As shared with you in the first journey, we believe that volunteering is one of the best ways to really get to know a community and to further explore community life. This month, Alex from NextGen Europe and Julio (current ESC volunteer from Arterra Bizimodu) is sharing with us some tips on how to best prepare and make the volunteering a truely enriching experience. But, let's start from the beginning, with an introduction about volunteering basics... Many hands make light work in Small Footprint community, Estonia People choose to volunteer…

The LEADER Congress, organized by ELARD, took place over 2 days in Poitiers, France. LEADER is a development program which has for 30 years been employing a method of engaging local actors in writing policies and strategies for rural development. Engagement happens primarily through around 2800 Local Action Groups (LAGs) which bridge public, private, and civil-society stakeholders. The purposing of gathering is to showcase projects, share experiences and best practices, and look for future opportunities for co-creation. This year’s occasion examined cooperation, with workshops and discussions asking questions about how…

Right before this year’s European Ecovillage Gathering, GEN Europe held its annual General Assembly in Ängsbacka, Sweden! 87 delegates from 48 vibrant ecovillages, transnational & national networks, and ecoprojects gathered to reconnect, network, share, collaborate, discuss, and celebrate. The event was held from the 17th to 19th of August 2024 and included voting members from Full Ecovillages and Transnational & National Networks, non-voting representatives from Ecoprojects and Aspiring Members, along with a few Silent Observers. The General Assembly was organized by GEN Europe staff and facilitated by GEN Europe council…

The Project Launch & Thrive has recently come to an end, and its two years of work have pushed GEN Europe’s IT infrastructure to new heights. Among many other achievements, we are celebrating the latest updates from the Ecovillage Map!

Hey there! This is Ziska! Ziska (she/her) has lived the last years in different ecovillages and communities around Europe. Her background lies in Nature Conservation and Ecology, but the last years she has been dedicated to organising projects for different European NGOs. As a volunteer in GEN Europe, living in Arterra Bizimodu in 2022 she started to connect with the network more deeply. She is passionate about Yes To Sustainability, an initiative dedicated to creating experiences in ecovillages for youth. She cares about social change and believes in the power…

In Findhorn, a community deeply impacted by Brexit, COVID-19, and energy challenges, resilience shines through adversity. Devastated by the loss of their community center and sanctuary to fire, they faced further setbacks as operations ceased in November 2023, marking the winding down of the Findhorn Foundation. But from these ashes hope and determination rises and in May 2023, the Ecovillage Findhorn Community Benefit Society (EF) emerged, guided by elected community leaders and supported by 370 passionate members. Together, they are igniting a renewal, fuelled by the belief that community love…