What to Expect at the Conference

Please read all the information provided here carefully. Where EYPC or EFC is not indicated, it applies to both conferences.

Registration

Registration for both the European Young People’s Conference (EYPC) and the European Family Conference (EFC) takes place completely online through this website. (The registration link will be made available once registration opens.)

If you would like to register, please pay careful attention to the information and instructions on the registration form and carefully it fill out as accurately as possible for each registrant.

Please note that we will NOT receive anyone at the conference who is not already registered and approved to attend, i.e., we will NOT be accepting any “walk-ins” or requests to register upon arrival.

Any visitors to the conference MUST be registered. Non-registered saints will not be permitted to enter the conference meetings.

EYPC: When young people register for the conference, they will be automatically assigned to either the Junior or Senior Conference depending on their age or school year. Saints registering as Shepherds or Helpers may indicate if they would like to join a particular conference or if they are open to being assigned to either.

EFC: Although the EFC is a separate conference from EYPC, it takes place at the same time and shares the same venue in the village of Małe Ciche, Poland, and therefore, shares the same registration process. All adults and children attending the EFC must be fully registered, including babies.

Please note that all children in the EFC must be accompanied by at least one of their parents. This may include grandparents or legal guardians who take full responsibility for the child while at the conference.

Accommodation

Conference attendees will stay in large, multi-story, traditional Polish guest houses, in small shared rooms, with an average of 40 staying together in one house. Some rooms may be en suite, and others may have a bathroom shared with one or two other rooms on the same floor. Bedding is provided, but towels and toiletries are not provided.

EYPC: There are usually 3-5 young people and serving ones (including helpers) from the same country or region staying together in one room. The young people will be expected to maintain their personal area and belongings in a clean way as there will be room inspections with points contributing to their team’s scores.

EFC: Each family will usually be placed together in one room, and you will mostly likely be placed in a house with other families, but it is also possible that there are some young people and YP serving ones in your house.

As the conference venue is in a mountain village, participants should be aware and expect that climbing hills and stairs is unavoidable and that the Conference will not be able to make special arrangements or exceptions for those who have difficulties with climbing. Please also be aware that some hosts keep livestock/animals on their property so some houses may have more of a barnyard scent (farmyard aroma, country scent). If you have an allergy to dust or animals that would make it difficult to stay in particular environments, please indicate this clearly on your registration form.

Important: Every year, a great deal of consideration goes into making the room arrangements for the more than 1000 registrants who attend the EYPC and EFC, and this also includes a lot of coordination with each individual guest house. Therefore, rooms and houses MUST NOT be changed at any time without the specific direction from the Conference serving team (in the Conference Office). This applies to registrants of all ages.

If any visitors or practical serving saints choose to make private accommodation arrangements, please DO NOT expect the conference serving team to assist you with any arrangements. This includes liaising with your hosts in Polish.

Meals

Each house has a large dining area (usually located on the ground floor or in the basement) and meals will be eaten together by house. The host of each house will prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the conference for the attendees staying in their house every day. (Note: If you are staying before or after the conference, then only dinner and breakfast are included for those extra nights.)

The food is a mix of typical Polish food with continental dishes suggested to the hosts by the Conference. The weekly menu is balanced and suitable to all tastes; however, if you have special dietary needs, please make sure to indicate this and the severity of your allergy or intolerance on your registration form, and make sure to pick up your translated food intolerances slip at Check-in when you arrive.

EFC: It is possible to request half-portion meals for children aged 11 and under on the registration form. The registration fee for these children is reduced; however, these children will not receive a handbook or T-shirt as part of their registration fee, but a T-shirt can be purchased separately. At Check-in, all parents must pick up each child’s meal badge which will indicate to the hosts the size of the meals they are receiving.

EYPC Schedule

Each day begins with a time to contact the Lord together in the rooms and is followed by a delicious breakfast provided in each house. Then the young people and serving ones will walk to their conference tent for the morning meeting to enjoy the Lord by singing, listening to a message, and will have the opportunity to share what they have enjoyed at the end of the meeting. This is followed by lunch and activities. To recover from activities, there is a rest time in the afternoon, and then dinner and the evening meeting. After the meeting, there is a group time in the rooms during which each room can read, share about what they have been impressed by, and pray together before going to bed.

Activities

Activities are an important part of the EYPC. Activities typically include forest games, orienteering/treasure hunt, and a project. Young people and their serving ones are assigned to teams. These teams will take turns doing the activities on different days. On one of the days, there will be a hike in Tatra National Park which will take most of the day including travel to and from the park. All serving ones, helpers, and young people are expected to participate and contribute during the activity times.

Clusters & Teams

Young people will be grouped into small clusters of 3-5 including a serving one; they will stay in the same room as their cluster. A few clusters from different countries will be grouped together to form teams for the activities. Teams will have a mix of genders, ages, and languages to encourage the blending among the young people.

Scoring & Prizes

During the conference, each team will be able to collect points in three ways: activities, memorizing verses (team average), and maintaining a clean room (team average). At the end of the conference, all the points collected during the week will be tallied and teams with the highest scores will receive prizes. The winning teams are usually those who work well together in all three areas rather than excelling in just one area!

Memory Verses

Each message will include key verses for the young people to commit to memory. Verses can be recited to serving ones to initial and will be counted towards their team’s scores. Serving ones can also participate in verse memorisation, although their scores will only be counted into the team averages if they increase the team’s average score.

See About the EYPC for more information specifically about this conference.

EFC Schedule

The first session begins after dinner on Lord’s Day; this will be a conference orientation held in the EFC tent from 7–8:15 pm. On Monday, we will have a workshop in the late morning, activities after lunch, and then another workshop in the late afternoon. After dinner, there will be a one-hour coordination for the parents and serving saints. Parents can take turns caring for their children during the evening coordination.

The schedule will be similar on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday will mainly be for activities and rest. There should be much time for informal fellowship between the families and burdened saints.

Pre-YP (Ages 11-12)

We are burdened that all the older children, aged 11-12, would have the gospel announced to them in a clear way. During the EFC, we will have several sessions just for the children in this age group. A parent must remain with their child in the Pre-YP sessions at all times. The 11-12-year-olds will be on the EFC schedule during the entirety of the conference.

Workshops

The workshops are the main part of the EFC. They will be approximately one hour and fifteen minutes long and will involve parents, children, and burdened saints of all ages. During these times, we will read, sing, or do activities together and in small family groups.

Communal Areas and Play Areas

We will provide the families with several communal areas where they can meet up during the day. In these areas, we will have play equipment, toys, and covered seating.

Evening & Morning Times

There will be opportunities for the families to develop family times with their children every evening and morning. We hope the families will take advantage of this time to practise and learn together.

See About the EFC for more information specifically about this conference.

Handbooks & T-shirts

Every young person and adult participant in both the EYPC and the EFC will receive a conference handbook containing outlines with space to take notes during each message, as well as their conference T-shirt. Both of these are included in the full conference fee. Please carefully choose your handbook language and correct T-shirt size when you register.

There is an additional cost for these items for day visitors or for children who are not paying full price.

EFC: Children registered without meals or with only half-sized meals will receive a workbook but not a T-shirt included in their reduced registration fee. However, handbooks and T-shirts may be added to their (or your) registration and purchased through the registration form.

Purchasing Extras

All registrants can order additional handbooks and T-shirts in advance, e.g. to take to saints back home.

During the conference, the availability of surplus items to purchase will be limited, and sales typically do not begin until mid-week. To avoid the disappointment of a specific handbook language or T-shirt size or design being unavailable, we strongly recommend that you order these in advance through your registration form so that these can be printed/ordered for you.

Please carefully review the summary on the Payment page of your registration form to check that everything you expect to be ordered has been correctly added to your account.

T-shirt Sizes

Please note that T-shirts are European sizes, which are one size smaller than North American sizes (e.g. If you are from North America and typically order an “M” size, you may want to order an “L” size instead).

The fit of the “mens” T-shirt is often looser than the “ladies” T-shirt (sisters are more than welcome to order a “mens” T-shirt if that fit is preferred).

The designs of the EYPC T-shirt and the EFC T-shirt are different. You will receive the T-shirt for the conference you are registered for, although you may purchase additional T-shirts from either conference.

If the T-shirt you receive at the conference does not quite fit you the way you would like, you may try to swap it with another saint who wants the size that you have.

T-shirt exchanges through the Conference Office will not take place until around the third day of the conference. If you plan to try to exchange your T-shirt for a different size (if it is available), you should not continue to wear your T-shirt during the conference as we will not be able to receive back any soiled or damaged T-shirts.

Transport

Travelling to and from Małe Ciche

Transport shuttles are provided from Kraków Airport (KRK) to Małe Ciche and back again after the conference. These must be requested and paid for in advance during registration. Please see the Transport Information and read all the information carefully before booking any flights.

It is also possible to make your way directly to Małe Ciche via private vehicle or public transport. Again, please see the Transport Information, especially related to arrival times at the village.

During the Conference

Within the village, you will need to be able to walk a few times a day between your accommodation and your conference tent. This does include a slight incline in one direction and may include some steeper inclines.

For scheduled activities, such as the mid-week hike, transport will be provided.

Parking

On the day of the hike, all cars parked between Houses 44 and 46 will need to be moved early in the morning (or the previous evening) in order to accommodate the coach pickups in this area.

If you are planning to drive to the conference, there are usually parking spots available in front of the houses. There are also a few spaces available in front of the EFC tent (middle of the village) and limited space in front of the Senior Conference tent (bottom of the village).

Bicycles

Some practical serving saints in the coordinating team may use bicycles in the village; however, young people should not hire bicycles during the conference. We recommend that families also avoid hiring bicycles during the conference for safety reasons.

Safety & Security

Each EYPC or EFC participant will receive a badge/lanyard with their name on it when they check in at the conference. The conference badge/lanyard MUST be worn during all conference activities. Anyone who is not wearing their badge/lanyard will NOT be allowed into the conference tents to join the meeting. This is a safety measure that will be implemented as there are other groups/visitors staying in or passing through the same village.

EFC: Parents are responsible for the safety and security of their children at all times during the conference.

Conference Area

EYPC: Young people must stay within the designated conference areas of the village and not wander off by themselves. Serving ones should know where the young people assigned to them are at all times.

EFC: Participants should stay within designated areas used by the conference and should not wander off by themselves.

Vehicles and Motorbikes

The road that runs through the village has constant vehicular traffic within and passing through the village. The locals may drive very fast and not expect to see people walking in the road. Conference participants must take care to walk on the pedestrian pathways and not block the roads. Be careful around parked cars and coaches and with cars turning out of the side roads and near the stores.

River

There is a river that runs through the village. Please be aware that there are sharp objects in the water and the water level can become quite high when it rains and flow very quickly.

First-Aid Station

Before coming to the conference, please consider what medications (prescription and non-prescription) you need on a regular basis and bring what you need with you. Please do not forget to indicate in the registration form if you have any medical issues that may affect you or others during the conference.

There will be a First-Aid Station available for those who become ill or injured during the conference. The serving saints on this team are certified doctors or nurses. If a situation arises where more medical attention is needed, there are local hospitals and clinics 20 minutes away from the village. There are local pharmacies in the area and two local stores that carry non-prescription medications, bandages, and other basic first-aid supplies.

If a hospital visit is required, we can arrange transport and help with translation. Local hospitals and clinics will see foreigners but there will likely be a fee. Those from Europe should bring a valid EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or GHIC (UK Global Health Insurance Card). All registrants from outside Poland will need adequate travel insurance.

In some rare cases, an illness or injury may cause a participant to be isolated or sent home. For instance, if an outbreak of gastrointestinal or respiratory illness occurs, a group (house or team) may be isolated until symptoms subside.

Weather

As the conference venue is located in a mountain village, the weather is variable and can quickly change throughout the course of a day. Be prepared for sunny and warm weather as well as for chilly and rainy weather; in general, the mornings and nights are rather cool/chilly. Please check the weather forecast for the area and pack appropriately; for example, bring coats and shoes that are waterproof.

EFC: It is common for Małe Ciche to become wet and muddy. We recommend that parents bring extra changes of clothing and multiple pairs of shoes, especially for their children.

Electronics

EYPC: The young people will not be allowed to have their phones or other devices with them during the entirety of the conference. If there is a special need/circumstance, a serving one may use their phone on the young person’s behalf. Any electronic devices brought to Poland must be handed over at registration and will be returned after the conference.

Serving ones should keep their phones on them as they will need to be able to check announcements and/or stay in touch with their service teams. Serving ones should also make sure that WhatsApp is downloaded on their phone so that they can be contacted during the conference if needed. Please provide your WhatsApp number during the registration process.

It is recommended to make sure you have data service while you are in Poland, such as through roaming services from your home provider. In many cases, an eSIM, for compatible phones, is a cost-effective way to stay connected.

EFC: The children will not be allowed to have or use phones during the entirety of the conference.

Parents and other adults in the EFC are encouraged to have data service on their mobile device during the entire conference as they will need to be able to check announcements and/or stay in touch with their service teams. Please provide your WhatsApp number during the registration process.

Pets

We are not able to accommodate pets at the conference. Any accommodation for pets must be made outside the conference village of Małe Ciche.

Things to bring

Essentials

Passport
Please check the specific entry requirements into Poland for your country. Citizens of some countries may require a visa. If you do need a visa, please let your coordinator ahead of time as it can take some time for visas to be issued.
EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card)
This applies to residents of European Union and European Economic Area countries only.
Bible and hymnal – bring to every meeting
Any other health insurance documents

Clothing

Bring enough clothing for one week since you will not be able to do laundry. Also bring clothing and footwear suitable for outdoor activities and be prepared for wet weather.

A lightweight waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella for the rain
A hat or cap for the sun
Flip-flops for the shower

Good footwear is essential for hiking activities. (Hiking is optional for EFC registrants). To avoid blisters, footwear should be comfortable, well-fitting with good ankle support and well broken-in; proper hiking boots (not climbing boots) are preferable.

All bedding will be provided by the house where you will stay. Towels are not provided.

EFC: In the village, some of the activities might involve mud and water. You may want to bring an extra pair of shoes and clothes for your children.

Toiletries and Personal Items

Soap, shampoo, towel, and deodorant
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hairbrush or comb
Sunblock
Torch (flashlight)
Pens and notepad (for note-taking)

Medication (where appropriate)

Asthma inhaler
Allergy medicine
Any other prescribed or non-prescribed medication

Translation

EYPC: Those who require translation in the EYPC meetings should bring an FM radio (not a phone).

EFC: Those who require translation in the EFC meetings should bring their smartphones with a pair of headphones. Please install the “Listen Everywhere”/”ListenWifi” app (via Google Play for Android phones or via the App Store for iPhones).

Medical Insurance and EHIC/GHIC

We require that everyone take out their own travel insurance before leaving for Poland. Details of insurance must be given as part of registration.

Please also apply for and bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC – EU and EEA countries only) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC – UK) with you. This card entitles residents of these countries to reduced-rate or free medical care while visiting Poland (replaces the former E111). These cards are free to apply for.

Buying Things in the Village

There are two small convenience stores located within the village of Małe Ciche. The stores offer basic necessities as well as basic food items and snacks.

EYPC: Access to the stores is restricted for the young people to certain times of the day.

Limited Currency Exchange

There may be limited currency exchange available through the Conference Office, but this will not be till later in the week and only at set times. We cannot guarantee availability of currency exchange, and you may get a more favourable rate by exchanging money at the airport. We recommend you exchange your currency before arriving in Małe Ciche.

Pocket Money

There is no ATM in the village. Saints will have to exchange money into Polish currency BEFORE coming to the conference. A few stores do accept credit or debit cards.

EFC: If you feel like your family may want extra snacks or a meal out, you may want to bring approximately 25 PLN spending money per person. This is not necessary as all your meals are provided, but it is optional.

Safeguarding

The European Young People’s Work prioritises the safeguarding of children as paramount. It is the duty of registration regions to ensure that all serving ones and helpers undergo necessary background checks to qualify them for working with young people. Procedures may vary locally, but typically entail police or government background screenings and relevant training.

EYPC 2025 – Save the date!
27 July – 2 August 2025

Registration will open soon!

Registration is now open.

The registration deadline is 9 June 2024.

The registration deadline has now passed.

The registration deadline was 9 June 2024.

The travel edits deadline has been extended to 24 June 2024.

To complete or update your travel information, please log in and do this before the deadline.
After this point, changes must be emailed to transport@ypconference.eu.