2024 open call for trainees and volunteers

Cargonomia is accepting applications from candidates for their traineeship program, from March to December 2024, ideally for a period of 4-6 months with an Erasmus + scholarship.

As a transdisciplinary cooperative, any profile and background is welcome, but based on current projects and interests in the coming year, we are seeking candidates with knowledge and interest in agroecology and permaculture, eco-construction with natural materials, and low-tech and appropriate technologies. 

To apply, please send a CV and a cover letter to info@cargonomia.hu

What is Cargonomia :

Cargonomia is an experimentation and research cooperative focusing on the practical application of Degrowth theory with a particular focus on local organic farming, sustainable mobility through cargobikes, appropriate technology and ecological / solidarity economy

A typical week in Cargonomia:

Mondays and Tuesdays are divided with practical activities in our urban gardens in Zuglo and Sas Hegy and in our bicycle workshop partner, Cyclonomia, and meetings, workshops, research, communication in our shared office in Valyo.

Wednesday is a volunteer gardening work day at our partner organic farm, Zsamboki Biokert.

Thursday is the day of distribution of weekly organic food boxes. It is a day combining logistical and coordination support for the organic vegetable box distribution, supporting cargobike deliveries, and a convivial meeting with team members.

Fridays are either dedicated to personal research, meeting and communication, coordination of the cargobike sharing system, or spending an additional day at Zsambok working on the eco-construction project and garden development at our new community agro-ecological center.

Throughout the year, during the week and periodically on week-ends, Cargonomia often organizes or participates in conferences, DIY workshops, festivals in order to promote our activities, research, opens up dialogues with younger generation (school, summer camp) or a wide range of actors (academics, journalists, citizens, decision makers, marginalized communities, etc.).

 

Methodology and Cooperation Principles:

Cargonomia is experimenting and practicing self-organisation. We work with horizontal management principles with a diverse team developing a wide set of knowledge, experience, expertise, activities and extended networks. It is a demanding organization for newcomers requiring the capacity to adapt and absorb a large amount of information and inherent “local” knowledge quickly, in order to be able to adapt to a responsible, proactive, flexible, and autonomous behavior.

Nevertheless Cargonomia is experienced in welcoming and working with students and/or trainees and suggest for the newcomers a bridging program based on readings, participation in team meetings and allowing enough time for candidates to develop a knowledge of our working methods before pursuing their individual tasks.

The student / trainee projects are co-built together based on the skills, expectations and opportunities.

Regular meetings are organized with trainees to evaluate achievements and milestones toward the co-constructed projects and objectives.

Basic requirements:
At least upper intermediate comprehension of English.
Basic knowledge, but strong interest in Degrowth and related topics.
Motivation to discover and experiment a new way of life with a large scale of practical activities while academically reflecting on it.
Willingness and openness to participate in physical work/physical activity throughout the traineeship
Will to work with a large diversity of people.

Conditions

We welcome trainees with an Erasmus + scholarship for a period of minimum 2 months, ideally 4-6 months.

We are a volunteer based organization and can not offer wage compensation, or direct accommodation during host periods, but can assist in finding affordable solutions for potential trainees.

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Example of past traineeship projects and contributions:

Example of tasks proposal:

We propose the opportunity for students and researchers to join Cargonomia to participate in one or several of the following projects. Trainees and Cargonomia team members and partners could put together a detailed work plan at the onset of the cooperation period:

  1.  Research

Cargonomia’s various research focus areas include: Degrowth in practice, sustainable agriculture and alternative economic models, sustainable transport logistics and low-tech, solidarity and social economic models; political ecology, well-being, conviviality, and pathways for peaceful sustainable transition. In addition to these topics through our research and activities we also work to advocate locally for the benefits of urban and rural partnerships for supporting transparent and short distance production and trade systems.

Student team members: would first be invited to consult a number of introductory articles on these issues which will be provided to them and continue to collaborate in a current project or develop new related research. The tasks could consist of writing articles, conducting data collection and analysis, facilitating interviews, and organizing and facilitating participatory workshops, etc.

2. Communication

Throughout Cargonomia’s existence we have been lacking in time resources required to regularly communicate our activities on social networks, websites and also mailing lists. We seek assistance in developing a streamlined communication strategy for published work, upcoming events, and current activities. We also specifically would like to develop a database of local and international partner organizations with whom we’ve collaborated with in the past.

Student Team Members: following a period of assimilation and analysis of our activities, develop and implement a communication strategy for Cargonomia.

3. Fundraising

Cargonomia regularly pursues relevant local and international applications for projects and funding support opportunities.

Student Team Members: based on Cargonomia’s experience and networks, develop a fundraising strategy, investigate for new fundraising and projects opportunities, and assist in completing applications.

4. Project development and Research in support of current projects

Cargonomia is involved in several projects dealing with sustainable agriculture and transportation logistics, low-tech, eco-construction, children activities, and alternative economic systems. Some of the projects would be supported with a process analysis aimed at highlighting inefficiencies or uncapitalized opportunities within the systems. We also seek assistance in collecting information about partners, customers and collaborators in our current network (i.e. vegetable box subscribers, cargobike borrowers, project partners) Projects include: weekly organic vegetable box delivery, community cargobike and trailer system, marketing of cargobike messenger and pedestrian delivery systems.

Student Team Members: through participating in our activities and learning more about process management, the students would be invited to reflect on where we could improve our organizational efficiency and impact of project. Candidates would also be invited to propose new projects as well