ANO “Smart Travel Bureau” was founded in 2016
in Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Our main goals are:
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To raise awareness and develop critical approach to mainstream issues among young people;
To encourage young people being active participants of the society, developing their skills,
competences through involvement into intercultural, volunteering and non-formal learning
projects
To provide opportunities for young people to discover new cultures and to exchange their
opinions with people from other countries;
To ensure social inclusion and non-discrimination;
To develop and support social tourism and entrepreneurship, involve people of different ages in
it.
“Smart Travel Bureau” is working on two levels:
International:
 Workcamps – a possibility to rediscover the world, to contribute to the society, to meet new
friends and break stereotypes about cultures and nations.
 Youth Exchanges, trainings and seminars – taking part and organizing projects in the frame
of Erasmus+ Programme.
 Hamburg : : St.Petersburg – network between twin-cities for development of youth relations.
Interregional:
 Preparation of volunteers for “Universiade 2013” in Kazan
 Workcamps for volunteers from all regions of Russia
Local projects (in St.Petersburg and Leningrad region):
 Cultural interaction club – this event is for those who want to speak English, Spanish, French,
German and to improve language skills.
 Cuisines of the World – the project is focused on discoverning different countries through a
meeting with their representatives and cooking their traditional meals together.
 Ecological projects – we encourage volunteer activity in the sphere of enviromental protection
and ecology. Our volunteers participated in numerous ecological events, such as cleaning parks
and lakes, garbage collecting, ecological workcamps on Valaam Island, etc.
 Social volunteering – volunteers help retired and disabled people to clean their flats, wash
windows, weep floors, etc. As well we held computer courses for retired people.
 Diverse volunteer projects – we are open to new ideas of volunteer projects and provide our
friendly assistance to those who want to run a new project within GDC.
Contact information:
Incoming and Outgoing coordinator – Anna Tipikina
Outgoing email: [email protected]
Incoming email: [email protected]
Skype: [email protected]
Tel: +79112384905
About workcamps
Our workcamps are open for people who wish to make this world better with good deeds. We are
glad to see people of different religions and cultures and try to help them follow their traditions. So
it’s not a problem if you are a vegetarian or don’t eat pork.
Most of the camps are held in the city of St. Petersburg, one workcamp is situated in Leningrad
Region (1,5 hours from St.Petersburg). Please pay attention that in all our camps we do provide a
decent accommodation and food that is going to help you to enjoy volunteer experience; however we
strongly believe a workcamp should not offer an all-inclusive hotel accommodation and 5-course
meal and should instead focus on the unique changing experience you get while volunteering.
We provide visa-support and registration on arrival. We don’t provide insurance. Transport costs to
the place of work and back to accommodation are covered by STB. Transport costs during free time
(if not the planned activities financed by STB and partners) are to be covered by volunteers.
Here is the summary camp list for Summer 2017
Code
GDC-2
GDC-3
GDC-4
GDC-5
GDC-6
GDC-7
GDC-1
No of vols.
Age
Molodezhnoe,
Leningrad Region
Molodezhnoe,
Leningrad Region
Molodezhnoe,
Leningrad Region
St. Petersburg
Kalininsky
St. Petersburg
Kalininsky
St. Petersburg
Kalininsky
Location
27.05 – 17.06
Dates
KIDS/ART
Type
2
18+
17.06– 08.07
KIDS/ART
2
18+
08.07 – 29.07
KIDS/ART
2
18+
Dates to be
confirmed
Dates to be
confirmed
Dates to be
confirmed
SOCI
10 (5 M+5 F) +
3 locals
10 (5 M+5 F) +
3 locals
10 (5 M+5 F) +
3 locals
18+
St. Petersburg
Nevsky district
Russian-German
bilateral camp
with ijgd
14.08 – 28.08
ENVI/MAN
U/FEST
14 (7 Germ +7
Rus)
18-25
SOCI
SOCI
18+
18+
Travel information
By plane: the international airport is situated in St.Petersburg itself and is called Pulkovo. When you
arrive just near the exit from the airport there is a shuttle bus (number 39 for Pulkovo) that costs 40
rubles (≈0,8 €) which will bring you to the subway station “Moskovskaya”.
By bus: for volunteers from Europe it is possible to arrive to St.Petersburg by bus (Eurolines
www.eurolines.com, Ecolines http://www.ecolines.net, Simple Express www.simpleexpress.eu).
Usually buses arrive to Baltic Bus Station or Central Bus Station. Both of them have subway stations
nearby.
By train: it’s also possible to come to St.Petersburg by train, which arrives to Finnish Train Station
or Vitebskiy Train Station. Both of them have subway stations nearby.
More information about how to get to the camp within the city will be provided in the infosheet.
Foxy Camp
GDC-2, GDC-3, GDC-4
Partners: Children camp “Foxy Camp”
Type: KIDS/ART
Dates: 27.05 – 17.06 (GDC-2); 17.06– 08.07 (GDC-3); 08.07 – 29.07 (GDC-4)
Age: 18+
Participants: 2
Language: English
Extra Fee: 10 Euro
Visa support: provided
Work
Volunteers will help running the summer camp for kids aged 6 till 15. As the workcamp includes
learning languages and different cultures, volunteers will be asked to assist leaders during
different artistic workshops, explaining actions and objects in English and also to prepare
presentations, games about and from their home-countries. Every camp is devoted to special topic
(movie or series) and during the camp volunteers will have a role of some hero and will be involved
in creating games and costumes according to the scenario. Volunteers with skills in painting,
drawing, playing musical instruments, dancing are more than welcome. Be ready to be included
into everyday communication with children almost all the time. You should really love them =)
During the workcamp there are only 3 days-off. Smoking and drinking are prohibited.
Topics of the camps:
GDC-2 – Sherlock Holmes (the series)
GDC-3 – Percy Jackson (the movie)
GDC-4 – Star Wars (the movie)
Leisure time
The place of the children’s camp is on the border with St.Petersburg (it takes about 1,5 hours to
get to the city center) and on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. As you may know, Saint Petersburg
is often described as the cultural capital of Russia. It is the northernmost city in the world to have a
population of over five million. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of
Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Petersburg also hosts The
Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world. The most famous Russian writers like
Dostoevsky, Pushkin, and Esenin had found the inspiration here. Also St.Petersburg is now
famous for its informal bars and cafes, opened by youngsters for youngsters – it is a phenomena,
which definitely should be discovered.
Of course, the territory of the children’s camp offers sport activities on the fresh air, picnics,
fireplaces. If the water is not cold, it is possible to swim in the Gulf of Finland.
Accommodation
Volunteers will stay in the well-equipped house in the rooms for 2 or 4 people (if 4, then with
Russian leaders). Toilet and shower with hot water are available. Sleeping belongings will be
provided. Food is prepared by the chef.
Requirements
To love children.
Motivation letter is required. It also can be a video motivation ;)
Health certificate is need.
Participation fee of 10 Euro is to be paid to on arrival.
Knowing some Russian can be helpful, but not obligatory.
Get ready to have fun!
St. Petersburg’s Initiatives: Together for the better
GDC-5, GDC-6, GDC-7
Partners: local municipals (Kalininsky district)
Type: SOCI
Dates: dates to be confirmed
Age: 18+
Participants: 10 international volunteers (5 M, 5 F), 3 local volunteers, 2 camp-leaders
Language: English
Extra Fee: 10 Euro
Work
Volunteers will help old lonely people to keep their flats clean (washing windows, floors, swiping
the dust). Also will be some activities with local children and students (games, presentations
about volunteers’ countries, etc). Work takes up 4-5 hours a day 5 times a week. Volunteers
work in pairs with a Russian speaking volunteer to overcome a language barrier since old
people not that often speak English or other foreign languages.
Leisure time
Volunteers have a possibility to see the North capital of Russia, Saint-Petersburg which is
known for its numerous sightseeing possibilities. There are plenty of museums, parks, and
places that tell a lot about history and culture of Russia both in the city itself and in its stunning
suburbs such as Pushkin, Peterhof and Pavlovsk, former residences of Russian tsars.
Accommodation:
Volunteers will stay in a kind of hostel well equipped with kitchen, shower, washing machine. No
need to bring a sleeping bag! Accommodation is situated in the city itself, the way to the centre
of the city takes up from 40 min up to an hour. Meals will be prepared by volunteers, products
are provided. Visa-support is provided. Insurance is not provided.
Requirements
Participation fee 10 Euro is to be paid to on arrival.
Motivation letter is required.