All specific information about the current camp (participant letter, online registration, photos of the camp location, information about the planned works and leisure activities, press releases/publications, instructions, supporters) can be found here as text/download, depending on the planning status for the corresponding year! So at each of the links below just click on the camp and go to the sub-item…
Since 2020 we have also put together some information for you on Youtube. Here is the link!
In 2021, in cooperation with the ÖJD/EYS, there will be the opportunity for the first time to welcome about 5 international camp participants. So if you are not from Germany – please also see under the heading International!
This year we have again decided to make the camp international. In this WorkCamp German will be spoken predominantly. Everyone who wants to get to know the German language is in good hands in our camp. For international participants there is a minimum age of 16 years and for organizational reasons we have set a maximum number of 5 international participants. Also, participants should make their own travel arrangements to the camp location. If you are interested, please contact us as soon as possible.
General information, which is valid for each camp, can be found here:
Schedule – Saturday: Arrival – set-up – getting to know each other; Sunday: getting to know each other/community games – project presentation; Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. work on the project, lunch, free time, rest at night, Saturday: excursion to a city, final party in the evening; Sunday: feedback, clean-up, departure.
Age – from 14 years – (siblings also possibly younger), good mix of young and old – many participants take vacation for the WorkCamp – some are also already over 30 years old and have been working for a long time (they belong to the first camp generation of 2004).
Registration – in the participant’s letter you will find out everything – see current camp – also available as a download – then you can register online here. You bring the completed note of the parenting rights (if you are under 18 years old) with you at the beginning of the camp – it is a prerequisite for participation. You should also have read the “small print“…
Work – can I do that at all? Overall, we usually do aid work. Depending on the camp partner, we are also right with craftsmen etc. under guidance and can learn a lot and try ourselves out.
Work clothes – here is a condition of participation that you bring your own work items and shoes. Also, we can’t replace work clothes if it breaks. Here you are responsible, so to speak. Protective agents – such as goggles, gloves, ear protection/mickey mice, if necessary disposable suits etc. for special work – you will be provided by the camp management or our project partner.
Working time – we usually work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. including an apple break
Camp duration – one week – from Sunday to Saturday; participation in only a few days is also possible
How can I become a camp manager? Please contact us – depending on the level of preparation of the camp, we will involve you in this or the next camp in the camp management.
Can I co-decide about the camp location and the supported project? Yes, if you are in the camp management. Otherwise, we are connected with all interested parties via an info-mail published 2x a year. Here we inform about the projects that have applied so that you can signal “your mustard”/your reservations/approval of the camp management and thus keep everyone up to date. If you are interested – let us know so that you can also receive the information and be up to date.
Camp date – penultimate summer holiday week
I’ve heard enough about eating ice cream – can I really eat as much ice cream as I want and can? Yes! We didn’t want to believe it either: at some point you don’t want ice anymore – 50 ice balls were the record by 2020!
My parents want to take a look at this – is that possible? Surely your parents can come by – even working would be OK.
I want to join the camp – my parents don’t want that – what can I do? Get in touch with us – we try to regulate things if possible…
Bicycle transport – different from camp to camp – usually everyone should bring their own bike – we regulate the transport with collective transports by double axle hanger from Machern. For participants arriving from further awide, we would organize roadworthy bicycles. At the beginning of the camp, all bicycles are checked by the camp management for roadworthiness, so that we can use them immediately if necessary. We can carry out small repairs immediately. But please don’t bring hopeless cases as a bike – thank you!
Finance – see Costs
Photos/videos – it would be good if all participants with appropriate devices capture moments of the camp; after the camp we ask everyone to upload the material to a password-protected cloud for all other participants, so that everyone can also download the documented memories of the others – homepage usage – see keyword homepage!
Structuring your own leisure time? – in fact, we strive to get a good mix of free hours and group activities. We assume, of course, that the latter will be visited by all participants.
Leisure activities – mix of free time and common activities such as ice cream, paddling etc. – see information about the current camp
Bringing friends – yes
Money – see Costs
Handicap – can I still participate? We all have a bug somewhere – whether physically or mentally – let’s talk about it – see here below at contact.
Homepage – photos and videos from the camp are collected from all camp participants – we then select about 25 photos, which are placed on the homepage and one produces the camp video – before everything is permanently published, all persons to be seen in the photos/video will be informed of the link on a password-protected cloud – have an opposition period – possible changes will be made – only then everything will be put online for the public.
Hygiene – adapted to local conditions – see information about the current camp
At least one – most of the time several – of our camp managers are in possession of a valid federal youth leader card – juleica. See also “About Us“.
Costs – as a participant you don’t have to pay anything for the WorkCamp – neither registration fee, nor for the normal meals and accommodation… (You have to finance your own purchases of course – there is no pocket money from us etc.), you will not receive any money for your work. The WorkCamp is financially only supported by this system.
Packing list – see participant letter for the current camp
Do the girls and boys of the participants sleep separately? Normally: no. If you don’t want to sleep in common rooms or for whatever reason – we’ll find a solution (there’s always been a way to do it). Depending on the camp location, the possibilities are different. From time to time we also sleep in our own tents. For each camp you have to bring your own isomat/air mattress and sleeping bag.
Accommodation – adapted to local conditions – see information about the current camp – from noble bed to air mattress everything was there so far
Underage participants – The organiser or the leaders and supervisors of the work camp are responsible for the supervision of the underage participants during the camp within the framework of the legal provisions. The applicant is aware that this requires precise knowledge of any special circumstances (e.g. illnesses, need to take medication, special dietary requirements) of the participants, if possible in advance; he/she therefore undertakes to provide the organiser with this information on the form provided by the organiser for this purpose. The organisation of arrival and departure is the responsibility of the participants’ legal guardians.
Meals – is organized and included in the price 🙂 due to our Christian conviction and a guideline of our young community, we try to offer mainly vegetarian and meat only from responsible sources, to buy regionally, etc. In the camp, a kitchen team has proven itself in recent years. Since we usually receive food donations from the local gardens, this group plans to cook the foods that are available (in summer there is usually a lot of zuccini, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. or lunch with this fresh vegetable). Once a restaurant offers us a meal – as in 2020 in Mutzschen the Ratskeller – we do not reject this.
Travel costs – You have to pay your own travel costs to the camp location and back home. You are responsible for organising your own travel to and from the camp.
Insurance – in your free time you are insured via the parish of Machern-Püchau-Bennewitz as the official organizer. For this purpose, we take out insurance especially for the camp. During working hours, the project partner is responsible for insurance.
Videos/photos – see keyword photos or homepage
Can I help with the preparations? Yes gladly – contact us – then you’ll get all the information.
I’m addicted to the WorkCamp – do I have to go to the doctor, can you cure that? You don’t need to go to the doctor – you can’t cure that!
Maybe there is more that unites us than we would have thought…
Here you can see our review video of the WorkCamp 2020 in Mutzschen – here you get a good impression of what it is like and how it works: