“And can’t I stay in the room?” – the question that arose at the beginning of the camp heralded problems with motivation for any activity. And we had a lot planned! We faced a serious task – to show the kids that it is possible to have a cool and valuable vacation instead of sitting with your nose in your phone, locked alone in your room.
Despite the initial reluctance, all the participants bravely showed up at the workshop in the morning. Day by day, more and more commitment was evident. It turned out that absorbing new knowledge doesn’t have to be boring – each workshop was focused on practical exercises. During the workshop on coping with stress we mastered relaxation techniques, and at the workshop on counteracting addiction we acted out scenes inspired by everyday events. There was also plenty of discussion, thanks to which the kids began to open up and share their, often surprisingly mature, thoughts.
I was surprised that so many people were involved and supported each other.
Camp participant
Of course, there was also no shortage of active recreation. At the end of the camp, everyone recalled sumo competitions, bicycle trips or field games, and no longer remembered that the first two days were hard to gather even to go to the beach. It was wonderful to see the kids gain the desire and energy for action, which, despite the end of the camp, still propelled us to be active.
A sense of loneliness and misunderstanding accompanies many of our kids. It seems to them that they are a lonely island. LIFE-CHANGING HOLIDAYS show that it doesn’t have to be that way at all! The camps are always accompanied by a friendly and safe atmosphere. Kids appreciate that they can often open up and tell their stories for the first time. Suddenly, they find that they all have a similar set of experiences and can support each other together.
At the camp, I was shown that no matter what happens, I am not alone in this. I learned that you have to support each other in spite of everything.
Camp participant
The workshop on emotions turned out to be exceptional, during which many participants were surprised at how important a role they play in our lives and decided that from now on they will look at them more carefully and not keep them inside. Thanks to the daily work, the kids also saw that it’s worth respecting each other’s boundaries, listening to others, and clarifying all misunderstandings right away, because that’s how we create a cohesive team.
I learned that emotions have an important role in our lives.
Camp participant
The end of the camp always makes us emotional, but we look forward to continuing to work with our wonderful kids. We returned to Warsaw as a close-knit team. From Okuninka we took with us a lot of inspiration, valuable knowledge and many beautiful memories that will give us energy for the next year.
We would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts all of our Donors – without your support, we would not have been able to organize the Life-changing Holidays!
The camp was financed with funds from the Orlen Foundation and the PKO BP Foundation, towards which we extend our heartfelt thanks!
All fields are required.