Youths from Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark and Ukraine build a sea-worthy Viking boat together – all the while dealing intensively with the role of minorities in Europe. Now, this unusual project of international youth work gets additional support from politics: Kristin Alheit, Minister of Social Affairs, Health, Science and Equality of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein, is now the official patron of next year’s workcamp.

The project,​  realised by the association Alte Schule e.V. from Buchholz near Ratzeburg in Schleswig-Holstein together with two partner organisations in Denmark and Ukraine, will run for a total of three years. In August 2015, youths from the three countries met at Knivsberg in Denmark for the first time. During the summer break 2016 and 2017, they will continue their work on the boat, at workcamps in the two other participating countries. And finally, in the summer of 2017, the first big sailing tour in Ukraine is planned. There, the boat will remain and continue to be used for international youth work by the association Euro-Viking e.V., run by the adventurer and circumnavigator Burghard Pieske. The boat building project is part of the workcamp programme ewoca³(+), organised by the International Association for Education and Exchange (IBB) and funded by the Innovation Fund within the Federal Government’s Children and Youth Plan.

Ministerin Kristin Alheit (Foto: Kolja von der Lippe)

Minister Kristin Alheit (Photo: Kolja von der Lippe)

This innovative project convinced Minister Kristin Alheit as well. “International youth exchanges is an essential part of youth work”, Alheit said on the occasion of her taking up the patronage. “Newer studies, like the research results published by IJAB in 2013, prove the positive effects of international youth work. International youth encounters create new experiences and specific competences, broaden the horizon of participants, support social and intercultural competences and strengthen personal development, self-esteem and also interest in other countries and cultures – to speak of only some of the results. This is especially true for youths with less access to education.”

I am very happy our ewoca-concept is valued so much in the Federal States”, said Elke Wegener, General Manager of the International Association for Education and Exchange. “This is an important recognition for the commitment of the youths and the project partners. This support also strengthens our approach in international youth work of actively integrating young people from all parts of society.” For the ewoca³ camps in North Rhine-Westphalia, Minister President Hannelore Kraft has taken up the official patronage. The patron of the ewoca³(+) project partnership with participation from Brandenburg is Günter Baaske, Minister for Education, Youth and Sport of the Federal State of Brandenburg.

Innivative Youth Work in Schleswig-Holstein: Minister Kristin Alheit is now an official ewoca³(+) patron