Ski Hostel 🎿

Ski Hostel - Fun Social Experience

we have only 6 spots available per year!!

Ski for free?!
Yes it is possible now, you can learn how to ski in the Alps in Switzerland for free if you volunteer in a ski hostel.
all you need to do is housekeeping for few hours a day and then you are free to do some amazing ski with other guests and volunteers from all over the world.

This type of volunteering helps you to travel cheaply - the program simply offers you the opportunity to travel to villages in the Alps in Switzerland and work as a volunteer in a hostel to support the hostel owners in organizing and managing the place (household management, cleaning, kitchen work and general maintenance). You can enjoy the breathtaking snowy nature and visit some beautiful Swiss, Italian and French cities on the border, along with volunteers from around the world. In addition, you have the chance to ski for free at 4 different mountain locations in the Alps, with free skiing lessons and equipment provided (the ski equipment will also be provided for free). You need to purchase suitable skiing clothes before arrival. In exchange for 25 hours of volunteering per week, you will receive accommodation and groceries for 3 daily meals that you will help in preparing.

You can be living and exploring the area from a different concept, not just as a tourist ;)

What the volunteer has to do?

25 hours per week of the following:

✔ Kitchen Work

✔ House Keeping

✔ General Maintenance

Requirements:

✔ Average level of English 

✔ Over 18 years old

✔ Accepts Solo & Couples

✔ Manual Cars License

About the Program:

What is Coliving?
It is a recent real estate term that has gained popularity through the emergence of housing startups offering affordable living spaces in homes shared by 5 or more adult roommates. Coliving spaces come in various forms, ranging from individually renovated family homes accommodating unrelated families to floors in a converted high-rise building featuring shared bedroom-style accommodations. Coliving arrangements often involve short-term or flexible lease agreements, along with amenities such as cleaning services, professionally furnished common areas and ready-to-use comforts and facilities.

Beyond this prevalent residential model, coliving is a broader term that can refer to any intentional communities involving simply living with roommates. In another sense, it refers to places designed to host guests from around the world, generally individuals working remotely, allowing them to travel and live from anywhere. These places typically provide shared rooms, an open kitchen and relatively inexpensive food. They also create a small community atmosphere with recreational activities (games, parties, nature and tourist events), and the opportunity to ski for free at four different mountain locations in the Alps, with free skiing lessons and equipment provided. For volunteers, all mentioned amenities are available for free, but they are required to volunteer and assist the hostel owners in organizing and managing the place for 25 hours per week.

⛷️ What Exactly Will You do as a Volunteer?

✔ Kitchen Work - The hostel owners will provide you with all the groceries from the supermarket and you will be required to assist in preparing meals for yourself and guests. In addition, you are expected to help with the cleaning after meals. You won't be alone; all volunteers will work together as a team and tasks will be divided among you. Those who assist in meal preparation will be exempt from cleaning and vice versa.
✔ House Keeping - To assist in cleaning common areas, bathrooms and laundry (household volunteers are responsible for the overall cleanliness of the area). Assistance in the kitchen is also required.
✔ General Maintenance - Ability and some experience in repairing and renovating various items.
(Woodwork, painting, construction, gardening and planting). Assistance in the kitchen is also required.

✈️ Getting to Liddes:

The best way is to book a flight ticket to Geneva Airport or any airport of your choice and then book a train ticket to the desired destination (You are required to pay for both the flight and train tickets of course).

❄️ Ski Locations: 

1. Liddes - Vichères: It is only a 5-minute drive away, making it the closest ski resort to our chalet, where a shuttle bus operates daily right outside our door. It is a small but well-regarded resort used by locals, away from the crowds and noise and never crowded with tourists. There are 15 kilometers of slopes and 4 lifts at elevations ranging from 1595 meters to 2267 meters. There are 7 kilometers of easy slopes, 5 kilometers of intermediate and 3 kilometers of advanced, making it an ideal place for beginner to intermediate skiers. It does not have a dedicated learning area, so it is not ideal for beginners, but there is a complete beginner slope less than 10 minutes away so first-timers can practice there before joining others. When it comes to taking a break, having a meal, or heading for a beer or wine after a day on the slopes, the resort has a small bar / restaurant at the top of the main lift and another larger one at the bottom, both with a decent selection and reasonable prices for Switzerland. And of course, let's not forget the beautiful view of the Alps!.

2. La Fouly: It is located just 30 minutes away by car with a view of the Mont Blanc Massif, making it one of the most diverse local ski resorts. It caters to all ages and skill levels, boasting 3 lifts and 20 kilometers of ski trails, as well as additional free routes that can only be conquered with a guide. There are also excellent options for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing in the valley. La Fouly has a ski school for children with an excellent learning area for beginners, who can easily progress from the magic carpet to descending the first blue slope within hours. If you enjoy evening sports, night skiing is available on the lower slope every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 to 9 PM, where sleds and small snowmobiles can also be rented. For those needing to rent equipment, we have good connections with the owners of the rental shop at the resort entrance, ensuring you get equipment at a good price. The bar and restaurant prices are reasonable and often host DJs during weekends. However, if you're looking for a more budget-friendly meal, there's also a small supermarket next to the rental shop. 

3. Champex Lac: It is located approximately 15-20 minutes away by car near one of the neighboring villages, this ski resort boasts 25 kilometers of ski trails. While there is a decent blue trail, the majority of the red and black slopes are designed for intermediates and advanced skiers. There are also plenty of cross-country skiing trails catering to both classic and skate skiing techniques. As the trails start from an elevation of 2000 meters, the snow is generally reliable and consistent throughout the season. The small lower slope is illuminated every night for adventurous night skiing. This is undoubtedly a must-visit ski resort, offering not only skiing and snowboarding but also ice skating with an ice skating rink, an ice climbing pyramid and walking paths around the lake, all in the immediate surrounding area. When it comes to dining, there are two restaurants, one at the top of the lift and the other at the bottom, in addition to a snack hut next to the nursery slope.

🏠 Accommodation:

• Shared rooms and bathrooms - males in a shared accommodation and females in another shared accommodation.

• Sometimes due to the large number of volunteers, rooms are shared between males and females.

🕶️ Activities for Days Off:

• Diverse recreational activities in the accommodation: ping pong, foosball, pool table, sauna, a big garden and an outdoor fire camp.
• Visits to some beautiful Swiss, Italian, and French cities on the border with volunteers and guests from around the world (free of charge).
• Skiing during your free time (Skiing & Snowboarding).

🍽️ Meals:

The host provides groceries to cook and sometimes there is a chef who prepares meals for everyone and you may assist by preparing meals if needed or washing the dishes.
Tasks are divided among volunteers based on their skills. If you are skilled in cooking, you will help with that, because not every volunteering period has a chef available.

 📆 Registration Dates:

Program Availability: December - March.

• Days off: 2 days per week.
• Minimum period for volunteering: 4 weeks (Preference is given to those who choose a longer period)

💳 Registration Fees: 

• $600 - HomeAwe Fees.

Regarding registration fees, flight costs and living expenses in Switzerland, this opportunity is invaluable. A regular tourist trip would undoubtedly cost more. Here, the experiences you will have with HomeAwe are unique. And the daily life is relatively affordable.

📋 Registration Process:

1. Sign Up through the program's link down below - your details and answers to the questions will be reviewed and based on that, your acceptance will be determined. (It is preferable not to hesitate in providing clear and explicit answers to the questions without any sense of shyness. The clearer, more spontaneous and heartfelt your answers are, the higher the likelihood of your acceptance).
If we do not contact you within 2 weeks, it means that you have not been accepted.
If you are accepted, we will communicate with you via email to arrange the payment of the registration fees to reserve your spot in the program.

2. After you Sign Up, you'll receive an email that has a link to pay the registration fees to HomeAwe.

3. Have a personal interview with HomeAwe for introduction and further explanation of details.
+ In certain cases, an introductory interview with the HomeAwe team or program organizers will be scheduled to provide more detailed information about volunteering, confirm your acceptance and set a volunteering schedule. After the interview, your acceptance will be official 100%. If, for some reason, you are not accepted after the interview, the registration fee will be refunded on the same day.
Once you are officially accepted 100%, with or without an interview, there is no refund for the registration fees, even in case of an emergency. The fees will be retained until your participation in another program later on.

4. The host will communicate with you directly via WhatsApp or email to give you more information about the program, arrange your arrival day and to get to know you better.