International summer awaits: join KVT as a camp coordinator!

Toiminnanjohtaja on 27.3.2025

vapaaehtoiset tikkaiden kanssa maalaamassa taloa

Would you like to gain experience of working with an international group, enhance your leadership skills, perhaps get to know new places and local communities in Finland, while contributing to building a world of peace and understanding? Join our 2024 work camps as a voluntary coordinator!

We are looking for two camp coordinators for each camp. Camp coordinator’s role is to facilitate communication between the international volunteer group, KVT and the local camp host. Camp coordinators participate in writing a camp info letter with KVT before the camp. At the beginning of the camp they welcome volunteers, help build group spirit among the volunteers and help the host with coordination of the daily life of the camp. Camp coordinators are not work supervisors, that is the role of the camp host. Camp coordinators are volunteers among the other camp group and participate in the daily life and work of the camp. After the camp they report to KVT about how the camp went.

Open and active attitude are the most important features for a camp coordinator. You will also need English skills sufficient for everyday communication and the camp coordinator tasks (some Finnish is helpful too, most camps require at least one camp coordinator to speak fluent Finnish). Having some previous experience of voluntary work or group activities is also an advantage. Camp coordinators don’t get paid, but trips to the camp coordinator training and to the camp are reimbursed and food and accommodation provided during the camp.

Before the camp, camp coordinators participate in a training organized by KVT on 7. – 8.6.2025. The training can be organised in Helsinki or online. The training includes information and workshops on various topics, including the role and tasks of the camp coordinator, group dynamics, intercultural encounters, and how to deal with possible problem situations during the camp and share expriences from previous camp coordinators. Taking part in KVT training is mandatory for camp coordinators. Camp coordinators should also join as KVT members.

Please check out the descriptions for upcoming camps here.

Camp coordinators also write an infosheet for the participants of their camp, with help from the camp host and KVT.

Camps with open camp coordinator positions:

1 camp coordinator for Sustainable renovations and gardening in a heritage landscape camp 3.8.-15.8.2025 in Teisko

You can read more about being a camp coordinator on our webpages.

Got interested? Great! Please drop us a message at and tell us 1) who you are and your contact information, 2) which camp you would like to be a camp coordinator in (2 or 3 options is good to have) and 3) why you want to be a camp coordinator. You can also tell us if you have previous experience of voluntary workcamps, other similar group activities, or if you have some other useful skills or experience.

Why would you like to attend an international voluntary workcamp? Share your thoughts and win a gift card!

Hanna Rask on 27.2.2025

What: 

A video competition for young volunteers (18 to 29 years of age) currently living in Finland.(*) The winner gets a gift card that covers KVT’s coordination fee for attending a voluntary workcamp.

How to participate:

Send us a short video (30 s. to 2 mins) through this form by May 31st to tell us why you would like to attend an international voluntary workcamp. There is no standard format for the video – creativity is an advantage! Just make sure the picture and voice on the video is clear.

Why to participate? 

A voluntary workcamp is an amazing opportunity to get to know a new place and people while giving your contribution to a local community project in an international group of volunteers. By bringing people from different backgrounds to work together for a common goal, workcamps contribute to building peace and intercultural understanding. During the camp you get to learn about different cultures, gain valuable experience of working in an international group, and of course make new friends from different parts of the world! Learning about a local non-profit project can also give you inspiration and ideas for how to make an impact in your own community.

Where can I go for camp?  What kind of workcamps there are? 

The gift card covers a coordination fee for a camp in Finland, elsewhere in Europe, or in the U.S., Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Turkey. Workcamps usually last from one to three weeks. Camps have different themes, and the type of work done at different camps varies from environment protection to manual renovation work, organizing community events, or work with children or marginalized groups. You can find a full list of camp themes and browse upcoming workcamps in our international network in this database.

What happens if I win?

You can use your gift card for a coordination fee of a workcamp in any of the countries listed above during 2025 or 2026. You can apply for a camp of your choice in the database. You can apply for many camps at the same time, but the gift card only covers the participation fee for one camp. Please note that we cannot guarantee you a place at a specific camp as the participants for the camps are selected by our partner organizations in the receiving countries . You can find more information on the application process here.

Conditions:

The gift card only covers the camp coordination fee for the camp charged by KVT (120€). You will still be responsible for your travel costs to the camp location, possible visa costs and any extra fees possibly charged by the receiving organization abroad (most camps in Europe don’t have these). All volunteers attending workcamps through KVT are required to join as KVT’s members. You cannot exchange the gift card for money.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to be in touch:  

(*) KVT’s board and working group members excluded from attending

KVT’s Volunteer Day in April

Hanna Rask on 9.2.2025

Hi KVT’s volunteer, alumni, partner, or a young person interested in volunteering and peace,

Here is something to mark in your calendar: KVT’s bi-annual volunteer weekend is coming again on April 5th at the Peace Station in Pasila, Helsinki.

Join us for a day full of exciting program from getting to know this summer’s projects, workshops and getting to know other volunteers. You will also have a chance to enjoy sauna and hang out together in the evening. We will try and organize accommodation with our Helsinki volunteers to those of you coming from outside of Helsinki.

Registration for the event is free and participants will be provided with food the whole day. Registration and a more detailed program will be published soon!

All KVT’s members are welcome to join the weekend; if you are not yet a member or have not yet paid this year’s membership fee, you can do that at any time before the event. 

If you would like to help with practical arrangements of the event (kitchen help, workshop facilitation, evening program..), feel free to contact Anni ().

Hope to see you in April!

Applications open for camp hosts 2025

Järjestökoordinaattori on 15.12.2024

kaksi ihmistä, maalaa, ulkona

Do you know a task that needs some helping hands to get done?

A village house in need of painting, an outdoor area in need of tidying up, or a local event without enough organizers or performers?

Become a host for an international voluntary workcamp or share the info to a friend! KVT is looking for camp hosts for 2025!

KVT organizes 5-7 international voluntary workcamps in Finland every year, which support the activities of various non-profit organizations. Volunteers arriving through KVT might for example work on organic fields, help with the renovation of common areas and the restoration of traditional landscapes, as well as with the organization of cultural events and all kinds of other work as needed.

What is a voluntary workcamp?

  • A camp consists of 6-16 volunteers from Finland and abroad and 1-2 volunteer camp leaders
  • A camp lasts from 10 days to 3 weeks
  • Work at the camp is simple enough so that volunteers don’t need any special skills
  • The camp host has to be a non-profit community, e.g. an NGO, educational establishment, public institution, cooperative or a congregation
  • Camp host offers volunteers food, accommodation, working instructions and tools
  • Most camps are organized in the summer when people have holidays, but a camp can be organized in other times of the year too
  • KVT will recruit volunteers and camp leaders and support the camp organization if needed

Why should I host a voluntary workcamp?

A camp is a great way to get work done, when it is difficult to find suitable time and enough people to get it done alone. With the help of the camp, you will also gain visibility for the activities of your organization, spread your knowledge and inspire new people to work within the theme of the camp.

At their best, camps bring a lively and energetic atmosphere to local communities and create multicultural encounters in smaller places. If your association or community is lacking some helpful hands, don’t hesitate to contact us!

What does the camp cost to the camp host?

Camp hosts pay KVT’s camp coordination fee, which is 220€ in 2025.

In addition on traditional workcamps the camp host is responsible for providing food and accommodation to the volunteers. For a camp that lasts 10 days and has 10 volunteers, the food budget could be around 1500€. Other costs at a camp can come from tools needed for the work, transportation to get to the work site etc.

KVT will take care of the training for camp leaders and provide insurance to all volunteers who come through KVT. Volunteers take care of their own travels as long as public transport is available.

What kind of camps have been organized previously?

Yle’s video about Äijälä camp (in Finnish)

Video of Mankila camp 2017

Collection of videos from camps of 2016

Video of Tavastkenkä camp

KVT’s blog also has some stories from previous camp hosts in Finnish (e.g. Porvoo, Mäntsälä, Veneskoski, Forssa). 

Are you interested?

Fill out the preliminary questionnaire (in Finnish). If you need help with filling the form, please contact us! You can also fill it in English. We have a camp host guide (in Finnish also), but please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about organizing a voluntary workcamp. You can reach us at for any camp related questions.

ihmisiä hiomassa Rauhanaseman tuoleja

KVT office hours during Christmas and New Year

Toiminnanjohtaja on 12.12.2024

Kuva Rauhanasemasta sivusta. Kuvassa näkyy osoitekyltti, jossa lukee Veturitori 3, Loktorget 3. Kuvaan on muokattu lumihiutaleita.

We want to thank all KVT members, volunteers, partners and other supporters for the woderful year. This past year we have had many types of activities: visits and events, trainings and six international camps. We have received dozens of lovely volunteers in Finland and we have sent enthusiastic volunteers to camps, long-term projects, trainings and meetings all around the world. Our work for peace, volunteering and cooperation will continue next year too. Now it is time to slow down and prepare for the next year.

KVT office will be closed from Mon 23rd December to Mon 6th January. During this period messages will be answered slower than usual.

The office and board wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Join Koordis! Kickoff 28th November!

Järjestökoordinaattori on 16.11.2024

We are looking for new members for KVT’s camp coordination group, Koordis, that organizes workcamps in Finland every summer. The group members get in touch with camp hosts in the autumn, recruit and train camp leaders in the spring, visit the Finnish camps in the summer, evaluate the success of the camp season and plan future camps the following autumn.

In Koordis you will have the opportunity to see how voluntary workcamps are organized. You can improve the experience of the international and domestic volunteers of workcamps in Finland, as well as make sure camp leaders and camp hosts get the most out of their experience!

No prior skills are needed to join Koordis. We will train you and help you get started!

This season Koordis will also do marketing for workcamps abroad. If you are interested in volunteering in another country, this is your golden opportunity to learn more!

In Koordis you can:

  • Take part in planning volunteer workcamps all around Finland in the summer of 2025
  • Organize events and trainings
  • Interact with volunteers returning from abroad and create marketing materials for workcamps around the world
  • Perfect your presentation skills by representing KVT in fairs, school visits…

By participating, you gain:

  • Communications, coordination and group work skills that promote your professional development!
  • Participation in volunteer work with a purpose & a chance to make friends with people from diverse backgrounds!
  • Networks in the NGO sector and different volunteering opportunties in Finland and abroad

The Koordis season kickoff will be the 28th of November at 5 PM in Zoom. Please sign up for the meeting through this link. Do not miss this opportunity to grow your own experience and networks!

For further info contact Exchange Coordinator Gweal Monykuany: , +358451049829 (call or WhatsApp)

KVT fall meeting and movie night 26.11. in Helsinki

Toiminnanjohtaja on 6.11.2024

Rauhanasema, keltainen puutalo.

Kansainvälinen vapaaehtoistyö ry will have the annual Fall meeting on Tuesday 26th of November at 5pm at Peace Station (Veturitori 3) in Helsinki. The Fall meeting will cover issues according to our rules, such as annual activity plan and budget plan for 2025 and choosing the chair and board members for 2025. Read more about the board member applications. The annual meeting is open to all, but only members of KVT can vote. Please make sure you are a member before the meeting. Invitations will be sent to members directly by email, so if you have any doubts, make sure your contact details are updated too. Any questions regarding the Fall meeting can be sent to the office .

After the Fall meeting we will have a movie night for all interested people at the Peace station. The program starts after the Fall meeting, so if you only join the movie night, come to Peace station by 6:15pm. The movie night will continue with the themes familiar from the October Volunterr Weekend, such as environmental and responsibility issues. We’ll watch together a documentary called Day Zero – A city without water. The film focuses on water shortages and how they will affect cities and communities; it is estimated that one of four cities will face issues with water shortages in 2050. After the film we will discuss about the topic more and think about ways to promote responsible volunteering and traveling.

Some light snacks will be provided with coffee and tea. Please sign up for the movie night through this form so we know how much snacks to prepare.

Welcome!

Applications open for KVT board of 2025

Toiminnanjohtaja on 16.10.2024

Are you interested in association activities and gaining a deeper understanding of the management of a small organization? Would you like a front-row seat to influence what happens in KVT? Apply to join the board for 2025!

Kansainvälinen vapaaehtoistyö ry (KVT) has been working for over 75 years to promote peace and understanding between people. At KVT’s volunteer camps, volunteers from different backgrounds work together towards a common goal, helping to challenge prejudices and break down barriers. KVT’s activities are grassroots-level peace work, grounded in cooperation and equality.

KVT’s activities are planned and carried out by a board, known as “Johtis,” consisting of 9-12 volunteers elected by KVT members. In Johtis, you will gain a deeper understanding of KVT’s work and peace activities both locally and internationally. You’ll gain experience in organizational governance and have the opportunity to do meaningful volunteer work with a great team. As a board member, you’ll develop your skills not only in traditional board activities but also by participating in events, trainings, and seminars.

The board meets about once a month, and meetings are held both in person and online, depending on the preferences of the board members. It’s also possible to attend in-person meetings remotely if needed.

You are welcome to join Johtis with any level of organizational experience; there are roles for both beginners and veterans. Board members share tasks based on their interests, and you don’t need to know everything beforehand. The most important things are enthusiasm for KVT, active participation in the board’s work, and sharing KVT’s values.

Each year, KVT elects a chairperson, 7 full board members, and 1-4 deputy members. At the start of the year, 1-2 vice-chairpersons are elected from among the full board members. The chairperson is expected to have at least some familiarity with KVT’s activities and experience in board work. The chairperson’s duties include chairing and preparing board meetings in collaboration with the executive director, representing KVT as an employer, coordinating the annual activity plan and report, and overseeing the organization’s finances with the executive director.

If you’re interested or would like to ask for more information, please send a short introduction about yourself to Chairperson Hanna Rask () by November 12th at the latest. In your introduction, please mention who you are, how familiar you are with KVT, and why you are interested in becoming a board member. The board members will be elected at KVT’s autumn general meeting on November 26th.

KVT sauna night on 31 October!

Järjestökoordinaattori on 8.9.2024

sauna ja polttopuita

KVT invites you to a sauna night open to all at Rauhanasema on Thursday 31 October. The doors open at 17.00 and the sauna will be warm after 18.00. Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are on the house. You can bring your own drinks if you want to enjoy a sauna beer, for example. In order for us to get the right amount of snacks for all, please let us know if you are coming by Wednesday before the sauna evening.

In addition to the sauna, you can hang out with our volunteers and people interested in volunteering. There is a possibility to make origami peace doves and other crafts or you can just relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

See you at the end of October!

KVT office on holidays during Christmas and New Year

Toiminnanjohtaja on 20.12.2023

Kuva Rauhanasemasta sivusta. Kuvassa näkyy osoitekyltti, jossa lukee Veturitori 3, Loktorget 3. Kuvaan on muokattu lumihiutaleita.

As the year is coming to and end KVT office will also take a break, enjoy Christmas time and get ready for the coming year.

KVT office will be closed from 22.12.2023 to 7.1.2024. We will be back at work on 8.1.2024.

Many thanks for all the active volunteers, KVT members, camp leaders, camp hosts and other partners for your cooperation! Happy Holidays, see you next year!