Youngsters with Estonian roots who live abroad are invited once again to attend language and culture camps in Estonia.
The application form to candidate participation in the camp is available at link (in Estonian).
Designed for young people aged 13-18, the camps are an opportunity for them to study Estonian, get to know local Estonians their own age and learn more about the country’s culture. Among other things, they go sightseeing and on excursions and play sports together. We want young Estonians living abroad to feel a connection to their homeland and to the Estonian language.
There will be three camps offering in summer 2023:
- Camp 1 will be held from 3 - 13 July for youngsters whose Estonian skills are elementary.
- Camp 2 will be held from 17 - 27 July for youngsters who speak Estonian at an intermediate level.
- Camp 3 will be held from 31 July - 10 August for youngsters who speak Estonian at an upper-intermediate or fluent level.
Registration for the camp will be closed 23.04.2023.
Please note that registration does not guarantee a place in the camp. We will send a final confirmation of your participation in the camp by e-mail. We make a choice based on the young person's language skills, motivation, age, country of residence, time of living outside Estonia and the number of times they have been in the camp before.
The Integration Foundation will inform the selected applicants and their parent by e-mail no later than the 20th of May.
To parents will then be sent agreement, which must be signed and returned to the foundation. A signed contract is the only guarantee of a place at a language and culture camp for the child. Should a place be freed up, it will be offered to another child.
It is important that those attending the camps are both interested and motivated in terms of practicing Estonian and learning about the country’s culture. The camps represent an excellent opportunity for youngsters who live outside of Estonia to take part in purposeful and well-organised language training, to communicate in a camp setting with their Estonian peers, to participate in age-appropriate activities together, to play sports, to come up with their own activities, to find out about Estonia and its culture and to go on excursions.
We will provide the participants with an Estonian-language environment in which to communicate and an inviting setting suited to their age, with the rooms and space required for group activities, sport, three meals a day and accommodation. The facilities will meet all of the requirements set for camps, including hygiene, catering and accommodation conditions, fire safety, medical assistance, life guards and other staff. The youngsters will also have the chance to stay in touch with their parents/guardians during the camps.
Participation in the camp is free for the child. Every participant must have a health insurance policy (issued in or translated into Estonian, Russian or English) valid in Estonia. The costs of travelling to Estonia and obtaining health insurance must be covered by the participant’s parent. Based on the need, it is possible to apply for recompense of travel expenses after the end of the III camp shift, please indicate this need on the registration form as well.
The organisation of the camps is financed by the Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Foreign Affair and Ministry of Culture. Travel expenses shall be reimbursed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if needed.
The organizer will immediately inform the participants of all changes in the organization of the camp, upon receipt.
For further information please contact:
Kaire Cocker
Head of Compatriots Service
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +372 53644172
ESTONIANS LIVING ABROAD
Our goal is that Estonians returning to Estonia adapt smoothly to society and that compatriots living abroad remain closely connected with Estonia.
For Returnees
