Estonian Language Friends Program Keelesõber offers the opportunity to practice Estonian language by communicating with volunteer Estonian language mentors via e-channels or phone.
The next Language Friends season will start at the beginning of 2024. We will post updates on this page and on our social media channels.
HISTORY
The first phase of the volunteer Estonian Language Friends Program Keelesõber was initiated by the Integration Foundation in 2020 due closures during corona pandemic.
In 2023,1216 people participated, including 598 volunteer mentors and 618 language learners. In three seasons a total of 19402 study pairs have been formed. A total of 3,728 people have enrolled so far.
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The task of the mentors was to communicate with language learners in Estonian a few times a week on various topics via online channels or phone. Some mentors helped even several language learners to practise the language. The teachers of the Estonian Language Houses of the Integration Foundation and the Estonian language methodologists instructed the mentors by offering them short trainings and supporting materials.
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Most of the mentors were from Estonia, but also Estonians from all over the world joined the project. The language learners were mostly Estonian residents, but also a few people from Russia, USA, Germany, Finland and elsewhere.
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All mentors contributed to the project voluntarily, language learners joined the initiative through public registration.
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After supervised meetings of mentors and language learners stopped many language friends continued to communicate and practice Estonian.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More information about the Estonian Language Friends Program Keelesõber and other volunteer opportunities:
Ave Landrat
The Head of Partnerships
ave.landrat@integratsioon.ee
See also the summary of the Language Friends season of the year 2023 (in Estonian):
