ESC Team 2025 with Fattoria L’Arca in Italy | Volunteers 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 Fattoria L’Arca 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!
Nicole’s Testimonial
My name is Nicole, i’m 23 years old and i’m from France. During the months of April and May 2025 I participated in the ESC project in Arca, a farm situated in a small town in southern Italy. I happened to find out about ESC randomly while looking for a part time job. After listening to a testimony from a volunteer in France, I decided to read more about it and that’s how I found this project. The days before my departure here I was a lot nervous about what I would find in this place, but after arriving I realized there was no need to be afraid as this project would change my life. I found a different way of living that made me happier and less stressed, a slow life in a community that shares many moments together while accepting and respecting each other’s individuality. The work at the farm was very new to me, waking up early to work in the calmness and patience of nature was healing and joyful for me. In this project I discovered a new “me” but also found a part of me that was thought to be lost. Most importantly I found a family in the people here that I hope to stay forever in my life. So if you are ever considering joining this project, I say “jump” with all of yourself because it will change your life.
Mija’s Testimonial
I came to this project with the desire to escape the fast-paced rhythm of corporate life and reconnect with something more meaningful—something real. My deep passion for the environment led me here, and what I found at organic farm in L’Arca was beyond what I imagined. This experience gifted me with not just knowledge, but also a new way of being. Early mornings spent in the fields, learning about agriculture, animals and the slow, mindful process of growth taught me patience and presence. Witnessing the full cycle—from planting seeds to seeing fruits—was deeply fulfilling. The balance between work and free time was perfect. It allowed me to both contribute and reflect. Workshops organized by Joint and fellow participants added rich layers to this journey. I learned to weave baskets, craft macramé, cook tortellini, and immerse myself in the beautiful local community. Everyone was so generous with their skills and stories—it felt like constant exchange of creativity and kindness. The place itself was nothing short of magical. Nestled between majestic mountains and the nearby sea, I found myself completely surrounded by nature’s beauty. The soft, radiant colors of the sunrise above the mountains felt like nature’s most perfect palette to me. Before arriving, I was unsure about living with a large group, but that fear quickly disappeared. I was embraced by open-hearted, mindful people who created a warm, uplifting atmosphere. We built a community where kindness and generosity thrived and I formed connections that made feel genuinely supported me in this journey. L’Arca offered me the space to slow down, breathe deeply, and truly live in the moment. It’s a sanctuary for anyone looking to step away from the noise, rediscover themselves create heartfelt connections and make lifelong memories in the embrace of nature.
Laura’s Testimonial
My name is Laura, I’m 19 years old and from Germany. After graduating from school, I decided to take a gap year filled with internships, volunteering in my hometown, and studying for language certificates. Halfway through the year, I felt a strong desire to explore more of Europe and gain new experiences abroad. I applied for this project with the ambition to learn more about nature and exchange perspectives on life. And what can I say — my expectations were definitely met! I learned a lot about agriculture, community living, and gained many valuable intercultural insights. Alongside the daily work—harvesting, working in the fields, and taking care of plants—we participated in various workshops. From rafting in the river to ceramics and even a tortellini-making workshop, there was always something exciting to discover. These activities allowed us to immerse ourselves in Italian culture and tap into our creative sides. This project is perfect for anyone seeking a deeper connection with nature and people, who is interested in agriculture, and who is open to embracing a slower pace of life. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking for time to reflect, grow personally, and learn more about themselves and other cultures. It’s an intense, enriching time filled with meaningful moments and beautiful people.
Jeremia’s Testimonial
Hello, I am Jeremia, one of the ESC volunteers at L’Arca Organic Farm. I am currently in the gap months after my study and have decided to spend my time on engaging and rewarding activities in agriculture. I had a little experience before working in this field and expected to gain some new knowledge going ahead. So, we live in a small village called Belvedere Marittimo in the region of Calabria, Italy. The region where most people are doing agricultural work as their main activity. We began the project with the team-building activities for 1 week, including getting to know each other, our responsibilities, expectations, fears, and contributions covered by engaging games. We learned about sustainable life and farming systems to live a healthy life with a regular routine and locally sourced food without chemical contact. We mainly work on farming activities with different tasks; however, we also organize weekly creative leisure time activities and have engaging workshops (rafting, pottery, basket weaving, making pizza, and tortellini). We had different things to do every day; for instance, some people were doing land preparation for vegetables, others did harvesting in the greenhouse, took care of the animals, maintained the surrounding area by throwing out the wild plants (weeding), and eliminated the rotten fruits and vegetables. Besides, we collaborate with the local associations to organize such activities as beach cleaning and art and musical performances with the kids. In general, this project is really intriguing and worth experiencing. I have learned to be more respectful of food and dare to say “NO” to food waste. I will also have more respect for the farmers who have worked hard to provide healthy food from “farm to fork.” I would definitely recommend this opportunity for other young people out there who want to help and be part of local communities, experience the local cultures and beautiful views surrounding them, learn something new in the agricultural field, live a slow-paced life with lots of self-reflection, leave their comfort zone, and do something meaningful for nature and the people.
Gianluca’s Testimonial
Before coming here I was working as phone reseller at a famous electronics chain. I was very stressed because of the amount of work and all the responsibilities and the not very good colleagues. So after some months I really wanted to try something different and I stumbled upon this project very randomly. When I arrived here initially I was a bit scared because I never experienced living with so many people at the same time and from such different places. But just after the first hours I started to open up and after like the first 3/4 days I felt part of the group. It was not easy for me because I have always been a bit of a shy guy, but here the combination of the environment and the people really helped me to become more sociable. Before coming here I was idealizing the concept of living with nature and working on a farm and I really wanted to try it. In the end I found out that is pretty much like I expected it, it can be very demanding, especially when you have to dig, but also many times it can be very light like when you have to take care of tomatoes. The main works where harvesting, deweeding, digging, taking care of the plants, collecting eggs, washing dishes, helping sometimes with the restaurant, but we also had a lot of workshops such a basket weaving, pottery, macrame, watercolors… and many were also facilitated by the volunteers. Besides the technical skills for these kind of stuff I also learned a lot soft skills: cooperation, adaptability, time management, how to deal with tiredness and lots of other stuff. We had a lot of free time that we decided to spend as a group. And I think the combination of working and leisure time together really made strong friendships. In the end this was a wonderful experience and even if I have been tired many times, and I have been felling very low sometimes, if could go back I would do it again for certain. I would recommend an ESC experience to everyone that wants to have new perspectives about life, to meet new friends, to find themselves and find new motivation and joy.
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, the participants have the opportunity to create strong bonds even in a short period of time.