Roots Revival 2027
Where volunteering becomes leadership.
Roots Revival: A Volunteer-Centred Leadership Experience in Greece
For high school and CEGEP students | Athens & Naxos, Greece | June 30 – July 13, 2027
Roots Revival is a two-week international experience combining meaningful volunteering, cultural immersion and leadership development in Greece. Through hands-on community experiences, shared responsibility and guided exploration, students are challenged to become more confident, adaptable and engaged young leaders.
More Than a Trip to Greece
An experience designed to broaden how students see themselves, their communities and the world around them.
Roots Revival is designed as an international experiential-learning program rather than a sightseeing tour. Throughout the program, students take part in carefully planned activities that encourage them to contribute, collaborate, build confidence and take on appropriate levels of responsibility within a supportive group setting.
Volunteer experiences are intentionally manageable and integrated into the broader itinerary. Typically lasting about 90 minutes to two hours at a time, these activities give students a meaningful way to contribute to local community or environmental initiatives without overwhelming the cultural, educational and social dimensions of the program.
Across Athens and Naxos, participants volunteer alongside local organizations and communities, learn from local practitioners, explore history and contemporary Greek life, and take part in hands-on cultural and environmental experiences.
The goal is to turn experience into growth, helping students understand leadership through volunteering, responsibility and contribution.
What Students Take Away
Practical leadership skills and personal growth students can carry forward.
Leadership through volunteering. Students experience leadership as responsibility, initiative and contribution rather than title or authority.
Collaboration and adaptability. Students learn to navigate unfamiliar situations, work within a small group and solve problems together.
Civic and community engagement. Participants see firsthand how individuals, nonprofits and communities contribute to social and environmental well-being.
Cultural competency. Students learn to engage respectfully with another society while examining their own identity, assumptions and values.
Confidence and independence. The international environment challenges participants to become more self-reliant while remaining within a carefully supervised program.
Interested in Roots Revival for Your Students?
We’re inviting schools, teachers and student leaders to explore participation in Roots Revival 2027. Whether you are considering recommending the program to individual students or exploring participation by a small group from your school, we would be pleased to share additional program information and discuss how Roots Revival could fit within your school’s approach to leadership, volunteering and experiential learning.
Rooted in Greece.
Open to Everyone.
Roots Revival welcomes both Hellenes and Philhellenes. For some students, those roots are inherited through family and heritage. For others, they are found in the ideas, values and civic traditions that Greece helped introduce to the world.
The program is open to students of all cultural backgrounds who are interested in volunteering, leadership, community and experiencing Greece beyond traditional tourism.
How Schools Can Participate
Schools can participate in the way that works best for their community. A school may recommend individual students, encourage a small group to participate together, or explore having a teacher or school representative accompany its participating students.
Greek Roots manages the program in Greece, including accommodations, local transportation, scheduled activities, volunteer experiences, local program coordination and overall supervision. Schools are not expected to organize the international program themselves.
2027 Program at a Glance
Dates: June 30 – July 13, 2027 (14 days)
Locations: Athens & Naxos, Greece
Format: Small-groups of 12-14 students
Program fee: Approximately $4,100 CAD per participant, not including airfare
The program fee includes accommodations, scheduled meals, transportation within Greece, scheduled activities and admissions, volunteering experiences, local program coordination and Greek Roots supervision. Final program pricing and inclusions will be confirmed before registration.
FAQ’s
What grades is the program designed for?
Roots Revival is designed primarily for students in Grades 10 through 12 and at the CEGEP level.
Participation is based not only on grade level but also on maturity, willingness to contribute, openness to new experiences and readiness to participate in a small-group international program.
Is Roots Revival only for students of Greek heritage?
No. Roots Revival welcomes both Hellenes and Philhellenes. Students of Hellenic heritage may see the experience as an opportunity to deepen their connection with Greece, while students from all backgrounds are welcome to participate.
You don’t have to be Greek to have Hellenic roots. Many of the ideas and civic traditions that continue to influence democratic societies have deep connections to Hellenic civilization.
How is Roots Revival different from other youth travel and educational programs?
Roots Revival is operated by Greek Roots, a Canadian nonprofit organization. Program fees are used to deliver and support the experience rather than generate profits for a commercial tour operator.
The program is also intentionally longer than many youth educational tours. Roots Revival provides two full weeks in Greece, giving students more time to volunteer, build relationships, experience both Athens and Naxos, and grow together as a group.
Greek Roots works to keep the program competitively priced while maintaining the small-group format, supervision and depth of programming that distinguish Roots Revival. Our objective is not simply to offer students more days abroad, but more meaningful days abroad.
Can a school send several students together?
Yes. Schools may recommend an individual student or encourage a group of students to participate together.
Greek Roots is particularly interested in developing relationships with schools that see volunteering, leadership and international experiential learning as valuable complements to the classroom experience.
Does a teacher need to accompany students from our school?
Not necessarily.
Roots Revival includes Greek Roots supervision and works with an established local organizing partner in Greece throughout the program. Schools interested in having a teacher or representative accompany their students are also welcome to discuss that possibility with us.
Who supervises students while they are in Greece?
Participants travel with representatives of Greek Roots and are supported by our local organizing partner in Greece, which assists with program coordination and local guidance.
Additional professional guides, facilitators and specialists are engaged where required by the itinerary.
The intentionally small cohort allows students to be known personally and supported throughout the experience.
What kind of volunteering will students do?
Volunteer activities vary according to local needs and the final itinerary, but may include environmental stewardship, community clean-ups, food-support initiatives, agricultural and sustainability projects, and other community-based activities.
The objective is not simply to accumulate hours. Volunteering is used as a vehicle for developing responsibility, collaboration, civic engagement and leadership.
Can volunteer hours be documented?
Yes. Greek Roots can provide participating students with a record of their volunteer involvement.
Schools and other organizations can then determine how those hours may be recognized within their own volunteer or community-service requirements.
Is Roots Revival a sightseeing tour?
No. Cultural and historical exploration is an important part of the experience, but Roots Revival is designed as an experiential-learning and volunteer leadership program.
Students are expected to participate, contribute, collaborate and reflect throughout the experience rather than simply visit destinations.
Why Athens and Naxos?
The two destinations provide very different learning environments.
Athens exposes students to the history, contemporary civic life and complexity of a major European capital. Naxos offers a more intimate experience of island community life, agriculture, sustainability, food traditions and environmental stewardship.
Experiencing both allows students to see Greece from perspectives that extend well beyond traditional tourism.
What does the program cost?
The current working estimate for the 2027 land program is approximately $4,100 CAD per student, with final pricing to be confirmed.
The fee is expected to include accommodations, scheduled meals and meal allowances, transportation within Greece, ferry transportation, scheduled activities and admissions, volunteer programming, local coordination and Greek Roots supervision.
What support is available to help families manage the cost?
Greek Roots recognizes that an international experience represents a significant financial commitment for many families, and we want to make participation as accessible as possible.
Families may choose to make monthly payments leading up to the program, allowing the cost to be spread over a longer period rather than paid all at once.
Greek Roots can also provide participating students with access to an online fundraising platform that families can share with relatives, friends and members of their community. We have found that extended family members are often very supportive when a young person is raising funds for an educational, volunteer and leadership experience.
In addition, Greek Roots may be able to provide financial assistance in certain circumstances to help offset a portion of a student’s program or travel costs. Assistance is limited and considered based on established eligibility criteria and available funding.
Families with concerns about affordability are encouraged to speak with us confidentially. We would be pleased to explore the payment, fundraising and financial-assistance options that may be available.
What is the payment and cancellation policy?
Families may make payments toward the program over time rather than paying the full program fee at once.
Payments remain refundable in accordance with the program’s published cancellation schedule. Greek Roots will provide families with the applicable cancellation dates and refund terms before they confirm participation.
If Roots Revival is unable to proceed for any reason, program payments made to Greek Roots will be refunded.
Is airfare included?
No. International airfare is separate.
This gives families flexibility to book directly, use travel rewards or points, coordinate their own travel arrangements, or meet the group in Athens if they are already travelling in Europe.
Participants travelling from Montreal would normally depart on June 29 for arrival in Athens on June 30.
How will students be accommodated?
Student accommodations will be shared, with rooming arrangements established by Greek Roots based on the final group composition and available accommodations.
A limited double-occupancy option may be available at an additional cost, subject to room availability and final rooming arrangements.
How does a student express interest or apply?
Students may be referred by their school or express interest directly through Greek Roots.
Program information sessions and formal application details for the 2027 cohort will be announced as the program is finalized. There is no obligation for a school simply to request additional information or speak with Greek Roots about the opportunity.