International workcamp in… Russia!

International workcamp – “Tramplin”
10-23 July 2014
Yoshkar-Ola – Russia

After being an EVS (European Voluntary Service) volunteer for a year in Kuterevo, Azat, our favourite Tatar volunteer, is now back home and organising voluntary projects in his country with the organization “Opora”. This organization works with children and teenagers from disadvantaged families, orphans, inmates of the colony for juveniles, children with disabilities…

This summer, Opora will organize an international workcamp where volunteers will help organizing activities for teenagers (12-17). Azat is inviting Croatian people (but as well people from all other countries!) to come to Russia to volunteer for this project!

Poziv za volontere na radni kamp ”Tramplin 2014” 10-23 Srpnja 2014 – Rusija

Steta da nije zaplaniran susret sa divlima medvjedima, ali nikad ne znas kada ces ga susresti u Rusiji, a tetko su citali plan gospodarenja medvedima zanju da to nije bas pametno pokusavati uciniti.

Ali radni kamp ce biti u dio Ruskoj Federaciji, gde jos ima divleg medvjeda- a to znaci da okoliste ce biti jako I lijepo – scoro kao u Hrvatskoj.

Tramplin – je ljetni kamp za djecu (10-16 godine) u kojom skolarci tko ima obitelj I roditelja i te tko zivu u sirotistama su zajedno druzi 10 dana u prirodi, imaju sportskij I kulturni program, socializiruju se i mogu napraviti prijatelje sa drugim iskustvom u životu.

Vololnteri – su mladi ljudi 18-35 godine koji cu doci za nekoliko dana do kampa, pripremiti se i svakij dan praviti za djecu neku radionicu o kulture i drzavi iz kojej su dosli. Ako si zelis videti Republiku Mari El u Rusii, vezbati Ruskij I Engleskij jeziki, ako se dobro osecas kad je puno dijece okolo i uživaš u promjenama – dobro si dosao u “Tramplin 2014”.

Azat

Concept of the workcamp:

All the organizing team (including foreign volunteers) will arrive to the camping place 3 days before children to set up the camp and to get to know each-other better. These first days will be very intense and difficult: team building, camp training program, preparation of lessons about a native country, etc. After the arrival of children, the rhythm of life will go back to normal 🙂

Camp program for children includes:

Ropes course.
Role games.
Educational games
Sport and extreme activities: climbing, hiking, river crossing, terrain orientation, obstacle course, relay races, other sports games, (this program block will be provided by special instructors who have the appropriate level and qualifications).
Kaleidoscope of cultures: the volunteers from different countries will lead master-classes/workshops and present their countries and culture to the children.
Cultural Program: disco, singing songs near camp fire, making different kind of theatre performances est.

Role of the volunteers

International volunteers are part of the camp so they can participate in activities with children, but their main task is to bring the information about their countries and cultures to the children. There will be time to make lessons/workshops about your culture and country.

About half of the teenagers in the camp are from disadvantaged background (orphans, etc.) and they do not have many possibilities to travel, learn about foreign countries or meet people from other cultures. Just a presence of international volunteers already helps teens a lot. Getting to know someone from different country, listening to the stories about culture and traditions and going through the language barriers gives to children opportunities to see the world from different points of view.

Language

Working languages are English and Russian. It is important to understand that the main language of the summer-camp is Russian. There will be two camp-leaders who will translate for you and help with the cultural lessons. Knowing Russian is not necessary but it would be nice to have a basic communication level to talk with children and volunteers.

Accommodation

First night volunteers will sleep in a dormitory in Yoshkar-Ola. During the camp volunteers will live in tents. Place of camp is beautiful and in the middle of great nature, but quite remote, so you should be prepared that you will see almost no civilization during the camp. For example to get mobile phone signal, to call or send message you should do some walking and climbing (not dangerous). Basic hygienic (really clean river and fresh water spring) and medical needs (own medic in the camp) are provided. Electricity for charging devices is available only for limited periods of time when the generator is on.