Voluntary activity in the camp Perm-36
Nowadays voluntary activity is broadly spread all over the world. Pupils, students and adults are interested in it. People in different countries concern differently to this activity: somewhere it is obliged; somebody considers that it is his own debt. What about our state, we think, that few people know, what voluntary work is in general. Work in voluntary camps – it is not only work, it is interesting contact with people, including foreign citizens, and, of course, it is a very good rest.
History of the former camp “Perm-36”.
The primary and central component of the Memorial Centre is the former prison camp “Perm-36” which is being-restored stage by stage and converted into a museum complex. It is legally a branch of the Memorial Centre. It is located in the village of Kuchino, Chusovskoy District, Perm region. The branch has not yet officially registered as a museum status immediately after it receives the museum license and its exhibits are recorded in the register of the State museum fund.
The prison camp "Perm-36" had two sectors: the high security area and the special treatment area. After Stalin's death in 1953, many prison camps were closed down but ITK-6 was preserved precisely because it had much more assets and a better infrastructure than most other camps. The authorities did not want to waste the substantial assets. This is why the camp was not closed down.
In early 1970s, the Soviet authorities started preparing to unleash a new wave of repression against political dissidents, and making arrangements for a greater isolation and harsher punishments for political prisoners. Now we would like to tell about my own experience in the voluntary camp “Learning from history” on the base of the former camp “Perm-36”.
We were the participant of the camp “Learning from history” as a volunteer. This camp was organized by “Youth Memorial”. The main aim of it was help in restoring of the museum. The camp was held from 15 to 30 of July, 2008. There took part 30 people. The camp was international, that’s why there were foreign citizens: two girls from the USA, 3 persons from Germany, a girl from Belgium and a woman from Poland. The participants of this camp worked from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. Then they had a free time and discussions.
The work wasn’t hard. Boys cut the grass, sawed the planks and reconstructed camp fences; girls had to paint the fences, put away the hay. We gathered and threw out the garbage altogether. Also we took part in organization of the yearly festival “Pilorama 2008”. As soon as the participants had arrived to the camp, they had been acquainted with the museum “Perm-36”. We had only two excursions: in the strict regime sector and in the special strict one.
There was not only work in the camp. Also we had many discussions about different topics.Also there were different measures in the camp, for example team-building games, football and volleyball competitions, disco, swimming, and, of course, songs near the campfire. Living in the camp was interesting; people were different, excursions – cognitive, and the work was fascinating. Everybody took away from there many good impressions.
We were participants of the voluntary camp “Perm-36”. We have studied the material about this topic and We have been volunteers, that’s why we can make a conclusion that voluntary activity is necessary for the today’s youth. Voluntary work is fun and rewarding activity available to young people. Some volunteers work away from home and are given accommodation, food, weekly pocket money and travel expenses. But very often young people neglect the job market as they consider it low-paid and unworthy of their abilities.
The main treat of volunteer is that his activity is voluntary, free and non-payment.Voluntary activity is necessary! We think our project is available to be continued. Next summer we want to take part in another voluntary camp. Also we would like to leave for the United States of America, Great Britain or Germany voluntary camps to know more about voluntary activity abroad.
