What is a Workcamp?

 A workcamp is an international youth meeting, where young adults from various different countries live and work together for 2- 4 weeks. Apart from the daily work of 4- 6 hours the camp normally have a study part which is an opportunity for the participants to discuss and deal with certain Topics.

Most workcamps have a specific goal or task to be achieved in the 2 – 4 weeks of the project – for example, volunteers may repaint a school, increase awareness of HIV or organise activities for Orphanage Children. The work that they do is valuable and always appreciated by local communities, but the impact of these projects is also much larger. By living with people of different backgrounds and working together to help others, each workcamp helps pave the way to a more peaceful world.

Most workcamps consist of 10 – 15 participants from a variety of countries and they generally occur during the summer months. The participants live by local standards and with as much contact with the local people as possible. The camps are facilitated by either one or two camp leaders but are run by the principles of communal living, group decision making, equal participation and collective problem solving.

A workcamp is a life changing experience for young adults, by getting to know new cultures, religions, alternative ways of living and working as well. A workcamp enables young adults to create changes in their lives and in the world.

The work will be demonstrated by a competent person (ARA member). He or she will explain e.g. how to weed, drill a hole, where to set the plants etc. Help is needed on a variety of nature conservation, renovation, and social projects. The work in all categories involves simple tasks which unskilled volunteers with limited skills can be taught to do in a day's time. The working aspect of ARA camps is very important, because we have the ambition of giving our best. Working time is about 30 hours per week.

Help is need on a variety of nature conservation, renovation, archaeological, and social projects. The work in all categories involves simple tasks which unskilled volunteers with limited skills can be taught to do in a day's time.

The camps can vary from physical labour to more educational tasks and many also involve a study component.