Bona Fides Association in cooperation with PiGreco – SEMI di Intercultura has a new opportunity for Polish participants in a 6-months ESC project “Roots of Change” in the Puglia region, Italy with Associazione Regen ETS. The topics of the project are: agroforestry, permaculture, natural building and community living.
Place: Palombaio (BA), Puglia region, ITALY
Dates: between August and October 2026
Duration: 4-5 months
ABOUT HOSTING ORGANISATION: Associazione REGEN ETS
Regen is based in an organic farm in its transition to an Agroforestry now containing different fruit trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and vegetable gardens. Our association regularly organizes training courses for young people and adults on permaculture and regenerative agriculture, with practical and theoretical parts. We organize regular events (formal and informal meetings, workshops, etc.) aimed at the local community and young people interested in agriculture. One of the consolidated and permanent projects that the Regen has been carrying out for the last five years is the edible forest project, in which monthly social meetings are held for all the public, in which alternative models of food production are shown like examples of bioconstruction of small spaces that respect their environment, recovery and restoration of the ethnological heritage of the estate.
We carry out different activities related to the training of participants in many areas within the framework of agro-ecology, bio-construction, ecology in general. Currently we work and collaborate in the development and establishment of different projects with agroforestry and agroecological models from a water management perspective. The association has been offering different courses related to organic agriculture, soil regeneration, agroforestry models, hydrological management, bioconstruction, holistic health and some other topics related to sustainability for about 5 years.
Palombaio
The venue is right outside the village of Palombaio. Palombaio is a fraction of the municipality of Bitonto, in the metropolitan city of Bari, with 2,917 inhabitants. The village is 8.7 km from Bitonto and 4.5 km from the small village of Mariotto. It is connected to Bitonto (60.000 inhabitants city) via a bus service. From Bitonto it’s possible to reach Bari (capital of the region), the airport and many other destinations by train.
About the Project
Volunteers will immerse themselves in regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and sustainable living at Regen ETS’s organic farm. Activities include:
- Agroforestry management (pruning, planting, harvesting).
- Production of biofertilizers, compost, and plant reproduction.
- Support in eco-building and bioconstruction.
- Logistics and kitchen help during workshops and events.
- Social media and documentation (photos, content creation).
- Community engagement through local workshops and events.
Volunteers will live in shared accommodation on the farm, with a vegetarian/vegan diet based on organic, locally sourced, and self-grown food. The experience is simple and community-oriented, with a strong focus on ecological sustainability.
Food and accommodation
The service will take place in the food forest of Regen Association in Paolombaio (Bari, Italy).
During your stay you will live in shared rooms inside the project with other volunteers and staff.
The house on the farm provides us with a kitchen to cook our daily meals, which are healthy, mostly organic and self grown and vegetarian. If you have any allergies or intolerances, special dietary needs, please inform us about it, so we can plan accordingly. It is our home and sacred space. It is important for us to know that you agree in spending so many days in such a simple basic way of life. The lodging choice will be always decided by us and it is not possible for you to choose your own accommodation.
In Regen the diet is vegetarian (close to vegan, sometimes we have cheese, soon we should have our eggs), mostly organic, as local as possible and with minimum packaging. We believe in critical consumption and we don’t want to forage industrial food as far as we can.
We understand that all of us have attachment to some confort food, but we try to minimize it. So we ask to not bring industrial food from outside like plastic bottled drinks, cans or chips. We are not super strict but it’s important to share a direction and work together in the same one. So space for „external” food will be minimized to one tray in the fridge and as little as possible for what doesn’t go in the fridge.
Regen will buy the food (part of it is produced in our own farm) following the principles of critical consumption whenever possible, and the 3 meals will be prepared by the volunteers and by the members of the staff, organizing shifts, in our kitchen.
Please use your plant based fully biodegradable toiletry (shampoo, soaps, toothpaste, etc.) so the water of the shower and the sink doesn’t harm nature.
Volunteers Profile
We are looking for motivated, open-minded, and proactive young people (18–30 years old) who:
- Have a strong interest in ecology, permaculture, and sustainable living.
- Are willing to adapt to Regen ETS’s community lifestyle and values.
- Have basic knowledge of English or Italian.
- Are team players, creative, and curious about alternative food production and bioconstruction.
Important: The volunteer’s motivation and willingness to adapt to Regen ETS’s community way of life are essential for this project.
Infopack and useful links
APPLICATION
Please send your CV and a motivation letter (in English) to mariachiara@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl or contact us for any further information! Please write “ESC in Palombaio, Italy” in the title of your e-mail.
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