Not just a holiday – the Caritas 2025 Summer Campaign has started

Material prepared for the press.

At the end of June, school halls fell silent, and children and young people all over the country began their long-awaited vacation. For many of them, it is a time of rest, adventure and fun. However, for Caritas of the Archdiocese of Przemyśl, it is also a moment of special commitment - the intensive period of the "Summer Action" 2025 has begun. This is an undertaking that has been contributing enormous value for years not only to the lives of the youngest participants of the colonies, but also to entire local communities. This year's edition is no exception - on the contrary, the scale and program of the colonies prove that Caritas is constantly developing its educational, preventive and integration activities.

A holiday adventure in the heart of the Bieszczady Mountains

This year's edition of the "Summer Campaign" started on June 29 in the picturesque Caritas holiday resort in Rajskie, located in the heart of the Bieszczady Mountains. During the holidays, several hundred children and young people from the Przemyśl Archdiocese will pass through the centre. The programme includes several sessions, during which children will be able to take a break from school duties and relax surrounded by mountain landscapes. Holidays in Rajskie are not only blissful laziness - they are also games, fun, hiking and coach trips to the Bieszczady Mountains, sports and animation activities. The daily life of the camp is filled with activities that develop creativity and social skills. Participants visit Sanok, Solina or Myczkowce, have the opportunity to meet representatives of various services - firefighters, policemen, paramedics or employees of the Railway Protection Guard - and also participate in art therapy workshops and thematic meetings.

Time of formation and learning values

Caritas summer camps are much more than just a vacation. They are a time of formation – spiritual, emotional and social. Under the watchful eye of experienced caregivers and animators, often students of pedagogy and psychology, children learn empathy, assertiveness, setting boundaries and building healthy relationships. An important element of each session is also preventive education – concerning addictions (both chemical and behavioral), coping with emotions, aggression and stress. The camps become a space where young people learn independence and responsibility, often for the first time in isolation from their everyday home environment. The daily schedule also includes time for joint prayer, spiritual reflection and patriotic formation.

Solidarity Without Borders – Support for Children from Ukraine

It is worth mentioning that this year's support for the youngest has started exceptionally. Already in May, two respite camps were organized and implemented for the youngest from Ukraine, a country that has been torn apart by war for over three years. Children who live in the shadow of war on a daily basis had the opportunity not only to physically rest, but also - at least for a moment - to forget about the effects of trauma. Since the beginning of the war, Caritas Przemyśl has organized holidays for over 2,000 children from areas affected by war - including Kiev, Chernihiv, Zaporozhye, Zhytomyr, Mariupol, Bucha, Lutsk, Odessa, Kherson and Lviv. These activities are not only an expression of solidarity, but also a concrete response to the needs of adolescents whose childhood was brutally interrupted by the war.

Multi-level investment in the young generation

Caritas summer camps are an example of a model social activity, in which recreation is combined with education and formation. On the one hand, we are dealing with a safe and attractive program, on the other – with clearly defined educational and preventive goals. The involvement of many people is key in these activities: Caritas employees, volunteers, educators and local government and parish partners. It is worth noting that funds for the organization of the "Summer Action" come mainly from individual donations, sent text messages and the annual collection as part of the "Christmas Eve Work of Help for Children". This shows how much power lies in the community and how much impact small gestures of many people can have.

Caritas 2025 Summer Campaign is more than just a vacation. It is a space for building community, shaping young hearts and minds, and combating social exclusion. It is also a time when children from difficult environments, war refugees, and active young people from the parish can meet in one place, sharing joy, experiences, and values. In an era of increasing digitalization and isolation, Caritas summer camps remind us how important lively contact, dialogue, and experiencing everyday life together are.

Rev. Dr. Paweł Konieczny – Deputy Director of Caritas of the Archdiocese of Przemyśl