More Than a Trip: Young People’s Summer Adventure in Finland

It’s the perfect time to look back on fond memories! Daniel shares his experience of a summer adventure in Helsinki:

“I spent two exciting weeks in Finland’s capital, helping to care for the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I learned practical skills in environmental and landscape maintenance and expanded my knowledge of the history of Finland, Sweden and Europe more broadly. During the project, I made many friends from different parts of Europe and learned about different cultures, customs and perspectives. I also had the chance to practise my German with some of the participants.

We enjoyed home-cooked dinners and spent our free time exploring Helsinki, Nuuksio National Park and other wonderful places. And, of course, the Finnish saunas deserve a special mention! Overall, it was a memorable and enriching adventure.”

We’re delighted that Daniel was part of the project in Suomenlinna, Finland, which brings together cultural heritage preservation, environmental protection and youth participation.

You can find more photos and information on our Facebook page.

If you’re also interested in volunteering abroad, explore the opportunities here: https://ej.uz/hg5h

About the activity

The Suomenlinna project in Finland combines cultural heritage preservation, environmental protection and youth participation. At this UNESCO World Heritage Site, volunteers take part in the restoration of historic structures, landscape maintenance, invasive plant management and Baltic Sea coastal clean-ups.

Through hands-on work and educational activities, young people gain knowledge about cultural and natural heritage protection, sustainable development and the Baltic Sea ecosystem, while developing teamwork skills and building international connections.

This activity is part of the European Solidarity Corps project CoDeSea (Project code: 2023-1-EACEA-VTHPA-101239499), co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.