Language: English
Location: Kostroma is a historical city and a part of the famous “Golden Ring” of Russia. The Golden Ring (Russian: Zolotoye Kol’tso) is a group of historical cities northeast of Moscow that has played an important role in Russian history.
Volunteers will stay in a children health camp in 20 km from Kostroma city.
Work: Educational and cultural work with children (age: from 7 to 15) in the health camp (master-classes in foreign languages (English), studies, lessons, conversations, hobby groups, plays, competitions, trainings). This project is for those who love kids and would like to spend lots of time with them.
Accommodation: Volunteers will live in a rest house (separate rooms for girls and boys).
The volunteers will eat with children together in the canteen of the rest house (breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper).
Free time activities: There are morning and evening every day activities with kids, midday free time activates are to be organized by the group. An excursion round Kostroma, a visit to The Open Air Museum of Woodworks and to the Ipatiev Monastery, the ex-residence of the Russian Royal Family the Romanovs and its cradle will be provided on free time.
Requirements: energy, communicative skills, skills of working in a team. Experience of working with children is preferable. Ability to play a musical instrument is an advantage. We are waiting for creative personalities!
Transportation: The nearest terminal is Moscow; from Moscow 4 hours by train to Kostroma, where will be the meeting place.
W4U-02 «Northern Theatre» (Republic Karelia)
2-14 July 2013; KIDS / EDU; 5 int. vols; age 18 +
Language: English, Russian is welcome
Location: Karelia is a unique area of Russia where outstanding natural beauty meets a great cultural heritage, included into the UNESCO list. Pitkyaranta is a district centre of republic Karelia. The town is pretty close to the border wit Finland, so long time ago this territory belonged to Sweden, then to Russia and later to Finland. Changing of the countries and people has led to interesting mix of cultures in this region. High steep rocks together with coastal water-meadows, pine forests that grow on meager soil, and dense broad-leaved trees and tillage together with fresh groves present beautiful contrasting nature. With its rich nature this area is considered to be the best for hiking and hunting.
Work: This project is for those who love kids and would like to spend lots of time with them, as all the activities are based in local school. Volunteers will give classes in English and other languages for kids, so that they can improve their language skills and learn about different countries the volunteers are from. Other part of work will be preparing a play in English with local kids, so by the end of the project volunteers could give the performance. We will be busy 5-6 hours a day, but time will be split between morning classes and evening events.
Accommodation: Participants will live in the well-equipped flat or in a hostel. In the evenings we can go to a traditional Russian sauna “banya” placed in the same building. The volunteers will cook breakfast themselves; lunches and dinners will be served in the canteen.
Free time activities: First you will have a pleasure to observe “white nights” – a very special northern phenomenon, when it is twilight during all night. We will have evening program in the field of international communication: meetings with locals, sport activities, outdoor games, fishing, swimming and boating – we have a beautiful lake nearby (the Ladoga Lake is the biggest lake in Europe). We can visit Ruskeala marble canyon and Natural Park “Ladozhskie shkhery” which landscape was formed by a glacier in the ice age. And depending on group decision we can also visit Valaam Island with the monastery which is one of the most important holy places in Russia and attracts thousands of pilgrims.
Distance from Moscow: 14-16 hours by train to Petrozavodsk, then 3-4 hours by bus or by car to Pitkyaranta.
From Saint-Peterburg – 8-9 hours by bus to Pitkyaranta