🇭🇷 ESC Volunteering in Croatia 🐻 Caring for Orphan Bears at a Mountain Refuge 🏔️

VELEBITSKA UDRUGA KUTEREVO

KUTEREVO, Croatia

⭐️ Activity Title

Kuterevo Bear Refuge

Do you want to spend a couple of weeks in a mountain village caring for rescued bears and building with stone in the Velebit Biosphere Reserve? The Velebit Association Kuterevo runs a refuge for orphan bears, and its ESC team invites volunteers to support animal care, facilities and community life where civilisation meets wilderness.

About the Project

Velebit Association Kuterevo (VUK) is based in Kuterevo village, a mountain community situated within the Velebit Biosphere Reserve. Since 2002, the organisation has run a refuge for orphan bear cubs and currently cares for 9 adult bears. It is also engaged in the documentation and preservation of cultural heritage, the maintenance of peaceful neighbourly relations, and the promotion of the co-existence of civilisation and wilderness. During this ESC team, volunteers are engaged in diverse activities such as supporting the local team in managing the refuge, animal care, and the improvement and maintenance of the facilities in the Bear Refuge.

What You'll Do

🐻 Support the local team in managing the Refuge and caring for the bears.

🛠️ Improve and maintain the facilities in the Bear Refuge, including hands-on building work.

Training During the Activity

📚 Learn the basics of bear biology and the current situation in Croatia, and how to use tools properly, build with stones and work in a team.

🐝 Take part in an educational excursion to friends of the Refuge, the beekeepers of Janja Gora, from where beehives are transported to Kuterevo.

🎨 Join workshops on pottery and wool felting, take part in the Mountain Spirit ceremony, and join the unofficial club of Kuterevo Bear Friends.

Accommodation, Food and Transport

🏠 Volunteers are accommodated in the houses of local people, in rooms shared with other volunteers, a few minutes' walk from the Volunteers' Station where most of the day is spent working and having leisure together.

🥗 Food is prepared and eaten together at the Volunteers' Station, and it is vegetarian.

🚆 Travel is organised by the volunteer, ideally green, with help from the hosting organisation for local transportation.

Who Can Apply

🌲 Young people within the ESC age range (18 to 30) who are interested in nature, coexistence and wilderness.

💪 Volunteers should be willing to work hard and ready for manual work, ready to live with other people, share responsibilities and take care of each other, and mindful towards the local community, visitors of the Bear Refuge and organisations.

✍️ Only applicants who fill in the form are contacted, as it shows you read the description to the end. Please do not use AI for the application, as the organisers can recognise the key words and all such applications look the same.

🗺️ Also open in 🇭🇷 Croatia: ESC Volunteering in 🇭🇷 Croatia – Community Life with People with Intellectual Disabilities → https://youthworkshub.org/18943

What's Covered

💶 As an ESC project, accommodation, food, pocket money and travel costs are covered by the project, with green travel encouraged.

🐴 Love working with animals? You might also like: ESC Volunteering in 🇵🇹 Portugal – Pedagogical Farm and Animal Care → https://youthworkshub.org/20996

The Details

📍 Location: Kuterevo, Croatia (Velebit Biosphere Reserve).

📅 Activity dates: 26 August to 12 September 2026.

🧩 Activity type: Volunteering teams. Topic: environment and natural protection.

🔖 Project code: 2025-1-HR01-ESC51-VTJ-000348840.

Eligible Countries

🌍 Looking for participants from 🇦🇱 Albania, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina, 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇿 Czechia, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇫🇮 Finland, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇽🇰 Kosovo, 🇲🇪 Montenegro, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇲🇰 North Macedonia, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇷🇸 Serbia, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇪 Sweden and 🇺🇦 Ukraine.

How to Apply

Apply through the European Solidarity Corps Portal, and fill in the organisation's application form. Do not use AI to write your application, as the organisers value genuine, personal answers.

✍️ Want your motivation letter to genuinely stand out and sound like you, not everyone else? This guide shows you how: https://youthworkshub.org/6061/

Deadline

📅 5 August 2026 (12:00)

Links

🔗 Official project page and application: https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/opportunity/53362_en

🔗 Application form: https://forms.gle/r6t2fmeYJWW4aAQd8

✍️ How to write a motivation letter for ESC volunteering that actually gets read — and remembered.A motivation letter is often the single most important part of your ESC application, yet most people write them too generically or too formally to make an impact. This guide walks you through what to include, what to leave out, how to structure your letter, and how to express genuine motivation without sounding like everyone else. Whether you're writing your first letter or rewriting one that didn't work, this is the guide you need. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/6061/

🤝 What is a supporting organisation in ESC volunteering — and why does it matter for you? Most people know about sending and hosting organisations in ESC projects, but the role of the supporting organisation is far less understood — and far more important than it appears. This article clearly explains what a supporting organisation does, how it fits into the structure of an ESC project, and how its involvement directly affects the volunteer's experience and support throughout the programme. A must-read if you want to fully understand how ESC is structured. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/6051/

💡 What do organisations actually look for in an ESC volunteer? Getting selected for an ESC volunteering project isn't just about ticking boxes — it's about showing the right combination of values, attitude, and genuine motivation. This article digs into the skills and personal qualities that make a real difference during the selection process, and explains why some candidates stand out while others don't. If you want to understand what a strong volunteer profile looks like before you apply, this is essential reading. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/13941/

🗺️ Which countries can apply for Erasmus+ and ESC? — The complete and up-to-date country list. A lot of people assume Erasmus+ and ESC are only available to European Union member states — but the reality is much more inclusive. Programme countries, partner countries, and special eligibility rules mean that young people from far more places can participate than most realise. This article provides the full, up-to-date list of eligible countries for both Erasmus+ and ESC, with clear explanations of what each status means for applicants. 👉 https://youthworkshub.org/15124/

⚠️ Important Notice

1️⃣ Source of Information

This announcement has been prepared based on the information provided by the source.

2️⃣ No Affiliation

YouthWorks Hub is not the organiser, partner, or representative of the projects listed. All applications must be submitted directly to the project coordinator or hosting organisation through the original link, email, etc.

3️⃣ Content May Change

The project coordinator is solely responsible for the accuracy and details of the opportunity. Deadlines, eligible countries, activity dates, and other details may change, or the announcement may be withdrawn entirely, at any time after publication. Always check the original link before applying.

4️⃣ Funding

All funding, travel reimbursements, and allowances are determined and provided by the project coordinator or National Agency. YouthWorks Hub is not responsible for any payments or financial matters.

5️⃣ External Links

Listings may contain links to third-party websites, forms, or documents (e.g. the ESC Portal, infopacks, application forms). YouthWorks Hub is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or security of these external sources.

💡 Final Note: All listings are shared for informational purposes only. Please always verify details directly through the official project coordinator or programme website before applying.