Enjoy Forest life and help kids learn English on the camp in Mikkeli, Finland

Finland

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Favourited 486 times

Host rating
Feedback
24
Last activity
16/11/2019
Nº of Facebook friends
369
Reply rate
98.0 %
Average reply time:
within 6 days
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Availability

2019

Min stay requested: at least a week

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Description
Dear friends,

You are welcome to Finland to the small hostel located in the forest.
We organise programme for children, language and thematic camps for which we would like to invite native and non-native English and Finnish speakers. The camps are mainly directed on children from Russia. Anyway, we are open to any international cooperation.
We run as a non-profit organisation and all staff members are working as volunteers.

Our next camps
26 October – 3 November 2019 - Engineering camp (Do you know how to weigh a mammoth or to construct a bridge from spaghetti?)
2 January - 9 January 2020 - NRG camp for energetic kids (sports, quests, etc...)
23 March - 29 March 2020 - Prof Academy (career guidance end educational system in Finland)

The main task for workawayrs is English teaching. We have two hours of English a day. Camp lessons is not the same as school lessons. It is time of holiday, so we try to make life in camp active, positive and interesting. This also applies to language studies. Games, games and again games.
We do not study grammar in our camps. The main point is communication skills. We develop children communication skills though games, sports, art, music, etc. All your interests and hobbies are good topic for English lessons.
Additionally to English lessons, some help on kitchen is needed.
Camp life is active, enjoyable and positive. Together with kids you will experience success and become more confident, develop long-life skills, reconnect with nature and find new friends.
If you ready for such challenges, your are welcome!

We provide accommodation and food for helpers (also for vegetarians and vegans, gluten free, lactose free).
You are welcome to participate in all activities, which we organise, like excursions, swimming pool, etc.

*️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️IDENTIFICATION
Beforehand we will ask to see and to copy your passport / ID card.
We hope you understand that this measure is for the best of all of us, including you!
Type of help
Gardening
Cooking / shopping
Language practice
Teaching
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are in Finland and we are working mainly with Russians. So, you could benefit from both cultures - Finnish and Russian. You are welcome to participate in all activities, which we organise for kids, like excursions, swimming pool, etc.
Hostel is located in 20 km from the Mikkeli centre in forestry area. If you like nature, you will enjoy it very much.
Help
During camps the main task for volunteers is to teach English and/or to communicate with children though games, sports, leisure time, etc. Besides, there could be other tasks as help with cleaning, help on kitchen.

When there are not camps, the main tasks are general maintenance of the campsite, some gardening, some repearing work, etc. For these tasks the timetable is about 5 hours per day and two free days per week.
Languages spoken
English, Finnish, Russian
Accommodation
Rooms for 4-6-8 persons, two-tier beds.
What else ...
I usually meet helpers at the station myself and drive to the hostel.
There is not so much public transport to the city. But if needed, I can drive you to the city and back.
We have bikes, which you could use freely. We have fire place. There is a lot of berries and mushrooms in the forest.
In winter we have skating-rink and skates.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week (2 days off)

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Feedback left by and about host (24)

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)

Cultural exchange:
(5.0)

Communication:
(5.0)

17/07/2019

Left by Workawayer (Jorge Eduardo) for host

The most incredible experience I've ever had! This was my first workaway experience and I must confess that I never expected it to be such a great experience. I was planning to spend some days, but I finally stayed for 40 days, I didn't want to leave because it really changed my life.
Pros: Inna is an amazing host, you'll have a great time helping… read more

(Excellent )

14/07/2019

Left by Workawayer (Nikias) for host

My 12-day at the camp was an incredibly enriching experience. It was my first time being a tutor for children in a summer camp and I can say that I enjoyed it a lot.

Working with children can be quite tiring because it requires a lot dedication and attention but definitely is very satisfactory/fulfilling because you get to make them improve their… read more

(Excellent )

27/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Jessica) for host

My experience at the camp was really good in general.
I stayed for 13 days (first camp in June), It was more fun than I expected, I met the most incredible kids and volunteers, and giving English lessons to kids was enjoyable. Inna is a good host, she was always available to help. I can say that the first two days were difficult to follow the… read more

(Excellent )

10/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Márk & Anna) for host

We enjoyyyyyyed our time here very much!

We stayed one and a half weeks (too short time) and helped with the preparation before camp season. We started to work around 10 and helped in gardening, scratching the wooden house's wall and painting. The job is enjoyable and not demanding physically. We ate breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner together. We… read more

(Excellent )

04/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Celia) for host

Dear Inna, thank you so much for hosting me! I spend ten days in Inna's camp in the forest close to Mikkeli. The place is great and surrounded by nature and the camp for the kids was very well organized. It might take a bit of effort to get the kids to speak english, but as soon as you start playing with them they start to open up and stop beeing… read more

(Excellent )

24/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Celia)

Dear Celia, thanks a lot for you work with us. It was great pleasure for all of us. I very much like how to work with kids, how responsible you were with kitchen staff. Thanks a lot and all the best for you. Inna

(Excellent )

25/04/2019

Left by Workawayer (Jennifer) for host

Dear Inna,
kiitos! The stay at your camp was great, and everyone was very nice all the time! I'm honestly horrible at giving feedback, but staying with you was an amazing time, thank you for hosting me!

(Excellent )

24/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Jennifer)

Dear Enfys, I would like to say many thanks to you for you work with us. It was great!

(Excellent )

28/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Alia)

Dear Ali,
Thanks a lot for your work in our camp. It was great! You are lovely person, very kind and a lit bit shy.
Just remember our secret word )))
All the best for you!

(Excellent )

21/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Alia) for host

I had a lovely time working with Inna and the kids. I was only here for about a week, but it was great fun and I learned a lot! I was able to make friends with the kids and other volunteers, learn a bit of dance, Russian, and explore the space around the camp.

The duties were very simple clean up work and it left plenty of free time to have to… read more

(Excellent )

28/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Syau)

I would like to say many-many-many thanks to Syau. She stay with us for three camps (almost one and half mouth) and she is always positive. She is like a sunshine. Besides, she is hardworking. English teaching, kitchen work and plus a lot of games, talks with kids. Syau made not only so-called "duties", but participated in many other activities.… read more

(Excellent )

06/08/2018

Left by Workawayer (Syau) for host

I have stayed for 3 camps which is close to a month and I absolutely enjoyed the experience. Our duties here as a volunteer is to Teach English, help out with kitchen and cleaning. Well, most of us just Google from Online on English games for lessons. Inna has been very kind, helpful and supportive as she also allows us to join in the lessons of… read more

(Excellent )

26/12/2018

Left by Workawayer (Riccardo) for host

I'm a bit late, but a feedback is a feedback! I've spent 3 weeks at Inna's place last summer and I had a great time! It was a pleasure to work with them, other volunteers and spend a lot of time with the guys, they're the best! The place is 20 km from Mikkeli city centre, in a beautiful area in the countryside. When you have free time, I recommend… read more

(Excellent )

18/11/2018

Left by Workawayer (Maciek) for host

I've stayed here for 3 camps back in July and our main duties, as volounteers, were to teach English, help out in the kitchen and some cleaning (mostly between camps). I really enjoyed my stay here, as well as the atmosphere and location of the camp. Chidren were very nice and spend time bonding with us - tutors, even after lessons, we played… read more

(Excellent )

08/11/2018

Left by Workawayer (Piotr) for host

I waited too long to write this feedback but better be late than not at all. If you wish to visit Finland this is very uniqe place. For me it was full of amazing people from many countries that change this forest place to pure magic. I start my journey there and hardly could imagine better beginning. Inna (host) is like place she created -… read more

(Excellent )

06/07/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Piotr)

I would like to say many thanks to Piotr for coming to stay with us and helping so much.
He is easygoing person, responsible, hardworking. He is ready for any work.
He's not only a great volunteer but also a fantastic person, outgoing but very gentle and respectful.
It was really nice to see how he was communicating with kids during our children… read more

(Excellent )

11/08/2018

Left by Workawayer (Olga) for host

I spent 10 days at the camp and I couln't have asked for a better experience! As other volunteers have already written, our duties consisted mostly in organizing English lessons for the kids (2 hours per day, in the afternoon) and then helping with washing up in the kitchen after the meals (following a schedule organized in shifts). Apart from… read more

(Excellent )

26/07/2018

Left by Workawayer (Lea) for host

I had a wonderful stay in the forest with lots of nice people & kids! Eco-Art camp was small and it felt like family with a good atmosphere! I enjoyed the art classes I participate in, I liked teaching English in a playful and happy way and the hole environment around me. Evening talks, bonfire and movienights, card games and excursions made my… read more

(Excellent )

11/04/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Tra My)

I would like to say many thanks to Mia for her help last summer. Before camps started she was helping at home and then during camps she helped with teaching English, cleaning and with some kitchen help. Mia is hardworking person, very positive, all the time smiling. And she is very brave. She tried everything starting from Finnish sauna, Russian… read more

(Excellent )

12/09/2017

Left by Workawayer (Tra My) for host

I was volunteering at the camp for more than a month and I totally loved the time there:two_hearts: Besides teaching English to the kids, we also helped with cleaning, gardening and in the kitchen. It wasn't very physically demanding, and we still had free time to enjoy the forest life and go swimming in the nearby lake. Inna was very nice and… read more

(Excellent )

09/04/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Aida)

Dear Aida,
Thanks a lot for your review. Even it is not so positive, it is good for me and other camp workers. There is a lot of things to learn and to develop.
Some changes are planned for the next summer.
- camp programme in English/Finnish/Russian, so, everyone could follow the programme
- repairing of bikes after each camp, last summer we… read more

(Excellent )

24/09/2017

Left by Workawayer (Aida) for host

I was at the camp for a month last August. My overall experience was good although I did not find what I really expected. Knowing how the camp is and how it really works, I would not repeat the experience again because I did it once and it is enough. If I were you, helper, if you make a decision to go there, I would not spend more than 10/12… read more days.
My review is completely honest and I think much more helpers can be agreed. I understand that they do not write anything but I think it is fair for the rest of the helpers to have as much information as possible about the place where they go.
It is an intensive camp in which, in fact, you do not have free time for yourself. Because of the organization, there are not really breaks. You would be in the middle of a forest. There is nothing around. The bikes were not in very good condition so we could not even take a ride on them.
The general organization is not good. Helpers did not know very well what the functions had. Everything is up in the air, which causes uncertainty and misunderstandings. We did not know the schedule or when there were excursions. We did two per camp, so do not think you're going to know Finland. All the helpers had the feeling of not knowing what and how to do sometimes things or if we had to do it.
The feeling of being lost with different aspects of the daily routine was general and certain attitudes by the camp coordinator made us not confident at all to ask things. That was the worst part. All of us were afraid to ask. The treatment was correct and she is supportive in a sense, that is true, but she had almost every day certain attitudes and/or really bad replies. That is why the fear of asking. And our desire to do things and help was getting hard, little by little. Anyway we continue helping until the last day.
I had the impression that we helped more than we should and instead of a smile or a thankfulness we found sometimes that it was not enough or a bad face. More than once we were treated like children and that is not fear. They give us the accomodation and the food (which speaking in general terms, it is fine considering you share room and the food, although homemade, is always the same and the typical one that is cooked for a camp - lots of pasta, soup, a lot sugar, very little fruit, etc.) And that is must be appreciated, of course. But we also spend our time, working and helping as we know best (we help a lot and much more than 4/5 hours a day). I am very grateful, of course, and I think I showed it with facts, attitudes and words but I had a great feeling that it was NOT in return.
I have to admit that the best of the experience are the kids and some of the teachers were very friendly and great. So, on the other hand, I will always keep a great memory of wonderful people I met there. However, the teachers and helpers are changing so it is a matter of luck.
From my point of view, you can be ok there but you could value more options as well. I wish you that other helpers like me write reviews and you will be informed about all of the options you have. Be brave and enjoy the adventure!

(Neutral )

17/07/2017

Left by Workawayer (shammara) for host

I stayed here for about 2 weeks and had such a great experience. It's an immersion camp and it really was so great to meet so many people from a different culture and teaching the kids english was honestly so rewarding! During the days of camp there was always so much to do as well enough free time in between every few hours and also when you… read more

(Excellent )

04/07/2017

Left by Workawayer (Vita) for host

I have stayed here for two weeks. I am absolutly happy for my choice to come to this place and for the opportunity to stay here!
Inna, teachers, kids and volunteers were like a family for me. I have got so much energy, positive emotions and such a great experience! Besides every day duties there were enough time for enjoying of forest, lake and… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 634366656621

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