Orvita

Democratic school and camps

Orvita organizes a democratic school and camps on the basis of self-directed education and Nonviolent Communication. In addition, Orvita organizes trainings to learn to guide children on the same basis.

We want to offer children, and therefore also future adults, an environment that allows them to live consciously and with self-confidence. Where they can live in connection with themselves and their environment and where they creatively deal with the challenges they encounter. A community where there is space for everyone to be themselves and to develop their own talents and passions. A person who is in connection with himself, enjoys life so much more.

With self-directed education we give children the space to develop according to their interests and talents. They learn to trust who they really are and take responsibility for their own choices. The optimum way to learn is from intrinsic motivation and creativity remains intact. This allows children to develop their full potential.

With non-violent communication, children get the space to be themselves. A good connection with yourself enables you to connect with the other. This way we work on a community where every child feels at home and where everyone’s needs are taken into account.
For this, the mentors have been trained in non-violent communication. This is a form of communication that listens to feelings and needs and searches for solutions based on that. In a conflict, we do not look for who was right, who violated a rule or who needs to be punished. We assume that everyone acts according to their needs and not because of bad will. The mentors take the time to really listen to the feelings, needs, ideas and stories of children and take this fully into account.

The fundaments of Orvita are:

  • Connection: A community that takes everyone’s needs into account.
  • Play: Play is the natural way of learning.
  • Self-direction: Children are the owners of their life and learning process.
  • Trust: Children get the space and trust to be themselves and to discover themselves and the world.
  • Democratic: All members of the community have a full and equal say and decisions are made with need based consent.
  • Agile: The community is a living organism, it evolves with the needs of the community and the environment in which it is located.
  • Holistic: Children are given the space for the development of the whole person.
  • Inclusion: Everyone is welcome, also children with a disability. The ages are mixed.