March newsletter

10.3.2025

Welcome to the first edition of Allianssi Youth Exchanges newsletter in English!

With this newsletter, we will keep you updated on upcoming events and news –like the next Cottage of Cultures evenings!

Content of this month’s newsletter in a nutshell:

Board Games Night – Wednesday, 5th of March
Cottage of Cultures – Tuesday, 25th of March
Deep Ecology Workshop – Saturday, 12th of April
Become a camp leader! Applications are open for leading summer workcamps.

Boad Game Night - A Magical Evening Awaits!

Join Us for a Magical Board Game Night! 🧚

You don’t have to choose between excitement and relaxation – join us for an unforgettable evening where both are on the menu (together with snacks)!

We’re hosting a cozy, whimsical board game night filled with fun and laughter. Whether you’re a seasoned board game strategist or just looking for a chill evening with good company, there’s something for everyone.

Expect to encounter mischievous fairies, mighty unicorns, Jedi knights, and, if you’re lucky, maybe even some human beings!

Bring what you would like, your go-to board games to share 👾

📅 Date: Wednesday 5th of March 2025 at 18.00!

📍 Location: Asemapäällikönkatu 1 ,00520 Helsinki, Finland

March at Cottage of Cultures: Crafting our Volunteering Journeys

As the days grow longer and spring slowly awakens, Cottage of Cultures invites you to join us for a creative and inspiring March gathering. This month, we’ll embark on a reflective journey through our past, present, and future volunteering experiences—using vision boards as our guide.

Mapping Our Volunteering Path Through Vision Boards 🎨

Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or just beginning to explore opportunities, this session will be a chance to visualize and shape your unique volunteering story. Through cutting, pasting, and assembling meaningful images and words, we’ll create vision boards that capture:

✨ The experiences that have shaped us in the past

🌿 Our current involvement in community and international volunteering

🚀 The dreams and goals we aspire to in the future

No artistic skills are required—just an open mind and a willingness to reflect!

Exploring the World of Volunteering

Before diving into our creative session, we’ll have an engaging presentation on different types of volunteering and international programs. Whether you’re curious about Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, or local community projects, this is a great chance to discover new opportunities and ask questions about how to get involved.

A Feast for the Mind and Body 🍝

Of course, no Cottage of Cultures gathering would be complete without delicious food! We'll have a plant-based meal, bringing people together over flavors that nourish both body and soul. Expect a cozy atmosphere, great conversations, and a welcoming space for cultural exchange.

Join Us!

📅 Date: Tuesday 25th of March 2025

📍 Location: Asemapäällikönkatu 1, 00520 Helsinki, Finland

💚 Open to everyone interested in volunteering, creativity, and cultural exchange!

✍Register here

Active Hope - Deep Ecology Workshop in April

In this day-long workshop, participants will be guided through a series of activities designed to explore the emotions and thoughts that arise when facing today’s climate and ecological crisis.

These practices stimulate emotional, creative, and bodily awareness while fostering interconnectedness with non-human beings 🐙 and the rest of the natural world. They are inspired by the deep ecology work of scholars and activists Joanna Macy and Molly Brown.

There is no need for previous knowledge of the topics to participate 🌿everyone who is feeling curiosity about the workshop is encouraged to register!

However, only a limited number of places is available, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible in order to secure a spot.

To register, fill out the form at this link

If you have further questions about the workshop, feel free to email us!

📅 Date: Saturday 12th of April, from 11:00 to 18:00

📍 Location: Asemapäällikönkatu 1, 00520 Helsinki, Finland

💸 The workshop is free of charge

Lead Volunteer Work Camps in Finland

We are looking for team leaders to join our volunteer workcamps this summer!

The 2025 summer season will be packed with a wide variety of camps, covering topics such as film festival organization, biodiversity, and environmental conservation. Our camps take place all over Finland, from Helsinki to the forests of Karelia 🌲

To ensure that all volunteers feel comfortable and have the best experience possible, camp hosts will be joined by team leaders, volunteers who help create a welcoming environment and provide support to participants.

What are the requirements?

Previous volunteering experience is a plus but not mandatory. If you are motivated to be part of this unforgettable experience, consider yourself a responsible person, and are ready to have a lot of fun, then you should definitely apply!

Support and Training

You won’t be alone in this journey! You will receive all the necessary information before the workcamps and have the opportunity to participate in a two-day team leader training in the spring 🌸