ESC Team 2025 at Ostello Monte Barro in Italy | Diana, Anastasia, Freja and Chloé Share Their Experience!
The ESC Team project “Team for Healthy Life 3 – T4HL3”, financed by the European Solidarity Corps programme and run by Associazione Joint in cooperation with Ostello Parco Monte Barro in Italy, has come to an end!
The overall objective of the project, in accordance with the priorities set for 2021, was to promote well-being and a healthy lifestyle for the volunteers and local communities. It was an opportunity for participants to reclaim a space to socialise in a healthy and safe manner, while engaging in volunteer activities that promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups, health and wellbeing in communities.
Project activities touched on specific themes, in accordance with the host organisation and the needs of the local community:
- nature and outdoor life
- mental health
- health prevention/health promotion
- conscious nutrition
Let’s see what participants have to say about it!
Diana’s Testimonial
Hi! My name is Diana, I’m 19 years old and I was born in Ukraine. I want to share with you some highlights from the ESC project which was held by Association Joint. The project which I have had an amazing opportunity to be a part of was in Eco hostel Parco Monte Barro, Italy, from 10th of March until 10th of April, 2025. Once I arrived there I was impressed by the location, cheerful hostel workers, interior and cleanness. During the first week we were introduced to the project’s programme for the rest of the period. We have been doing a lot of team-building activities, various and creative ones. It helped me a lot to communicate with both participants and curators more freely. During the second and third week we were building barriers for rescuing the local colony of the toads. It was very nice to do such valuable volunteering activity and invest our time and energy for the local community. Also we were recycling the area Ecologica, sanding the metal and wood, painting them together with the roof, gluing a specific design on it. I felt that everyone from the hostel was very friendly and energetic, I appreciate it. Exclusive applauses to our chef Jacobo! His recipies and approaches were very wow! I have found a lot of new things about vegetarian diet. Every meal was as an art piece. Curators sometimes have been making surprises for us, they were initiative and took the part in every activity together with us. They were welcome and friendly, open to support us mentally, solve problems and even finish some work from workshops together with others who didn’t do it on the time. We have experienced a lot of things through this lovely project. I can emphasize on rock climbing, skating, site-specific painting, visiting a local farm while milking goats and feeding lambs, yoga class, a lot of hikings around the area, pizza parties, rescuing the toads and so on. I am happy to have this memory, new people and passions in my life. In the near future I will definetely explore my area, mountains and the nature because I was really inspired by that magestic place. It was so nice to wake up with that wonderful view of lakes and Galbiate, have breakfast, lunch and dinner all together, investigate the paths of the mountain in the free time. Often we were playing Werewolves and other boardgames, always talking and laughing. I can state that this was the most banded team that I have ever experienced. I will strongly recommend this project for everyone who wants to touch a piece of true happiness, liveness and peace. Thank you for reading!
Anastasia’s Testimonial
This was my first volunteering experience, and I think it was very successful! All the workshops and tasks had a clear, meaningful purpose. I learned a lot about eco-consciousness, how to apply it in everyday life, and discovered a variety of vegan dishes. I really appreciated that we were involved in both structured physical work and creative tasks where we had the freedom to express ourselves. The weekly schedule was well planned and diverse—it wasn’t monotonous. We worked on the barriers and in the ecological area, and still had time for creative workshops like making tent tags, stamps, stick notebooks, and more. We also had the chance to try out some unique activities like rock climbing and skateboarding, which added to the fun! But the highlight for me was definitely the trip to the goat farm—it holds a special place in my heart. At the same time, we had time to relax, go hiking, and explore the beautiful area around the hostel, which is located in a truly picturesque spot. Everyone I met during this month was incredibly kind. The eco-hostel staff and other volunteers were always helpful and quick to support with practical or everyday matters. Our group of volunteers was great—it felt like everyone understood the purpose of the project and came with an open heart. There was a strong sense of mutual support, openness, and willingness to share ideas. I want to give a special thank you to Laura and Giulia—two truly wonderful people who made this experience so much better. Their support was incredible, always ready to help with any issues, even personal ones. They gave clear instructions, offered constant guidance, and created a warm, easygoing atmosphere in communication with the volunteers. Overall, I believe this was a truly wonderful and unforgettable experience!
Freja’s Testimonial
During my ESC at Eco Ostello Monte Barro, I learned so much both personally and culturally. I improved my cooking, got inspired by upcycling ideas, and felt encouraged by the people around me. Through conversations they introduced me to new perspectives and ideas that made an impact on me. I also discovered new sports I want to try! Climbing, hiking, skating, dancing, I’m excited to go further when I have the chance. The experience helped me take steps toward a healthier, more sustainable, and prosocial lifestyle that I’m excited to keep building.
Chloé’s Testimonial
I am applying to study in nature protection and had been looking for a first concrete experience in that field. That’s when I learned about this volunteering project, which would combine travelling and ecological work. I did arrive with my expectations but ended up being confronted with so much more. Through the community lifestyle — I had never lived with so many people at once for such a long time — the work we were doing to build barriers and safeguard the rospis, and the magnificent location of the hostel. I had to step out of my comfort zone for the better and I now realize that I grew from it, which I wasn’t necessarily expecting from just a month. I learned to trust myself and my body to do things I didn’t think I had the strength for, like hiking and cohabitating with 12 people, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This experience also helped me realize the strengths in myself that I was ignoring: my capacity to communicate and listen to others, the little things I knew I was capable of doing but didn’t put much thought into and that were actually helpful during this month, like painting, paper making and other crafts. I now feel more confident in my abilities to be around people and do what I love doing. I did arrive in this project with my own expectations and feelings, and some of them ended up being confirmed. My love and desire of working outside in nature was repeatedly confirmed, as I loved living so close to nature and being able to just walk a few minutes and find myself on the way to the peak of a mountain or isolated from the busy noise. The fact that I needed space and that I am not made to live amongst so many people forever also got confirmed — but through rewarding experiences and realizing that I was able to do it, just not like it. I will miss many aspects of this project in my everyday life, but the setting — living on the side of a mountain — might be what I’ll miss the most and what I was most grateful for. I feel and hope it will push me to step out of my comfort zone a little more to do the things I want to do.
ESC Teams with the European Solidarity Corps
The special feature of the ESC Teams is its short duration, ranging from 2 weeks to a maximum of 2 months. This aspect makes it accessible also to young people who work or study and cannot dedicate a whole year to travel! Despite the brevity of the projects, Group ESCs offer meaningful and intense life experiences, during which numerous professional skills can be acquired. Moreover, by sharing life and work with a group of people, similar to a community, lɜ participants have the opportunity to create strong bonds even in a short period of time.