The spirit of Russian Country Estates and Monasteries
Russian Federation
Culture
Environment
Manual work
Culture
Environment
+1
Fixed dates
About the project
The spirit of Russian Country Estates and Monasteries
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The project is organized by social organization of cultural, educational and exchange programs for youth "MIR TESEN". "MIR TESEN" was established in 1999. Supported by Committee of youth policy and relations with NGOs of Government of St Petersburg since in the some years since 2003. “Mir Tesen”- the Partner of Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations since 2004, the associated member of CCIVS since 2012. "MIR TESEN" is located in great Saint-Petersburg, cultural capital of Russia. St.Peterburg is the city with the rich history and the enourmous heritage. White nights, the Neva river, wonderful architecture, romantic courtyards, e.g. are ingridients of marvelous capital, well-known every person of our huge world. Don't miss possibility to enjoy the beauty of city of Peter the First!
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers will be involved in the variety of activities. They will collect vegetables, help priors, and restore monasteries. Besides, volunteers will be engaged in improving gardens: take care of trees, flowers and harvest, mow the meadows, cure the trees, and clean the paths.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Because of the camp mobility, participants will live in several places during the camp: for 2-3 days in each monastery in St.-Petersburg and in Leningrad region. Host organisation provides a basic condition accommodation (wooden house/school/office/dormitory/rental flat) and food.
📍 About the location
St-Petersburg is a cultural capital of Russia. Volunteers will have an opportunity during the weekend to visit numerous museums, theatres, galleries and exhibitions, country residences of Emperors, Grand Princes and grandees: Peterhof – city of fountains, Lomonosov, Tsarskoye Selo, Pavlovsk and just restored palace in Gatchina. Also at this time of the year, the city hosts a variety of festivals, concerts and folk events. At the monastery sites, volunteers will be able to take boats for little trips, swim in the lake, go fishing or pick different berries, drink tea from samovar and even go to the banya. In addition, there will be organized sport activities, meeting with local people and evenings of international cuisine will be organized, so it would be great if volunteers bring their traditional recipes and food.
⚠️ Requirements
Volunteers should bring working clothes, gloves and sleeping bags. The museums fees and local transport expenses aren't going to be covered, volunteers will have to pay on their own. In Russian camps insurance is not provided. Therefore volunteers have to bring their own insurance against illness, accident and third party risk. Participants from EU countries should bring EU health insurance form.
ℹ️ Additional information
Work camp is relocating and it is the third year NGO Mir Tesen will organize it. There are many historical and cultural heritage sites of the St- Petersburg region, which were built in 12-19 centuries. Orthodox Monasteries are the great part of them. Many of the Monasteries are damaged; especially the landscapes and interiors and now they are being restored. These objects are located in the beautiful landscapes and untouched nature near the lakes. Therefore, it is a unique workcamp for volunteers, who want to get in touch with the spirit of history and mystic of Orthodox Monasteries. Dates coincide with the camp for Russian speaking volunteers, living in EU. Volunteers from both camps will meet and undertake joint activities. Besides, it would be good to take something special from their country (photos, food and small flags) for international party in the workcamp and demonstrate others characteristic features of home country. Volunteers and local youth will create a video – a visual memory - of works and activities done during the workcamp.
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
MT07/16
01/08/2016 → 12/08/2016
Volunteers registered
0 / 8
♂ 0/4
♀ 0/4
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–99 years old
Solidarity donation
40.00 EUR
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
St Petersburg, Russia
Russian Federation
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Russia Ruble (RUB / ₽)
Exchange rate
1 RUB = 0.010802 EUR
Rate as of 31/05/2026
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🗣️ Languages spoken
English
Russian