You need to apply for an operating licence for a permanent youth camp if you wish to offer young people the opportunity to take part in development and health-related activities where one shift is at least six days and which operates for more than 60 days per year.
Legal bases
The following documents govern the activities of permanent youth camps and project youth camps and applying for activity licences for such camps:
- Youth Work Act
- Public Health Act
- General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act
- regulation “Qualification requirements for the directors and counsellors of youth and projects camps and the procedure for establishing the compliance therewith” of the Minister of Education and Research (in Estonian)
- regulation “Health protection requirements for permanent camps” of the Minister of Social Affairs (in Estonian)
Requirements for the applicant
You must meet the following requirements to receive an activity licence for a youth project camp:
- you have the necessary rooms that meet the requirements to provide recreational and educational holidays;
- you have the necessary documents to prove your right to use these rooms;
- you have a director and counsellors for the youth camp who have the required qualifications;
- you have been entered in the commercial register, the non-profit associations and foundations register or the register of religious associations as a youth camp manager.
Professional qualification of employees
A person having acquired foreign professional qualification may also work as the director or counsellor of a youth project camp provided that his or her professional qualification has been recognised in Estonia.
Contact the competent authority of your area of activity to receive additional information and have the professional qualification of an employee recognised.
Cross-border operation
In the case that a business operator is registered in another contracting party to the European Economic Area Agreement but wishes to render services in Estonia, the enterprise must apply for an activity licence on the conditions provided in this guide.
Completing and submitting the application
Applications for activity licences must be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Research two months before the commencement of camp activities at the latest.
You can submit the application:
- electronically via edu.ee (authentication is required) or via EHIS (In the case you are owner of the private hobby school).
- by digitally signed e-mail to the Ministry of Education and Research at [email protected]
The following additional documents are required:
- information on the premises (buildings), furnishings and area necessary for the activities of the youth and project camp, and information concerning their compliance with health protection, fire safety and rescue requirements;
- the name, personal identification code and place of residence of the person responsible for organising the project camp and the exact location in which the project camp is conducted;
- a written consent of the director of the youth and project camp complying with the qualification requirements and documents which allow to assess their compliance with the requirements;
- the objective and schedule of the youth camp.
Changing the conditions of activity licence
A new application for an activity licence must be submitted in the event that the terms of your activity licence change, for example if the manager or the location of the camp changes.
Supervision
The local government that has granted permission to the camp manager to conduct a youth project camp shall exercise supervision over the camp.
Contact details
Substantive information
Tormi Kotkas, Ministry of Education and Research, tel: +372 735 0303, e-mail: [email protected]
Registry information and technical questions
Estonian Education Information System, tel: +372 765 5050, e-mail: [email protected]