Winter camp of humor "This is (not) a joke" in the Place Power
"A teenager once enters the Place of Power..." - no, this is not the beginning of a joke, but a true story about how 34 teenagers spent the funniest winter week at the "This is (not) a joke" camp. Spoiler: it was awesome!
Humor as a tool for change 🎯
This project was born from an important idea: to give young people a voice in discussing topics that are usually kept silent. We believe that laughter has the power to break taboos, open our eyes to reality, and encourage change. Our goal is not just to make people laugh, but also to provoke dialogue, make them think, and look at familiar things from a new angle.
The camp became a space where teenagers could talk about important things through the prism of humor. A place where there are no forbidden topics, where everyone can raise issues that concern them and find like-minded people.
Six days that change the way you look at jokes ⚡️
Over the course of six eventful days, the teens immersed themselves in the world of stand-up comedy under the guidance of a stellar team of mentors. It all started with master classes from leading Ukrainian comedians — Serhiy Stepanyska and Olga Aldushyna, who revealed the secrets of creating effective jokes and shared professional life hacks: how to find the funny in the everyday and turn personal experiences into exciting stories.
Each participant received personal support from experienced stand-up comediansIvan Zhornokley, Oles Pinchuk, Katya Mamaysur, Oleksandr Zhypetsky, Maksym Albul, and Serhiy Afonsky became mentors for the teenagers. Under their guidance, the young people not only honed their skills in presenting the material, but also found their own unique style and delivery.
More than just jokes 🎪
To make the performances brighter and more confident, the program included special training. Lyuba Kravchenko taught the art of mastering the body and voice, revealed the secrets of working with the audience. And thanks to the master classes in improvisation from Yuri Klyatskin, teenagers learned to easily find a way out of any situation on stage and turn even their own mistakes into bright moments of the performance. Participants also had the opportunity to take part in art therapy classes to reveal their creative potential, watch motivational films, and participate in discussion clubs with professional psychologists.
Success stories of our participants ⭐️
The camp participants not only learned how to write jokes — they overcame their fear of public speaking, learned how to turn anxiety into energy, and gained confidence in themselves and their creative abilities. The success of the project is best evidenced by the impressions of the participants themselves:
- "I used to think that it was better to remain silent about some topics. But at the camp I realized that you can talk about anything, the most important thing is to find the right approach."
- "At first it was scary to go on stage, but then I got an unbelievable high from the performance🫶🏻"
- "The coolest thing is that you can be yourself here! Your tricks, your jokes, and you don't have to pretend to be someone else."
- "Mentors are really great❤️🩹 They don't just teach you how to write jokes, they really help you find your topic"
PS If you regret missing this camp, don't worry! Follow the news from the Place of Power in Instagram and for schedule on the website, because there are still many important projects ahead😉
