WHY FAMILIES COME
Slow down, go deep, live on island time.
Hvar is the Mediterranean summer people picture when they think of Greece, France or Italy, without the crowds. The whole town of Jelsa moves on foot, the water is a colour nobody quite believes, and life runs at island pace.
This retreat is built around a simple rhythm: time together, time apart. Young people spend afternoons and evenings out on the island with local makers, farmers, sailors and cooks, learning real skills and doing work the community is counting on. Parents get mornings with their family and afternoons that are genuinely their own. Everyone lands back at the same table.
THE WEEKLY RHYTHM
A rhythm you sink into, not a schedule you keep.
MORNINGS AND LUNCH
As a family. Swim, market, coffee on the riva, a long lunch, nothing scheduled.
MON · WED · FRI, 1:00 TO 9:00 PM
1:00 to 3:00 Intergenerational Workshops at the Field School Hub, open to OEG youth and companions, Field School parents and Hvar partners
3:00 to 5:00 Art and Artisan Hours
5:00 to 7:00 Nature and Sport Adventures
7:30 to 9:00 Dinner
AFTER 9:00 PM
Back together. Gelato and late hangs in the plaza. Youth head into town, with a check-in time agreed with each family.
TUESDAYS · 9 AM TO 9 PM
Apprenticeship Day. Each youth delegate joins a local entrepreneur, chef, skipper, scientist, artist, lawyer, architect or educator for a day of shadowing and support.
THURSDAYS · 9 AM TO 9 PM
Island Exploration Day. Open to delegates and companions, with several options in small cohorts. OEG handles all transportation, meals and logistics.
WEEKENDS
Unprogrammed. Boat days, beaches, Split, or rest. Week two closes with an evening and showcase on Friday, July 2.
The schedule is built around our island partnerships and is a general overview, subject to change with the weather and other logistics. We understand families have different travel needs and some may need to depart early. Please do your best to arrive by June 19 so you do not miss orientation and kickoff events.
LIFE BETWEEN THE PROGRAM
The magic happens in the in-between hours.
Some of the best moments on Hvar will never appear on a schedule. Here is what we imagine happening in the hours between programming.
Sunrise rides and swims
Early risers meet up for a bike ride or a swim in the Adriatic as the sun comes up.
Long lunches, late nights
Families gather for lunch together and for late night hangs in town.
The nightly soccer game
An intergenerational soccer game in town every night. All ages, all skill levels, plenty of cheering.
Mentorship, the easy way
College students and young adults share their life experiences with older teens in a relaxed, informal kind of mentorship.
Networking over coffee
Early career companions, like older siblings and family friends, meet parents and other adults over coffee in town, a swim or a boat day.
Phones down
Very few minutes spent on phones and devices. Lots of laughter, adventure and real conversation.
Connections were never meant to be so formal and planned.
When generations share the same table, the same water and the same streets, something shifts. Young people gain mentors without anyone calling it mentorship. Adults remember how to play. Teenagers look out for the little ones, and grandparents learn a thing or two from the teenagers.
That is what intergenerational convening is all about: slowing down long enough to really know each other, and going home with friends of every age.
Photo: The Field School of Hvar
FOR PARENTS AND COMPANIONS
FOR YOUTH, AGES 13 TO 20
Adventure meets impact meets culture meets memories.
A leadership and impact program built on agency, authenticity, awareness and action: weekly apprenticeships, hands-on artisan work, service with the Field School farm and camp, and the independence to know a town by heart. Professional fellows share their craft in Art and Artisan Hours, the island is a playing field, and snacks and dinner are included every program day.
Delegates are deliberately not sorted by age. The younger ones see what sixteen and twenty look like up close. The older ones discover they have something to offer. Two weeks is where the real immersion happens: by week two, young people know the town by heart.
Mornings together. Afternoons that are yours.
Companions are the adults who travel with a delegate: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, family friends and adult siblings 19 and up who are not participating as youth delegates. They are invited into the parts of the program that the OEG and Field School team curate for companions.
Companions join three shared family meals each week, the Monday, Wednesday and Friday Intergenerational Workshops, and Thursday Island Exploration Days. A series of place- and weather-specific day trips is offered, most included in the companion fee, with a few private tours with outside companies at additional cost. Adults receive a separate note to sign up once trips are confirmed. The 1:00 to 9:00 block lines up with a full East Coast working day if you need to work.
YOUNGER CHILDREN
The Field School of Hvar, ages 3 to 12
Children ages 3 to 12 can join The Field School of Hvar, whose programming runs the same hours in collaboration with the OEG Youth program. Families with younger children come for the full two weeks and enroll directly with Field School at fieldschoolhvar.org.
PRICING AND WHAT IS INCLUDED
One fee per youth delegate, one per companion.
$3,450
PER YOUTH · TWO WEEKS
$1,950
PER YOUTH · ONE WEEK
$995
PER COMPANION · TWO WEEKS
$595
PER COMPANION · ONE WEEK
Two weeks: June 19 to July 2. One week: June 19 to 26, with programming beginning at the opening dinner on Sunday, June 20. Youth delegates are ages 13 to 20; companions are the adults travelling with them.
INCLUDED
During scheduled OEG programming: the listed activities, local transportation, youth snacks and dinners on every program day, Island Exploration Day meals, three shared family meals each week and gratuities.
SEPARATE
Flights, accommodations, family meals outside scheduled programming and optional add-ons. OEG provides housing guidance and connections to trusted local drivers, chefs and boat captains. We recommend The Fontana; Airbnbs and other resorts are wonderful too but may need a bike or car. Book early, as Hvar fills fast in June and July.
PAYMENT
Reserve your place. Very limited spots.
A $500 deposit per youth delegate, due by November 15, 2026, holds a spot in the cohort, in the order applications arrive. The remaining balance is due by January 15, 2027.
Submit your application below, then reserve online through our secure registration page: pay the $500 deposit now, or pay the full Youth Program or Companion fee in one step. Prefer bank transfer (ACH)? Email us and we will send an invoice.
Need a scholarship to attend? Families who need financial support in order to join us should reach out directly to Annie at opportunityeducationglobal@gmail.com.
OR PAY IN FULL
OPTIONAL · A WAY TO GO DEEPER
Become an Impact OEG Family
Bring your family to Hvar and open the door for others to join you. An Impact OEG Family makes a $15,000 investment in OEG. It covers program fees for every member of your family and funds scholarships that bring local Croatian families, teachers and fellows into the program alongside you.
As our thanks, Impact OEG Families are invited to an unforgettable evening at the OEG VIP x Maslina Resort party on Saturday, June 26, which falls within both the one-week and two-week stays.
Becoming an Impact OEG Family is optional and never a requirement to participate. Every family is welcome at the standard program fee.
FAQS
Questions families ask
Is one week or two weeks better?
Two weeks is where the real immersion happens. By the second week the novelty fades and island life takes over. One week is a strong introduction for families with less time. We understand some families may need to depart early; please arrive by June 19. Programming begins with the opening dinner on Sunday, June 20.
Who is the Youth Program for?
Young people ages 13 to 20. Mixed ages are part of the design: young people rarely get to connect with people a little older or younger, and they do here.
Where do we stay?
Families book their own accommodation. For simple, cozy accommodations with an island feel, the easiest access to OEG programming and a walk into town, we recommend The Fontana. Airbnbs and other resorts are wonderful options too, but may need a bike or car to get around. Jelsa is small and accommodations book up fast.
Are meals included?
Youth have snacks and dinner every program day. Everyone shares three family meals each week, and Island Exploration Day meals are included. Other meals are on your own, and Jelsa makes that easy.
Can younger siblings come?
Yes. Children ages 3 to 12 can join The Field School of Hvar for the full two weeks. Enroll directly with Field School at fieldschoolhvar.org.
How do youth get to and from programming?
OEG and Field School handle all program transportation, including travel to and from apprenticeships and Island Exploration Days.
APPLY
Apply for Hvar 2027
A few quick questions so we can get to know your family. Places are held with a $500 deposit, in the order applications arrive.
BRING YOUR OWN GROUP
Design a custom Family Impact Retreat.
Have a school community, a circle of families, a foundation or a team that wants to go deeper together? We design and host private Family Impact Retreats for groups of 15 to 150, with programming for every age, from little ones to grandparents. Expect the same mix of intergenerational workshops, hands-on learning, time outdoors and shared tables. You bring the people. We handle the program, local partners and logistics.
WHERE WE WORK
Jackson Hole, WY · Napa Valley and coastal California · Southern California · Red River Gorge, KY · Vermont · Hudson Valley, NY · Aspen, CO · and beyond
