Join Agape’s Resident Group!
Agape Ecumenical Center offers the opportunity to do residential volunteer work in a place that has been dedicated to community life, education and encounters between different cultures and faiths for seventy years. The service rendered to Agape enables the facility to organize and complete its summer and winter camps, for minors and adults, as well as to welcome groups who come to carry out their activities at the Center.
Agape is an ecumenical meeting space: the Waldensian Church -Union of Methodist and Waldensian churches- has been running the Center since its inauguration (1951) at the request of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Europe. Over time, the term has taken on a broader meaning, including the meeting between believers of different religions, faiths and spiritualities as well as non-believers, through listening, knowledge and dialogue, valuing their diversity in mutual respect.
Agape is committed to social reflection: the activities offered by the Center provide a space for discussion on various issues related to political, social and environmental current affairs, gender issues, spirituality and theological debate, and informal and non-formal education.
The international dimension is present in several aspects of the Center: all volunteer groups are composed of people from European countries and beyond. Each year the General Program includes a series of meetings of an international nature involving people from the five continents. This dimension has characterized the Center since its founding at the hands of young people from all over the world, immediately presenting itself as a place for dialogue, confrontation and concrete experimentation of an inclusive and sustainable life practice.
Agape was designed by Pastor Tullio Vinay and architect Leonardo Ricci, built immediately after World War II, between 1947 and 1951, by young volunteers with the specific intent of living together the reconciliation between peoples.
We are located upstream in the Val Germanasca, above the hamlet of Ghigo di Prali, at an altitude of 1,500 meters, immersed in Alpine nature and in close contact with the local population. An area that is marginal compared to large population centers such as Turin or Milan, but, for this very reason, central in its desire to be a place where one can rediscover a sense of community life, solidarity and commitment to one’s neighbor.
What is a resident?
Agape is carried out by volunteers: in particular, the Resident Group is composed of a dozen or so young people, who dedicate a period of their lives to the project and, in return, receive room and board and pocket money. The Resident Group consists of the volunteers, the director and the deputy director.
The Resident Group lives at Agape year-round and is responsible for managing the Center. Specifically, the resident(s) are responsible for the management of hospitality: they coordinate and work in the areas of cooking, service, cleaning, maintenance, bar and office, assisted by the work camp (volunteers who come to Agape only for short periods during camps). Each resident receives specific training for the area he or she is called to manage and coordinates the relevant campwork group. They cook for small and large groups of people (even up to 100), manage room service, room and toilet cleaning; take care of the facility with minor routine maintenance work, manage the in-house bar, and coordinate the office for all the organizational part of the various sectors, the bursar’s office and reception. The Resident Group presents the facility to visiting people and organizes meetings for reflection on current issues.
The residents are also involved in Agape’s planning, being part of the animation staff of the camps and keeping in touch with the various groups that collaborate with the Center.
In the resident house they live in a community dimension in which they take turns cooking, clean the common areas together and each person takes care of his or her own room. Moments dedicated to managing group dynamics, outings and cultural and recreational activities are organized. Weekly assemblies, experiential activities and two intensive training seminars ensure the building of a group capable of working and growing together.
How do you apply for residency?
You can apply to be part of the Resident Group for a period of one year; availability to renew for another year’s application will be discussed at the end of the first one.
We encourage you to apply from anywhere in the world you live!
Contact us by email so we can provide you with more detailed information.
Write to:
vicedirezione@agapecentroecumenico.org
direzione@agapecentroecumenico.org
To apply we need your resume and a motivation letter explaining why you want to be part of the Resident Group, to be sent by 01/03/2023.
The residency year starts in early/mid September.
We look forward to seeing you!
Website: www.agapecentroecumenico.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeCE
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapecentroecumenico/