UDRUGA "TATAVAKA"
Zlarin, Croatia
⭐️ Activity Title
Sustainable Zlarin
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🔷 Activity Details
Description
Tatavaka is an association from the island of Zlarin dedicated to developing a culture of sustainable living, protecting nature and supporting the transition toward a circular economy. It's best known for the “Plastic-free Zlarin” initiative, through which the island became the first community in Croatia to eliminate single‑use plastics. Tatavaka carries out projects focused on biodiversity conservation, water‑resource management and climate‑crisis education, connecting the local community with national and international partners.
Volunteers will engage in a diverse set of practical, community‑rooted activities that blend ecological regeneration with intergenerational learning. Their work will include clearing overgrown firebreak paths to protect the island from wildfires, helping maintain public olive groves through seasonal tasks like pruning and harvesting, caring for shared community spaces, rebuilding traditional dry‑stone walls and documenting Zlarin’s rich biodiversity with lifelong local nature experts.
Volunteers are expected to work 6h a day.
Accommodation, food and transport arrangements
Accommodation is provided in Kuća Šare https://hckz.hr/kuca-sare/, part of the Croatian Coral Centre, a communal dormitory-style house where volunteers share living spaces, cook together, maintain cleanliness and collectively care for the house, creating a simple shared rhythm that supports cooperation and community living. All meals provided will be vegetarian.
Zlarin is a small island community of around 200 residents, reachable by a 30‑minute boat ride from Šibenik, with the nearest airports located in Split and Zadar. Volunteers arrange and pay for their own travel, and the costs are reimbursed afterwards, with an encouragement to choose environmentally friendly transport options.
Training during the activity
Volunteers will gain practical skills by learning traditional dry‑stone wall building, sustainable olive‑growing practices and biodiversity. They will develop a deep understanding of how local knowledge, cultural heritage and environmental stewardship intersect in a small island community. Through collaboration with local residents, volunteers will strengthen their intercultural communication, teamwork abilities and appreciation for intergenerational understanding.
They will also partake in a Climate Fresk workshop to help them understand the causes and consequences of climate change and explore collective solutions through collaboration and discussion.
Participant profile
We are looking for eight volunteers aged 18–30 who are passionate about environmental issues, regeneration, sustainable living and hands‑on learning. We aim to form a heterogeneous group of participants who feel comfortable living and collaborating in a small, quiet island community and who are ready to take on physically demanding outdoor tasks using hand tools. Participants should be prepared for simple shared accommodation conditions. We strongly encourage applications from young people with fewer opportunities.
All applications must be submitted exclusively via the European Youth Portal.
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🔑 Key Information
Activity dates
From 12/10/2026 to 09/11/2026
Activity location
Pomihalj 10, Zlarin, Croatia
Activity type
Volunteering teams
Looking for participants from
Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo * UN resolution, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Activity topics
Environment and natural protection
Creativity and culture
Deadline for applications
Application deadline: 10/09/2026 00:00
Project code
2026-1-HR01-ESC51-VTJ-000401681
🔗 Official Project Page
https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/opportunity/53981_en
