The Integration Foundation of Estonia continues its language camps for young foreign Estonians

Välismaal elavad eesti päritolu noored on oodatud Eestisse eesti keele ja kultuuri laagrisse! Eestikeelset infot selle kohta leiate siit: https://www.integratsioon.ee/valiseesti-noorte-keelelaagrid

The Integration Foundation (Integratsiooni Sihtasutus) invites youngsters with Estonian roots who live abroad to attend language and culture camps in Estonia.  Designed for young people aged 13-18, the camps are an opportunity for them to study Estonian, get to know local kids their own age and learn more about the country’s cultural environment. They also go sightseeing and on excursions and play sport together. We want young Estonians living abroad to feel a connection with their homeland and the Estonian language.
There will be three camps for young people aged 13-18 in summer 2019. They will all be held in areas of outstanding natural beauty. For a number of years now camps have taken place at Venevere Holiday Centre in Viljandi County (www.venevere.ee).

The schedule for the 2019 camps is as follows:
8-18 July
22 July-1 August
5-15 August

Each camp provides:
-an Estonian-language environment in which to communicate;
-an inviting setting suited to the age of the participants, with the rooms and space required for group activities, sport, catering and accommodation;
-facilities that meet all of the requirements set for camps, including hygiene, catering and accommodation conditions, fire safety, medical assistance, life guards, staff et al.;
– accommodation and three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) daily; and
– an opportunity for the attendees to maintain the bond with their parents, other family members or guardians.

It is important that those attending the camps are both interested and motivated in terms of studying 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.

Registration for the camps is open until 31 March 2019.
The Integration Foundation will notify selected applicants via e-mail by 10 April 2019. Parents/guardians will then be sent contracts, which must be signed and returned to the foundation.
Please note: A signed contract is the only guarantee of a place at the language and culture camp for the child. The contracts must be signed and returned to the Integration Foundation by 15 May 2019 at the latest. Should a camp slot free up ( or not be filled), it will be offered to another child.

COSTS AND OBLIGATIONS
Participation in the camp is free for the child.
The Integration Foundation enters into a contract/agreement with the parent/guardian that sets out key issues of liability and obligation for both the foundation and the parent/guardian.
Children attending the camps must have health insurance that is valid in Estonia. Children coming from countries outside of the European Union and European Economic Area (e.g. from Russia, Ukraine or Belarus) must have health insurance that is valid in the Schengen zone.
Please note: Health insurance costs must be covered by the parent/guardian.
Upon arrival at a camp the child must have a certificate of health issued in Estonian, Russian or English. A certificate issued in any other language must be accompanied by a translation in Estonian.
Please note: This year we do not pay travel expenses.
The Integration Foundation has been organising language and culture camps since 2000.

Support for the running of the camps is provided by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and Research via the ‘Rahvuskaaslaste programm 2014-2020’.

This same information is available in the Estonian language at: https://www.integratsioon.ee/valiseesti-noorte-keelelaagrid

For additional information, please contact:
Jana Tondi
Head of Language and Cultural Immersion
E-mail: jana.tondi@integratsioon.ee
Telephone: +372 659 9069