From July 19 to 24, 2026, the village of Letterfrack, Connemara, Ireland, became the heart of the AFS network as it hosted the 17th Volunteer Summer Summit (VSS). Organized by the European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL), this event gathered 98 volunteers from across Europe and beyond for a week of intensive training, cultural exchange, and community building.
The Mission: Active Digital Citizenship for Resilient Students and Volunteers
The 2026 summit centered on the theme: “Active Digital Citizenship for resilient Students and Volunteers”, empowering youth to navigate digital spaces through human rights, media literacy, and intercultural empathy. Participants explored solutions to critical network challenges, including digital exclusion, disinformation, online burnout, and polarization, ensuring volunteer-based youth work remains relevant, safe, and impactful.
To tackle these broad goals, the program was structured into four specialized thematic tracks:
- Value & Belong to a Common and Diverse (online) World: Fostered self-awareness, personal resilience, and active listening to help volunteers build inclusive, supportive communities online and offline.
- Inquire Critically About the (digital) World Beyond Immediate Environments: Sharpened critical thinking and media literacy, equipping participants to evaluate information, spot bias, and communicate responsibly.
- Understand & Relate to Others in a digital era Across Differences: Developed empathy, facilitation, and conflict transformation skills to build trusting relationships and meaningful dialogue across diverse backgrounds.
- Take Action Toward Collective Well-Being in a digital world: Empowered volunteers to turn their values into civic action, advocating for digital rights, community mobilization, and positive social change.
Thematic Opening & External Speakers
To provide a global and professional perspective, the program featured specialized thematic tracks alongside an interactive opening plenary. Arlind Troka (Plenaries Coordinator) led the preparation and coordination with our guest speakers to ensure their insights aligned seamlessly with the summit’s core theme.
On the first day, we were honored to launch the plenary with three distinguished speakers for a dynamic panel discussion:
- Cliodhna Purdue – Assistant Director Media Literacy & User Education Coimisiún na Meán
- Carlos Pinheiro – Intermunicipal coordinator of School Libraries
- Michaela Danetti – Philosophy researcher at the University of Galway; Annie Donovan – Education researcher at MTU, co-founder of CURO; Johanna Zollner – Secondary-level teaching student for the subjects English and Philosophy at University Leipzig
These guest speakers brought invaluable expertise spanning media literacy, educational policy, digital philosophy, and active citizenship. They engaged directly with participants during interactive Q&A sessions, diving deep into how youth work and critical digital skills intersect in modern learning spaces.
A Dynamic Learning Journey
In line with the VSS 2026 theme—Active Digital Citizenship for Resilient Students and Volunteers—a skilled team of trainers delivered a wide array of hands-on workshops designed to translate intercultural and citizenship education into democratic action. Participants had the flexibility to tailor their learning journey, earning specialized track certificates by diving deep into specific focus areas or exploring freely across the schedule.
Through engaging, practical sessions—ranging from exploring neuroscience and tackling “brainrot” to practicing Non-Violent Communication, mastering improv-based active listening, and navigating AI and algorithms—volunteers gained concrete tools for local outreach, conflict resolution, and digital advocacy. This varied program ensured that every participant left equipped with an expanded toolkit for sustainable, impactful youth work.
These were the trainers and their workshops of the Volunteer Summer Summit 2026:
- Felix Bender – AFS GER
- Creating Access: Connecting Young People with Opportunities
- From Advocacy to Active Citizenship: Turning Voice into Action
- Ege Pehlivanoglu – AFS SWE
- Healthy workload in volunteering
- Stage for Volunteers
- Try it out!
- Laura Svagin Vangkilde – AFS DEN
- Neuroscience in a Digital World – The Anti-Brainrot Workshop!
- Resources for Understanding a Complex World
- Irina Jokanović – AFS SRB
- Click, Think, Act
- Online life-Yours or Shared?
- Lisa Uggedal Holm – AFS NOR
- Me and the Algorithm: Recognizing influence and staying in control
- AI: Companion Tool or Clever Trap?
- Navigating the Social Web: Common sense in a digital world
- Zion Menétrey – AFS SUI
- Listen to me ! Active listening training through improvizational theater
- Setting boundaries around a cup of tea: Non-Violent Communication in a digital era
- From war to Mediation: Solving conflict in a chaotic world
The Community Project
Since 2008, a cherished tradition of the VSS has been the Community Project, which invites participants to step outside the “AFS bubble” and engage directly with the host city.
In Letterfrack, volunteers chose from six hands-on projects designed to support the local environment, safety, and community infrastructure:
- Connemara National Park: Native forest planting and maintenance.
- Letterfrack BioGarden: BioBlitz survey and bee conservation efforts.
- Diamond Hill: Restoration and dugout painting.
- Invasive Species Control: Hands-on conservation and gardening.
- Community First Response & Coastguard: Practical community first-aid training.
- Letterfrack School: Revitalizing local school grounds through outdoor painting.
Through these initiatives, participants learned about local operations, made a tangible social and environmental impact, and gave back to the community hosting them.
Evening Highlights and Community Spirit
Beyond the structured training tracks, the VSS was defined by its cherished traditions and evening leisure activities, orchestrated by the hardworking Logistics Team: Dara Walsh, Paul Conway, Darcy Faye, Jennifer Burns and Lorcan Craven Grace (AFS IRL).
- Bazaar Night: A vibrant, barter-only market where participants exchanged local food and AFS merchandise from their home countries, fostering connection without the need for currency.
- Local Night: A vibrant immersion into Irish culture, featuring compelling tales from a local storyteller and music from a local fiddle and bouzouki player. The evening culminated in a traditional Céilí, where participants came together to learn classic dances and celebrate the rich heritage of the host nation.
- Movie Night: A special evening where participants watched an Irish movie called “Wild Connemara”, a natural history documentary about the county the VSS happened at.
- Project Hub: An informal space for volunteers to take ownership of the program by sharing personal skills—ranging from national dances to the basics of investment.
- Reflection Groups (Re-groups): Small, facilitated groups that met every evening to process the day’s emotions and ideas in a safe, peaceful setting.
The Venue: Letterfrack, Connemara
The summit was hosted at the ATU Connemara Campus in the village of Letterfrack in Connemara. The village provided a National Park with the famous Diamond Hill, a bookshop, and local pubs.
The Team Behind the Summit
The 17th Volunteer Summer Summit was the result of months of meticulous planning by a dedicated group of leaders. Besides the Trainers Team and Logistics Team, who were already mentioned above, the Summit was coordinator by a Coordinators Team, including:
- Andrew Ormsby (AFS IRL) – Venue Liaison
- Arlind Troka (AFS ITA) – Plenaries Coordinator
- Bruno Canale Medeiros (EFIL) – Camp Coordinator
- Rivka Orlitová (EFIL) – Participants Coordinator
- Kerrin Appel (AFS GER) – Trainers Team Coordinator
- Cat Ryan (AFS IRL) – Logistics Team Coordinator
- Phoebe Koritou (AFS GRE) – Content & Media (CM) Coordinator
The CM Coordinator was supported by the work of Anastasia Masouridi (AFS GRE) as the CM Support.
Sustainability and Legacy
In line with AFS values, VSS 2026 focused on sustainability by reducing waste and choosing not to produce temporary gadgets like tote bags. The event concluded with a Folklore & Legends Party, celebrating the fairytales and traditions of all the countries represented.