know other about the possible challenges of each specific location and also how to possible overcome. Marta is originally from Portugal. She studied psychometry in Portugal and aims to eventually work in this field in the Netherlands.
ROBERT WULFFELE
MENTOR
Robert has extensive experience in the educational field, aimed at vocational training. For years he worked as team manager for Vocational training centre Zadkine for the educational programmes in the catering business. Cooking and catering are his passions and he can teach you everything about etiquette and wine. A few years back he made a change to the Da Vinci College in Dordrecht where is the team manager for the vocational training programmes in the care/educational sector.
MANUELA LOPES
MENTOR
Manuela imparts empowerment, self-defense, and kickboxing courses primarily tailored for women at Monteiro Gym. Her educational foundation as a Life Coach not only enhances her instructional skills but also proves invaluable in her capacity as a mentor to international volunteers at Lava Legato. We are truly enthused to have her as a member of our team, given that she embodies the epitome of progress through perseverance and a resolute embrace of self-confidence.
SIGOURNEY BANDJAR
MENTOR
Sigourney was born in Suriname, but grew up in the same area as where the Rotterdam volunteers live. He was a professional soccer player and obtained his UEFA-C coaching license after his professional soccer career. Together with his wife he ran a day care center. He and his wife have two children. He likes to spend time with his family, play soccer and go on trips to France and Spain. Sigourney's team-oriented mindset, penchant for enjoying life, and positive outlook make him an ideal addition to our team. We are thrilled to have him onboard for these and many more reasons.
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QUENTIN FROM FRANCE AND CLAIRE FROM BELGIUM HAVE EMBARKED ON A NINE-MONTH PROJECT AT THE BIODYNAMIC FARM DE VIJFSPRONG IN VORDEN. DURING THIS PERIOD, THEY WILL ASSIST WITH TYPICAL FARM ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING MILKING COWS, GROWING VEGETABLES, AND PRODUCING DAIRY PRODUCTS. THE TWO VOLUNTEERS RESIDE TOGETHER IN A SMALL CABIN ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE PICTURESQUE TOWN OF ZUTPHEN.
MAY GOODBYE TO MENTOR JAANIKA
WE ARE VERY SORRY TO SAY GOODBYE TO JAANIKA, OUR MENTOR IN ZUTPHEN. JAANIKA STARTED WITH US AS VOLUNTEER IN VORDEN AND DECIDED TO STAY IN THE NETHERLANDS AFTER HER VOLUNTEER PROJECT.
WELCOME TO SERENA, BERNARD, COSTANZA, IRIS, LUCREZIA AND GIUDITTA
NEW VOLUNTEERS FROM ITALY: SERENA, COSTANZA, IRIS, LUCREZIA AND GIUDITTA AND BERNARD FROM POLAND HAVE STARTED THEIR PROJECT IN THE BEGINNING OF MAY. THEY WILL BE ACTIVE IN ZOETERMEER AND THE HAGUE (IRIS, LUCREZIA, GIUDITTA) AND IN ROTTERDAM (BERNARD, COSTANZA AND SERENA), TOGETHER WITH THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE STARTED THEIR PROJECT 4 MONTHS AGO. THEY ALL SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH LIMITATIONS AND ORGANISATIONS THAT ARE ACTIVE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO.
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WELCOME BIANCA, MARLÉNE, MARTA II, CIAN AND THOMAS IN ROTTERDAM AND ZOETERMEER SAYING GOODBYE TO VOLUNTEERS IS ALWAYS SAD, BUT IT PROVIDES COMFORT THAT NEW VOLUNTEERS STEP IN. WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BIANCA FROM ITALY, MARLÉNE FROM FRANCE, MARTA II FROM SPAIN, CIAN FROM IRELAND AND THOMAS FROM FRANCE. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU!
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MANUAL AND WORK SHEETS OF NEW PEER REVIEW METHOD IS READY. THE WHOLE METHOD WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FREE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022.
OCT THE RECRUITMENT OF ELEVEN VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL START IN JANUARY, HAS ALMOST COME TO AN END. THIS YEAR. ESPECIALLY FEMALE VOLUNTEERS HAVE APPLIED AND HAVE BEEN SELECTED; ONLY 2 MALE VOLUNTEERS WILL JOIN THE GROUP.
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DEC END OF THE YEAR BOARD MEETING OF THE LAVA LEGATO FOUNDATION . WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT YEAR CONTINUING WITH CURRENT PROJECTS AND INTERESTING NEW ONES.
OCT LAVA LEGATO PRESENTS THE SOCIAL BUSINESS IDEAS DURING THE FINAL YSE MEETING FROM 1 TO 4 OCTOBER IN ANDUJAR, SPAIN.
AUG THE EVS VOLUNTEERS IN ROTTERDAM ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE YSE PROJECT. THE WORKSHOPS BRING A LOT OF GREAT SOCIAL BUSINESS IDEAS ON THE TABLE.
APRIL ESPRESSO BAR THE POLKA DOT RABBIT IS BORN. CHECK THE INSTAPAGE
LAVA LEGATO HOSTS THE SECOND MEETING FOR THE YSE PROJECT 2-5 APRIL IN ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS.
MARCH IT'S A WRAP! SEVEN YEARS AFTER FOUNDING THE ROTTERDAM FRUIT PRESERVE WE TRANSFER THE SOCIAL BUSINESS TO THE SOCIAL DELIGHT FOUNDATION.
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