Just as Americans eagerly wait for Thanksgiving and Europeans look forward to Easter, the youth of Artsakh wait all year for the annual YMCA camp. The Exodus of Artsakh forced Armenians to “start all over again,” leaving behind a whole life, except the annual YMCA summer camp, the tradition of which started back in 2017.

The “START OVER, START UP” camp reunited Artsakh youth in the “Tsitsernak” (“Swallow”) campsite in Vanadzor from July 4 to July 11, 2024. This camp is a crucial step in YMCA Artsakh’s mission to support them as they rebuild their lives. Due to the support from YMCA Europe and Armenians Unified, a non-profit dedicated to improving lives in Armenia, YMCA Artsakh hosted around 170 young people and nearly 30 guests.

Beyond summer fun, “START OVER, START UP” addressed the critical issues facing displaced Artsakh youth, whose world has been upended by basic needs and heavy psychological burdens. The camp bridged this gap for these young people in an unfamiliar town, offering essential support, motivation, and coaching to help them thrive in their new reality. It reinforced their sense of belonging and empowered them by building some capacity to make them competitive for the job market to build a positive future and contribute to developing the society.

The camp facilitators divided participants into four groups to ensure a productive and focused environment. Each group spent their day with a dedicated trainer who guided their activities and instilled valuable and productive skills. The camp wasn’t just about fun and games as means of non-formal education (though there definitely was some of that too).

The participants had various training sessions targeted at arming them with some basic knowledge on developing business ideas and empowering them to start one to earn their living. These sessions focused on general knowledge and practical skills essential for their personal and professional growth: basics of developing a business/start-up idea and a business plan, Armenian market navigation, organisational development, and even cultural identity preservation.

But it wasn’t all theory – to ignite their entrepreneurial spirit. The camp was meticulously planned to be interactive and engaging, ensuring participants walked away with a comprehensive toolkit for navigating their new reality – from immediate needs to long-term success. There was a dynamic idea-pitching competition, which allowed these young minds to showcase their business understanding, with the winning teams receiving crucial financial support to turn their ideas into reality.

In addition to the empowering workshops, the camp prioritized the well-being of participants with a special session on the “Do No Harm” methodology framework. Artyom Dokholyan, a YMCA Europe Generation Next project intern and a YMCA scholarship holder at the American University of Armenia led a sensitive discussion focused on war-affected individuals. To understand the process of their recovery and current outlook, the campers were invited to participate in an “Ethics of Peace” survey aiming to gather information on their wartime experiences, emotional state, and current perspectives on conflict resolution.

The YMCA Artsakh camp outdid summertime amusement, forging lasting connections and fostering resilience. As the organizers have emphasized, since 2017, the camp builds a yearly “YMCA Artsakh Camp Family.” This year was not different. Young participants who first joined as campers years ago returned as leaders taking responsibility for the 2024 cohort.

Izabella Sargsyan reflected on the camp experience as a profound revelation: sorrow and joy co-exist. She realized that it’s possible to grieve and feel sorrow for her losses while also finding joy and having fun. The camp also served as a heartfelt reminder that Artsakh still exists and thrives through the vibrant spirit of its youth.

Written by Regina Grigoryan, YMCA Generation next Alumna