The Ecumenical Youth Services (EYS) is an international volunteer youth camp program, following the tradition of the International Ecumenical re-construction camps, developed and organized by the Youth Council of the World Council of Churches (WCC) after World War II. The camps are so-called youth community services or youth social services, where the participants actively volunteer in projects.
Today EYS is under the auspices of the Amt für kirchliche Dienste (AKD) of the Protestant Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Upper Silesia (EKBO).
EYS work camps provide an opportunity for young people from all over Europe and the world to meet and work together for two weeks in an international context on meaningful, socially relevant projects. Young people from 18 to 26 years of age are given an opportunity for international exchange.
In addition to the term construction camp, youth service, youth community service and youth social service, there is the English-language term work camp. The term was mainly created in US group education in the period after the Second World War and is a reflection of the efforts to provide a democratic education for the young generation after fascism. Despite its ambiguity, the term has established itself in international youth work and is still used today.
The Ecumenical Youth Services are supported by funds from the Federal Child and Youth Plan (Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth) – Due to this support, the work camp participation fee is only 25 euros!
What happens during the Camp?
- During the Camp you live, work and spend leisure time for two weeks within a group of approx. 15 young people
- A Work Camp gives young people an opportunity to meet other young people from other countries, cultures and ways of faith
- The Camps are accompanied by 2-3 young volunteer camp leaders
- Thematic elements and leisure activities invite you to talk and reflect on life and God.
- “Work” means doing volunteer service for 9 days, 6 hours a day on ecological, social or community projects. Apart from working-teams (on the cemetery, in the garden, …) a cooking and housekeeping team will do the grocery-shopping, cooking and daily housekeeping (including keeping the accommodation neat and clean). Everyone will be part of the cooking and housekeeping team at least twice.
- For the camp to be a good and memorable time for all volunteers, it’s important show regard for one another, to actively participate in group activities and to contribute one’s own ideas, for example towards leisure activities. It is important that participants should attend their camp from the beginning to the end.