Welcome to Šatrija!

We are a non-formal education center for children and youth located in the North-Eastern part of Vilnius (15 minutes per bus to city center). We offer a wide array of classes to kids of different ages. We have a big dance department where kids can learn everything from street and break dance to lindy hop. Our second biggest department is sports where we offer karate, judo and capoeira classes, as well as gymnastics, yoga and fitness. Of course we also offer creative classes like art, pottery, guitar, ukulele, singing and photography. Additionally, we also provide language support in English for different age groups. Though our target groups are students aged 6 and up, we also organize classes for kids aged 4 to 6 and for parents (e.g. English, yoga, dance,..).

Šatrija is an accredited project for Erasmus + volunteers, who can develop and realise their own classes here, which are free of charge for the participants and reach from languages to leadership training to additional sport opportunities.

But the volunteers not only do their own classes. They also help the staff with administrative tasks, assist the teachers in regular classes, organize activities in partner schools nearby and implement their own ideas.

Though not exclusively reserved for volunteers, „Laisvas Plotas“, the free space, is an important place for the volunteer work. It‘s where the volunteer clubs are held as well as seasonal evens e.g. Halloween festivities, movie nights and some of the class. When it‘s not occupied by these activities it serves as the „volunteer office“ for administrative and preparation tasks.

In June the volunteers also help organizing the day camps. Each of the three camps lasts 5 days, where from 9am to 5:30pm the kids will explore Vilnius, play games, eat together and wander outside of Vilnius to visit special landmarks.

Šatrija also hosts two big events every school year. One of them is the winter concerts for the parents, the other one is a little street festival with workshops, concerts, performances and collaborations with other youth organisations to raise money for social projects. Aside of those two big events, there are little events like art galleries, small concerts and performances all year round.

As a volunteer at Šatrija it‘s important to be patient with the kids, the staff and the projects in the beginning. Your tasks and responsibilities will expand with time. In Vilnius especially it is useful, if you speak Russian, because most adults and a few of the kids do, but of course it‘s not a must. Last, but not least, it’s good to know that as a volunteer at Šatrija your tasks aren‘t set in stone. The staff respects your personality, your skills and your interests and helps you where they can to make sure you have a good volunteering experience.