seminar camp guide

8/8/2019 Seminar Camp Guide

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S-0 Contents

(The dates in the right hand column indicate when each chapter was last updated. This correspondsto the dates in the footer of each page so you can check your copy is up-to-date.)

S-1 About the CISV Guide 01/01/03S-1.1 Checking your Guide is up-to-dateS-1.2 Definitions and Terminology 26/02/07

S-2 Introduction 01/01/03S-2.1 The Aims of the Seminar Camp ProgrammeS-2.2 General Idea of Seminar Camps 26/02/07

S-2.3 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 26/02/07

S-3 Programme Content 26/02/07S-3.1 Group Living Experience 26/02/07S-3.1.1 Decision Making 26/02/07S-3.1.2 Practical Issues 26/02/07S-3.1.3 Cultural Exchange

S-3.2 Activities Within the GroupS-3.2.1 Camp Meetings/Open Meetings 26/02/07S-3.2.2 SeminarsS-3.2.3 SportsS-3.2.4 Miscellaneous ActivitiesS-3.2.5 Simulation Activities

S-3.3 Activities Involving the Outside WorldS-3.3.1 Open Day 26/02/07S-3.3.2 Guest Speakers 26/02/07S-3.3.3 ExcursionsS-3.3.4 Other Events Outside the CampsiteS-3.3.5 An Activity Involving A Like-Minded Organisation (LMO) 26/02/07

S-3.4 Camp DevelopmentS- 3.4.1 First DaysS- 3.4.2 Camp Changing During TimeS- 3.4.3 Last Days

S-4 Administration 01/04/06S-4.1 General Idea 26/02/07

S-4.2 InsuranceS- 4.2.1 Campsite InsuranceS- 4.2.2 Participants Insurance 26/02/07S- 4.2.3 Staff Insurance

S-4.3 Staff Application, Selection & Reimbursement 26/02/07

S-4.4 Other Administrative Topics

S- 4.4.1 Pre-Camp InformationS-4.4.2 Health and Legal Forms 26/02/07

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S-4.5 Seminar Camp Administrative CalendarS- 4.5.1 Overall calendarS- 4.5.2 Participants calendarS- 4.5.3 Staff calendar 26/02/07

S-5 Hosting a Seminar Camp 01/04/06S-5.1 National Association & Local Chapter RoleS-5.1.1 The SiteS-5.1.2 Finances for HostingS-5.1.3 Hosting Participants before and after the Camp 26/02/07

S-5.2 SCC Role

S-5.3 Staff Roles & ResponsibilitiesS-5.3.1 After Staff AssignmentS-5.3.2 Staff Preparation 26/02/07S-5.3.3 Pre-Camp Days

S-5.3.4 Post-Camp Days 26/02/07S-5.3.5 Camp Director 26/02/07S-5.3.6 International StaffS-5.3.7 Home Staff 26/02/07S-5.3.8 Shopping 26/02/07

S-5.4 External Entities to the Seminar CampS- 5.4.1 National Association and Local ChapterS- 5.4.2 External StaffS- 5.4.3 Local People from the SiteS- 5.4.4 Other Visitors 26/02/07

S-6 Sending Participants to a SeminarCamp

26/02/07

S-6.1 Participant Roles and ResponsibilitiesS-6.2 Participant Preparation 26/02/07S-6.3 Participants Follow-Up 26/02/07

S-7 Training & Preparation 01/04/06S-7.1 Staff Training Workshops

S-7.1.1 A Bit of Background: History of SC Staff WorkshopsS-7.1.2 Practical Matters for Hosting a WorkshopS-7.1.2.1 IntroductionS-7.1.2.2 DatesS-7.1.2.3 SiteS-7.1.2.4 Kitchen StaffS-7.1.2.5 Budget 26/02/07S-7.1.2.6 Workshop PromotionS-7.1.2.7 Pre-Workshop PromotionS-7.1.2.8 Workshop TrainersS-7.1.2.9 Workshop CancellationS-7.1.3 Topics to Cover 26/02/07S-7.1.4 Structure of the Workshop 26/02/07

S-7.1.5 Additional Resources 26/02/07



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S-7.2 Participant PreparationS-7.2.1 IntroductionS-7.2.1.1 GoalsS-7.2.2 ContentS-7.2.3 How to Manage the Participants Preparation ProcessS-7.2.3.1 Who is Responsible for the Participants Preparation Process

S-7.2.3.2 The Participant Preparation Survival Kit 26/02/07S-7.2.3.3 Before the Preparation Workshop 26/02/07S-7.2.3.4 During the Preparation Workshop 26/02/07S-7.2.3.5 After the Preparation WorkshopS-7.2.4 How to Practically Organise a Preparation WorkshopS-7.2.4.1 BudgetS-7.2.4.2 Location of Preparation Workshop 26/02/07S-7.2.4.3 Workshop Settings

S-8 Risk Management 01/04/06S-8.1 Introduction

S-8.1.1 Why is Risk Management so Important to CISV?S-8.1.2 How does CISV approach Risk Management?S-8.1.3 Complying with Legal RequirementsS-8.1.4 Developing and Complying the CISV Rules

S-8.2 Rules & Policies 26/02/07

S-8.3 Sending Home a Participant or Staff 26/02/07

S-9 Evaluation 26/02/07S-9.1 By Participants 26/02/07

S-9.2 By Staff 26/02/07

S-9.3 Camp Report26/02/07

S-10 Appendices 01/04/06S-10.1 Seminar Camp FormsS-10.1.1 Expenditure Request Form (ERF)S-10.1.2 Advance Request Form (ARF)S-10.1.3 DPAF Delegation Participant Attendance Form (MIL)S-10.1.4 Programme Director's Report Form (2004)S-10.1.5 Seminar Camp Report Form 26/02/07



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S-1 About the CISV Guide

The CISV Guide contains all the information you will need to host or participate in a CISV programmeor activity. It consists of eight parts: one General Guide and seven Programme Guides.

The General Guide contains information that applies to every CISV programme whilst theProgramme Guides contain information that is unique to the individual programmes. Each of theeight guides uses the same basic structure (shown below), making them simple to navigate.

General Guide:

1. About the CISV Guide2. Introduction3. Programme Content4. Administration5. Hosting a Programme6. Sending Participants to a Programme

7. Training8. Risk Management9. Evaluation10. Appendices

Programme Guides:

1. About the CISV Guide2. Introduction3. Programme Content4. Administration5. Hosting a Programme6. Sending Participants to a Programme

7. Training8. Risk Management9. Evaluation10. Appendices

Anyone involved with hosting or participating in a programme must read BOTH the General Guideand the relevant Programme Guide. For example, if you are hosting a village you should read boththe General Guide and the Village Guide. It is extremely important that you use both guides,otherwise vital information will be missed.

It is recommended that paper copies of the guide are arranged so that Chapter 1 of the GeneralGuide is followed by Chapter 1 of the Programme Guide, the general Chapter 2 is followed by theprogramme Chapter 2, and so on, essentially combining the two guides to make one large guide.

Whether you are hosting or sending participants to a programme, it is essential that you read all othersections of the guide as some chapters, particularly Training and Risk Management apply tovarious aspects of programme participation.

For easy identification, each of the eight parts uses a different prefix before the chapter/ sectionnumbers. The initials used are shown below with the part they refer to:

G General GuideIC Interchange GuideLW MOSAIC GuideIPP International Peoples Project (IPP) GuideS Seminar Camp Guide

C Summer Camp GuideV Village GuideY International Youth Meeting (IYM) Guide

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S-1.1 Checking your Guide is up-to-date

CISV programmes and procedures are always evolving, and over time the CISV Guide will be updatedto reflect this. It is important to check that you are working with the most up-to-date version. Thelatest version of the guide will be available from the CISV International website (www.cisv.org). Youcan see when each chapter was last updated by looking at the Contents. The footer of every page willalso contain the date when that chapter was last updated. This way, if you want to update a papercopy, you only need replace the chapter that has been updated.

S-1.2 Definitions and Terminology

A glossary of CISV terms and abbreviations is available in Appendix G-10.1.1 (Info File C-20, CISVSlang Dictionary).

For the purposes of this Guide, the following definitions have been used:

Programme: Any CISV Programme or Activity, which are Interchange, MOSAIC,International Peoples Project, Seminar Camp, Summer Camp, Villageand International Youth Meeting.

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S-2 Introduction

Please also see the Introduction chapter in the General Guide (G-2), as well as an overview and theaims in the General Guide (G-3), which contains information that applies to all CISV programmes.

S-2.1 The Aims of the Seminar Camp Programme

The aims of the Seminar Camp Programme are the following:

to incite the campers to discover and formulate their own opinions about international andintercultural issues by exposing them to the ideas of campers from other nations and cultures.

to help develop the participants self-knowledge, by exposing them to the fun and hardships of agroup living experience, which can help them increase their knowledge of their own motives andbehaviours.

to make campers accept conflicts as a part of daily life and to stimulate a non-violent conflictresolution attitude by creating a special environment that incites it.

to stimulate in young people an interest for the world as a whole and to assume a sense ofresponsibility for its preservation.

to develop the participants maturity by making them responsible for their daily life and to makethem accept their responsibilities for their decisions.

to give participants an opportunity to learn something about other international organizations inwhich they might work towards our common goals.

S-2.2 General Idea of Seminar Camps

The Seminar Camp programme was officially started in 1971. Its origin was Village reunions but theconcept changed and evolved from its original idea to what it is today.

Seminar Camps are a three-week programme for 18-28 international youth aged 17-18, plus Staff.National representation is limited to a maximum of four participants per country. For the duration of theSeminar Camp, the experience is not only about being with each other but also learning from one

another; about oneself, about each other and about the rest of the world. Seminar Camps areopportunities for participants to be exposed to different points of view and to discover their ownresponses to the problems and issues faced by people in general today.

Seminar Camps are mainly driven by the participants, with the Staff serving as a support. Eventhough activities are an important function in achieving the aims, it is the living together that is key toserving its educational purposes.

The atmosphere of Seminar Camps should be constructive and open minded. This does not mean thateverybody has to be friends with everyone else, nor does it mean that people will be smiling all thetime.

A Seminar Camp offers many possibilities. Its programme is based on the desires of the group. The

quality of the experience depends on the translation of aims to practice. It can be a very rewardingexperience which is followed up at a local or national level.

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S-2.3 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

National Associations\Local Chapters\Parents

Q: What do I need to do in order to have a Seminar Camp in my Chapter?A: Please read sectionS-5 (Hosting a Seminar Camp) for details on hosting.

Q: What are the dates for Seminars?A. Please read sectionS-4.1 (General Idea) and S-4.5 (Seminar Camp Administrative Calendar) forinformation on dates.

Q: Is it mandatory for the home NA to pay for International Staffs and Camp Directors to attendthe Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshops?A: No, but it is highly advisable. Please read S-5.3.2 (Staff Preparation) for more information.

Campers (Staff + Participants)

Q: What are the activities in a Seminar?A: Read Chapter S-3 (Programme Content), especially S-3.2 (Activities within the Group) and S-3.3(Activities Involving the Outside World).

Q: Should the SC Guide be read to the letter?A. Yes, when it concerns rules and policies. These are not up for personal interpretation. Apart fromthat, it is primarily a text that is meant to give guidance for Seminar Camps. However, the text doesnot replace good sense.

Q: If I am 18 (or 19), will I be treated differently from 17 year-olds?A: Not at all. Though most 18-year-olds are of legal age in their countries they are nevertheless takingpart in an international programme as participants; and as such no distinction is made regarding agedifference. The treatment of the participants should be equal regardless of age.

Q: If I (Staff) do not attend a Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshop, will I still be able to go toa Seminar Camp?A: Not participating in a Training Workshop (if you havent staffed in a Seminar Camp in the last threeyears) could make the SCC refuse you as a Staff.

Insurance related

Q: Which are the papers I need to take with me?A. You should look into chapter S-10, which should have an indication of all you must bring to thecamp.

Q: What is the procedure regarding Health and Legal Forms?The Health Form must be signed by parents (of youth under 21) and a doctor. The Legal Form mustbe signed by a parent or legal guardian (for youth under 21). People aged 21+ sign their own forms,but a doctor is still required for the Health Form.All staff members and participants must have theseforms signed even if attending a Seminar Camp in their home NA.

The Health Form must be completed and signed no more than three months before the start of thecamp.



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Q: Must all participants have travel/health insurance?A: Yes. It is compulsory for every participant and staff member to be insured. That also includes allparticipants and staff members from the host country.

Q: What happens if a participant does not have insurance?A: If a participant or staff member is not covered at the moment that he/she arrives at a Seminar Campthe Camp Director will call the International Office and they will arrange coverage. The cost of theinsurance coverage will be invoiced to the National Association of the participant which will then claimit from the participant once he/she comes back home.

Q: What kind of insurance is needed?A. The participants must have health and travel insurance. In general, insurance companies providethese two kinds of insurances combined. The health insurance is needed to cover hospitalisation andmedical expenses while the travel insurance covers the loss/theft of the luggage, trip cancellation etc.

Q: What about participants that attend a Seminar Camp in their own country?A: Local/National participants need only have their National Health System coverage or a privatehealth insurance. However, if the National Health System covers only first aid, then even a participantattending a Seminar Camp in his/her own country has to either acquire a suitable private insurance orask to be insured through CISV.

Q: Why do participants need to have insurance anyway?A: There are two main reasons. Firstly, in case a participant needs an amount of money that he/shedoes not have (for medical care or replacing lost luggage) that money should be provided by an

insurance company and not forwarded by CISV (local or national). Secondly, in order for the publicliability insurance to be applicable to the CISV staff members, CISV insurance requires thatparticipants have medical insurance.

Q: Which insurance company to choose?A. Every participant is free to choose any insurance company provided that the policy meets thestandards set by CISV International for the participation to its activities. For more details aboutinsurance see General Guide Chapter G-8 (Risk Management). Another possibility is to get insurancecoverage directly from CISV.

Q: How do I get insurance coverage through CISV?A: A participant that wants to be insured via CISV needs to get in contact with either his/her NationalAssociation or the International Office. The National Association will take all his/her data and will makethe necessary arrangements with the International Office and give the participant a Claim Form.

Miscellaneous

Q: Do I have to read the whole guide?A: You can start by reading a specific topic. If you are part of a Local Chapter thinking of hosting aSeminar Camp you could start by reading chapters S-4 (Administration) and S-5 (Hosting a SeminarCamp). If you are a participant, you can start by reading chapter S-3 (Programme Content) and S-6

(Sending Participants to a Seminar Camp). If you are a Staff you can start by reading chapters S-3(Programme Content), S-5 (Hosting a Seminar Camp) and S-8 (Risk Management).



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Q: What are the golden rules?A: The rules that are written in chapter 8.2 (Rules & Policies).

Q: If I have doubts, who should I contact?

A: The National Seminar Camp Committee/Contact Person (NSCC) or the International SeminarCamp Committee (SCC).

Please check the Seminar Camp website for more questions and answers athttp://resources.cisv.org/scc/pages/welcome.html.



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S-3 Programme Content

Please also see the Programme Content chapter in the CISV General Guide (G-3) which containsinformation that applies to all CISV programmes.

The success of the Camp is largely dependent on the willingness of the campers to shareresponsibility for the whole camp, as well as sharing their thoughts and culture. Sharing is theorganizing principle of the Seminar Camp.

The Seminar Camp blends social aspects of a large group living together, with individual personalitydevelopment. The schedule which is planned can be a mixture of challenging, exhausting, entertainingand creative activities. It is a programme that is not pre-set but a blend of topics and activities, chosenby the group to meet their aims. As long as laws are obeyed, rules are kept and people arerespected, there is no limit to what can be done in a Seminar.

The main focus of Seminars is peace activities, conflict solving and cooperative living. Seminars areconducted to promote cross-cultural communication, cooperation and non-violent conflict resolution.

S-3.1 Group Living Experience

Learning how to cope with the benefits and hardships of living in a closed community is one of the keyelements to a Seminar Camp, linked with the core of most of the Seminar Camps aims.

A large part of the camp develops outside the activities. Waking up fellow campers, cleaning, cooking,eating, organizing the camp, preparing activities, evaluating activities, preparing campfires, relaxing inthe sun, sharing feelings informally after dinner all this is part of the camp life. These are crucial tothe camp, as often intense moments of sharing or real conflicts appear during these periods.

Sharing the responsibilities and tasks of the Camp is the key for a successful camp. Campers shouldfeel part of the decision making process, as well as of the actual tasks itself. What Staff andParticipants should have in mind is that conflicts in this area (like in any other area) should not beignored and should be addressed as soon as possible.

Having enough free time is also very important to the Camp. This helps individuals to relax the bodyand the mind, which is extremely important, especially if the camp has intensive activities or verydemanding tasks or events. On the other hand, too much free time can easily become negative for thecamp, as it could contribute to a slowdown of the camp quality. And as time is not recoverable, thatcould mean a loss of time, which Campers could later regret. Energy is contagiousso too much freetime could also reduce the enthusiasm in the camp.

Different people have different needs and habits. Therefore, finding a balance between free time,activities and tasks is not always easy. This can (and should) be discussed amongst the group inorder to try to achieve a reasonable compromise.

S-3.1.1 Decision Making

The decision making process is constant throughout the camp, as there are a number of decisions to

be made daily in the camp.

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As the camp develops so does the interaction between the participants and this also affects thedecision-making process. The group need to do certain things together (practical tasks and activities)and these should be discussed between the participants.

Above all, the decision-making process should be based on a comfortable atmosphere, where peopleare comfortable enough to share their thoughts and where no one feels disregarded. It is important to

make everyone feel at ease to share their thoughts, even if it contradicts that of the majority.

Group decisions can be very difficult to make. Even though desirable, consensus sometimes is justnot possible or advisable. Chances are that not everyone agrees with the decisions made, but thecrucial thing is that everyone has a real opportunity to defend their point of view.

How to make collective decisions is up to the group. There is no preferred way to make them, aslong as what is stated above is respected.

The way to organize the tasks and activities is also up to the group. Most staff groups allocate sometime in the beginning of the Camp in order to discuss how the decisions should be made and how thetasks are going to get done. The group should define how decisions are going to be made and taskscompleted.

One way to make global decisions (e.g. which activities to have at what time in the day) is through thetool of the Camp Meeting, which is detailed in chapter S-3.2.1of this guide.

S-3.1.2 Practical Issues

The practical aspects of living together are important to achieve the Seminar Camp aims. Therefore,the practical tasks should never be neglected or given less importance. It is in these small tasks wherepeople get to know each other that conflict often arises and where cultural issues can surface.

Practical tasks (at the campsite) should be done by the participants. These include laundry, cooking,cleaning dishes, setting the tables, cleaning the floor, making the beds, etc. These tasks do not needto be boring or annoying tasks. With imagination, the campers could find creative ways to make themfun parts of the camp. The daily tasks usually take a significant part of the daytime why not makethem more fun and enjoyable?

The participants plus staff can organize the practical tasks in any way that they see fit, realizing thatthere is not any ideal (or preferred) method to do it. The true important factor is that the people feelcomfortable with the arrangements, both in terms of individual contribution to the camp and with theoutcome (e.g. level of cleaning).

S-3.1.3 Cultural Exchange

Cultural exchange is an essential part of the programme. By having participants from different culturalbackgrounds considerable cultural exchange will take place throughout all of the camp aspects.Therefore it is not necessary to spend a big amount of time on this through activities.

Nevertheless, cultural groups should have the possibility of presenting their background in a specificway if they wish. The staff should emphasize before the camp that participants can collect materialsfrom their country, and to mention beforehand if they will have the possibility to prepare food from theircountry.



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S-3.2 Activities within the Group

S-3.2.1 Camp Meetings/Open Meetings

There has to be a moment in camp when the group (staff + participants) come together and evaluatethe past, think about the present and determine why, where and how the camp should progress fromthat moment onwards.

Camp Meetings should be planned, just like any other activity! There is no pre-determined way forCamp Meetings to be run, and creativity is needed in this crucial activity. Some points to considerwhen planning such an event are:

When do Camp Meetings start? (Considering different levels of concentration during the day.)

Frequency of the meetings?

How long should the Camp Meeting last? What is the best environment for a Camp Meeting?

How should the meeting be structured? Are there camp activities which happen without the Camp Meetings decisions? How will decisions be made?

What are the planning groups supposed to do?

Are there alternatives to the Camp Meeting planning systems, should there be alterations in thestructure of the meeting?

What is the role of the staff members during the Camp Meeting?

Camp Meetings without special preparation (planning) easily become very boring and tiring events,with details often being discussed for a long time. This quite often leads to a certain adversity to CampMeetings by participants, which, in turn, leads to many participants desiring fast decisions rather thangood decisions.

This possibility (unfortunately not uncommon in the past) is putting it at a risk to part from theeducational aspects of the Seminar Camp, so this event should be dealt with the same level ofpreparation as at least all other activities. There is no reason why creativity shouldnt be present inthis type of activity, as long as the aim is reached and that topics are discussed seriously and within acomfortable atmosphere. During Camp Meetings participants should be able and encouraged toexpress very openly anything they may be uncomfortable with and not just issues regarding activities.

Even though it is good to have scheduled moments like this in the camp, issues will certainly appearduring the evolution of the Seminar Camp, so Camp Meetings (regardless of the name) can happenon a spontaneous basis whenever any participant needs it.

S-3.2.2 Seminars

It has been discovered by psychologists that learning in groups creates a great impact on youth.Group activities that are well chosen, interesting and sensitive have the most appeal to them. It istherefore customary to divide the participants into sub-groups to discuss various topics during theCamp.

Seminars are any activity that focuses the Camp on the exchange of information and sharing opinionsabout a topic. This can involve talking about personal topics or topics affecting a larger number ofpeople than just the camp.



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S-3.2.3 Sports

The amount and kind of sport activities is usually up to the participants'. Sports on a formal basis areusually a minor part of the programme, but recreational opportunities should be provided for each day.

Swimming, softball, volleyball are some examples but there are many more sporty activities to think of.It should be taken into consideration that people are in different physical shape, but still they should beable to participate. Sports should be a time for recreation and relaxation and not be avenues forpressure or competition among the Seminar Camp participants.

S-3.2.4 Miscellaneous Activities

Apart from the ideas already mentioned, the participants will come up with several ideas for furtheractivities. Singing, organized entertainment, parties, film etc. will be important parts of Camp life.

Also free time is essential for the Seminar Camp Programme and enough should be allocated.Informal contacts, preparation for a future activities or the continuation of a successful seminar canhappen here.

S-3.2.5 Simulation Activities

Simulation activities often generate a great deal of interest among participants even before a campbegins. Participants may have heard about them from former Seminar Camp participants and may bekeen on planning something similar in their Seminar Camp. If there seems to be a desire to plan a

simulation activity then at least one staff member should be involved in the planning, and dependingon the nature of the activity sometimes the entire staff group should be informed of the simulation.

A simulation activity is any activity where a situation or a condition that is not real is either introducedas a specific feature of the activity (i.e. the participants are aware of it as a part of the activity) orpassed off as a reality (i.e. the participants believe it to be true and not a planned part of the activity).

Though the benefits of a good simulation activity can have very positive effects on a Seminar Campthe opposite must be said of the effects of a poorly planned simulation activity.

What is important when planning a simulation activity is to always have a very clear purpose with theactivity and to plan it with great care. Many times it is easy to lose focus of the goal and ratherconcentrate on creating an exciting and cool activity. However, simply wanting to see how people will

react is seldom a sufficient reason to do a simulation activity.

Two helpful distinctions to be made are those between small and big simulations and between opensimulations and closed simulations. Open simulations are those simulation activities where theparticipants are aware that an unreal situation is the base for the activity (e.g. a role play); a closedsimulation on the other hand is an activity that is based on an unreal situation which the participantsbelieve is true. These distinctions may help the participants to realize the wide range and possibilitiesof forming a simulation activity. The simulation could in fact just be a small part of a bigger activity andstill add considerably to the whole activity.



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S-3.3 Activities Involving the Outside World

S-3.3.1 Open Day

The Open Day is a day where the camp opens up and shows a little bit of itself to the world, and it isvirtually the only day when visitors are invited to the camp. Therefore it is a good opportunity for thechapter/NA to promote CISV locally. Before the camp starts the local chapter should make clear to thestaff what expectations they have for the Open Day, in a way that they can be included in the OpenDay programme. Advertisement and invitations for the Open Day should be carried out by members ofthe chapter.

The programme may include, for example, a presentation of the local CISV work by a chapterrepresentative but ideally also include Seminar Camp activities for everybody to actively take part in.

S-3.3.2 Guest Speakers

If the staff group wishes, guest speakers could be invited to integrate an activity, where it is thoughtthat he/she would make a positive contribution to the activity. It is desirable that it is a decision madetogether with the participants, but the staff may invite someone beforehand (due to the fact that itusually takes some time to make the necessary arrangements).

S-3.3.3 Excursions

Limited opportunities for sightseeing are part of the programme, but this will mostly be determined bythe location of the campsite. An all-day hike through the countryside or a visit to a major city with ashopping opportunity can reflect the area's highlights and be educational at the same time.

It should be stressed that a Seminar Camp provides more understanding through being with otherpeople than through visiting the hosting country. Nevertheless, visiting a place can also serve as agood stimulus for a seminar.

A minimum of two excursions (and a maximum of three excursions) should be a part of every SeminarCamp, as leaving the site once in a while often has a very refreshing impact on the whole group.

Before the staff members meet or even start corresponding, the home staff and the local chapter canelaborate on a list in order to have several optionsto choose from. This list may include excursionsand guest speakers, both for recreational and educational purposes. As these arrangements are oftena part of the overall idea of the camp, they have to be carefully considered. If appointments have tobe made before the beginning of camp, it is always the choice and responsibility of the staff to makeproper arrangements.

Excursions should always be covered by the camp budget. Participants may not be asked to cover thecost of an excursion or even part of an excursion.

S-3.3.4 Other Events Outside the Campsite

Excursions are usually the only time when the campers leave the campsite. Other situations couldoccur, but they should be mainly exceptions, as they can have a negative effect on the camp.



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When a campsite is chosen, it is because it guarantees general safety and security that a SeminarCamp needs in order to operate. If the campers would like to do an activity outside the campsite, thensafety issues should be taken into account, minimizing the risks as much as possible. Places such asdangerous roads, rivers or lakes that by their nature could be dangerous and un-secure urban orforest areas, should be avoided. At least one staff MUST be with the group in this type of (exceptional)situations.

Shopping is covered in the Hosting a Seminar Camp Chapter (S-5). However, the general idea is thatthe staff and participants should leave the campsite individually as little as possible.

There should always be at least one staff with the participants at all times!

S-3.3.5 An Activity Involving a Like-Minded Organisation(LMO)

At the AIM in 2005 it was decided that an activity involving an LMO was to be incorporated into the

Seminar Camp Programme. Its primary purpose is for the participants to discover, learn about andunderstand the work of another organisation involved in similar or related work to CISV.

This LMO-activity can last for one activity session or throughout the greater part of one day. It can bedone through various means such as e.g. inviting a guest speaker, participating in a local activity orvisiting a community service activity. It can also and ideally be part of one of the excursions. It shouldnevertheless be stressed that the LMO-activity should be an activity and not only the passing on ofinformation.

As with the excursions, the local chapter and home staff should find out beforehand whatorganisations or groups are interested and available in the local area. If possible it should then be upthe whole staff group to decide which Like-Minded Organisation they would like to work with. Due totime-pressure, or availability, however, this decision may be taken by the home staff and the NA/local

chapter.

In order to set up a mutually beneficial arrangement where both groups may learn from each other theLMO-activity can be co-hosted together with the other organisation.

For more information read though the document A Small Guide to an Activity Involving an NGO orLMO.

S-3.4 Camp Development

S-3.4.1 First Days

The first days are very important for the camp, as most people are still withdrawn and probably stillunsure of what exactly is going to happen in the next three weeks.

The staff should give some guidance to the participants, instructing them on safety issues, goingthrough a fire drill with them, transmitting the rules and policies of CISV and any other local legislationor site rules.

It is common (and recommendable) that the staff group prepare some activities for the participantsduring the first days of the camp. This can be useful for breaking the ice, making the staff and

participants getting to know each other as well making the participants acquainted with the new



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environment. The tone of activities done by the staff is often an important key to setting the mood forthe following activities when participants start taking a more active role.

It is extremely important that the whole staff is in the camp (and available) for participants during thefirst days!

S-3.4.2 Camp Changing During Time

The camp will develop throughout its three weeks. Every camp is unique, so it develops according toits very own pace. Some may develop extremely fast and others slower with high peaks of intensity.

The beginning should be focused on more ice-breaking activities and getting to know each other,reinforcing the links between campers.

In the beginning of the camp the staff group often run a couple of activities to break the ice and to givethe participants an idea of what a seminar camp activity may look like. This, however, should not lasttoo long, as the objective is that the whole group (staff and participants) are to manage the camp.

There is a common danger in many camps: fatigue. The over-enthusiasm and the fear of losing anyfun moments by the participants can lead to a trap where the energy is slowly drained and the campstalls.

Changing the course of a camp possessed by fatigue is not easy, but having physical activities, havinga break by assigning a resting day or going out on an excursion could help to turn around thissituation.

S-3.4.3 Last Days

The last days can be a difficult period, as some people might start thinking early about the end of thecamp and lose the mood for some type of activities. It is important that the staff help them understandto use the remaining time in a good way. A way to do this could be to focus on activities that use theemotional charge in some people, rather than on general discussions.



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S-4 Administration

Please also see the Administration chapter in the General Guide (G-4) which contains informationthat applies to all CISV programmes.

S-4.1 General Idea

A Seminar Camp is a three-week programme for 18-28 international youths aged 17-18, plus 4 to 6staff members. National representation is limited to a maximum of 4 participants per country.

The participants are selected by the Home (sending) NA. The two Home Staffs are selected by theHost NA and approved by the SCC. International Staffs and Camp Directors are assigned by the SCC.

S-4.2 Insurance

Campsite, staff members and participants must have appropriate insurance.

S-4.2.1 Camp Insurance

The campsite/facility must be insured. If the property is loaned or rented, this may be included in thelease. If not, the chapter must purchase coverage.

All drivers and vehicles must be properly licensed and insured.

Please see the Risk Management chapter (G-8) for more information about insurance.

S-4.2.2 Participants Insurance

Each NA must have liability and property damage insurance. This is currently organized through CISVInternational, with the exception of Canada and the USA, which purchase their own coverage.

Health and travel insurance is necessary for all participants. The Seminar Camp Staff should checkimmediately upon participants arrival to make sure that they have travel insurance. If they do not,contact the IO immediately and coverage will be arranged right away and billed to the participantsthrough the sending NA.

S-4.2.3 Staff Insurance

All staff members, including Host Staff, must have Medical/Health insurance which is valid in the hostcountry and fulfils CISV International requirements (see General Guide Risk Management ChapterG-8). International staff (and International Camp Directors) must also have travel insurance.

CISV International does not automatically insure the International staff. If a staff member wishes tohave CISV AON Insurance, he/she has to request it from the IO. The CISV AON Insurance covers thestaff member for 45 days. This includes approximately 15 days outside the programme. If a staff

member obtains private insurance he/she will be reimbursed up to the cost of the insurance offered byCISV International (please check with IO as the price is subject to change each year), but the proof ofpayment must be attached to his/her ERF to obtain payment. If a staff member does not have

S-5: Hosting a Seminar Camp Last Updated: 26/02/07


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insurance for the complete duration of the camp, and for the pre and post camp days, the campDirector must contact the IO to arrange for insurance immediately.

S-4.3 Staff Application, Selection & Travel

Reimbursement

The staff travel reimbursement is done only for International Staff and International Camp Directors.When people apply to become International Staff, they indicate their estimated travel costs from theirhome to the relevant camps. This price is a contributing factor in selecting staff, as the SCC has alimited budget. The SCC and CISV International do not necessarily reimburse more than indicated onthe application form of the individual staff member and the reimbursement is only for travel cost andInsurance (see above).

Should an international staff member/camp director not be able to match his/her arrival and departuredates with the camp dates and consequently be in need of accommodation for some additional daycontact should be made with the hosting NA/chapter as soon as possible to see if this is possible.

Though a hosting chapter/NA is not obliged to offer or arrange host stay for staff member before thePre Camp Days or after the Post Camp Days it is nevertheless strongly recommended that HostingNAs/chapters assist international staffs in matters such as these.

In order to receive reimbursement for travel expenses each staff member must fill out an ExpenditureRequest Form (ERF; Appendix S-10.1). If a staff member needs to travel within the host country (e.g.by bus or a train), it is advisable to wait until the travelling time to submit the form. If you must receivereimbursement earlier, it is possible to send an Advance Request Form (ARF; Appendix S-10.1.2). Insuch cases, CISV International will ask you to guarantee that the amount will be repaid should youdecide to cancel your participation (or that you will make an insurance claim and reimburse amountsreceived if you cannot travel due to illness or other such reason).

Remember to fill out: date name and address, telephone number of the staff member

purpose of expense (SC staff travel from where to where and insurance if needed)

committee to be charged: SCC

budget reference: staff travel SC

signature of the staff member requesting reimbursement

please remember to enclose receipts of travel

the form must be sent to IO address on all official stationary.

In case the NA provides the staff member with an advance to pay their travel, the individual staffmember will still have to ask for reimbursement through an ERF filled out by the individual. CISVInternational does not reimburse demands of NAs for Seminar Camp staff travel expenses.

The deadline for submitting the ERF is the 31st

August for camps held between June and August and31

stof January for camps held in December and January.

S-4.4 Other Administrative Topics

For each participant attending a Seminar Camp, the Hosting NA will receive a Host fee. The amount isconfirmed yearly at the AIM, so it can change. Though these fees cover some of the costs of aSeminar Camp they are not enough to financially support the entire camp, so the Hosting NA mustfinance the remainder; e.g. through fundraising activities. It is the responsibility of the Hosting NA tofund the Seminar Camp.



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S-4.4.1 Pre-Camp Information

There should be, at least, three Pre-Camps as outlined below.

Pre-Camp Info #1 Basic Information about camp dates, campsite address, airport information,contact address prior to the camp, Camp Director address and participating NAs. There is a

mandatory form (See Appendix G-10.4.3) that must be completed and sent to all participating NAs(who, in turn, forward it to the participants in that NA), IO and the SCC Chair by March 1 / September1. It may be sent electronically.

Pre-Camp Info #2 and #3 Detailed information about the programme and the camp. There are noforms for these and they can be sent electronically. Pre-Camp Info #2 must be sent to all participatingNAs (and directly to the participants if possible), IO and SCC Chair by April 30 / October 1. Pre-CampInfo #3 must be sent no later than one month prior tom the camp.

The Pre-Camps must include the following:

Arrival and departure dates (very important) Meeting point and how to get there

Camp address and telephone/fax number Procedure of Health and Legal Forms (several times and in bold)

Rules & Policies of the Seminar Camp

Further information that is recommended to include: Staff introductions

Reminder of (host) requirements: visa, vaccinations, etc

Facts about the hosting country: currency, cost of living, climate, customs, etc Location of the campsite

Facilities at the campsite: laundry, food, etc

What Participants can expect and not expect What Participants should bring and should not bring

Ideas for the Participants to start preparing for the camp Requests for participants to write to the staff and inform of any restriction information (e.g. diet)

S-4.4.2 Health & Legal Forms

The procedure beforethe camp is as follows: Participants and Staff should make sure they have the correct forms. See Chapter G-10 from the

General Guide to get the latest Forms.

The Health Form should be correctly filled out and signed by the doctor and the parent/guardian(Staff are the guardians of themselves). Parents/guardians of participants aged 18 must also signthe Health From.

The Legal Form should be correctly filled out and signed by the parent/guardian (staff are theguardians of themselves). Parents/guardians of participants aged 18 must also sign the LegalForm.

Leave a copy of each form at home with parents/guardians (or relatives to Staff members). The original of both these forms must be brought along to the Seminar Camp.

The procedure at the campis as follows: It is the responsibility of the Camp Director to collect the forms as soon as possible, making sure

they are correctly filled out and properly signed.

When going out on excursions, the staff must take the forms (or copies) along.

At the end of the camp, staff members and participants should take the original forms back homewith them.

The most critical things for the staff to check on the Forms are the following: The Health Form must be



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- formally signed by the parents/guardians AND a doctor/physician- less than three months old

The Legal Form must have- the needed info of insurance both name of the insurance company and the insurance

number- the signature of the parents/guardians (even for participants of 18 years of age)

- a maximum pay for the insurance of at least 15 000

EVERYBODY MUST BRING THE HEALTH AND LEGAL FORMS TO THE CAMP . This includes allcampers: Participants (international as well as from the local chapter), Home Staff, International Staffand Camp Director.

The Staff should strongly emphasize this in the Pre Camp Info #2 and #3 as it is a procedurecommonly overlooked by Participants. Past experience says that all possible variations of missingsignature or exchanging the signature of the participant with the one of the parent or doctor can occur.

The most common mistakes by participants are the following:

confusing Legal Forms and using the ALIF instead of the TWAL

no parent signature on the second page of the Legal Form

signature of the parent on the first page of the Health Form instead of the doctors signature no signature of the parent on the second page of the Health Form

What should the Staff do in case of Forms missing or incorrectly filled?

If the person is not fully compliant with the Legal Form requirements, the Staff should contact theParents/Guardians and have them fax a copy of the correctly filled form.

If the person does not have insurance, contact IO at once and have the relevant campers insuredimmediately. You must provide the name, country and birthday of the person in order to have him/herinsured. The IO will later charge the appropriate NA.

If the person is not fully compliant with the Health Form requirements, the Staff should take the

camper to a local doctor to have the Health Form filled out. The costs for this are to be paid by theparticipant.



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S-4.5 General Administrative Calendar

S-4.5.1 Overall Calendar

Below is a summary of the administrative calendar for Seminar Camps. Please also see the GeneralAdministrative Calendar in the General Guide (Chapter G-4).

Further details of Application and Selection Procedure for Staff and Participants are given below.

Year 1(year before programme)

April 1st

National Report Form (NRF), Host & Participant Data Sheets sent out by IO to NAs

June 1st Deadline for NAs to return the NRF, Host & Participant Data Sheets to IO.

Cancelling a camp after this date incurs a penalty.

AIM (during)Preliminary Football Pools distributed to NAs along with a Comment Form for

feedback on invitationsAIM (by end) NAs return Comment Forms to IO facility at AIM

August 31st If Comment Forms are incomplete or not returned by NAs during AIM they must be

returned to IO by this date.

Deadline for hosting NAs to notify IO of any date changes/cancellations for inclusionin Round 1

October 1st

IO sends staff application package to NAs.

October 15th

Round 1 invitations sent out from IO to all NAs

November 16th

Last date for host NAs to change camp dates without incurring a penalty

December 1st

Deadline for SC Staff Applications to be sent to SC Staff Selection Coordinator

Year 2(year of programme)

Deadline for NAs to send acceptances/refusals for Round 1 invitationsJanuary 15

th

Last date for NAs to cancel a Round 1 Seminar Camp invitation

Confirmation of Round 1 acceptances are sent by IO to NAsFebruary 20

th

Round 2 invitations sent out by IO to NAs

Feb 28th/29

th

Last date for NAs to cancel a Seminar Camp invitation for all Jun-Aug SeminarCamps without incurring a penalty (100% of membership, participation host andstaff travel fees)

March 1st Deadline for host NAs to send Pre-camp 1 Form for all Jun-Aug Seminar Camps to

participating NAs and IO and SCC Chair

March 15th

Deadline for NAs to send Round 2 invitation acceptances to IO

March 23rd

Round 3 invitations sent by IO to NAs

April 1st Deadline for host NAs to send Pre-Camp 2 for all Jun-Aug programmes to

participating NAs and IO

April 15th


April 23rd

Round 4 invitations sent by IO to NAs



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April 30th


May 1st Deadline for sending NAs to send Travel information to Host NAs for all Jun-Aug

Seminar Camps

July 31st

Last date for NAs to cancel a Seminar Camp invitation for all Dec-Jan SeminarCamps without incurring a penalty (100% of membership, participation host and

staff travel fees)

September 1st Deadline for host NAs to send Pre-camp 1 Form for all Dec-Jan programmes to


September15th

Deadlines for NAs/Camp Directors to send reports, evaluations and address listsfrom Jun-Aug Seminar Camps to IO and SCC Chair

September 30th

Confirmation of participants for Dec-Jan programmes sent by IO to NAs

October 1st Deadline for host NAs to send Pre-Camp 2 for all Dec-Jan programmes to


November 1st Deadline for sending NAs to send Travel information to Host NAs for all Dec-Jan

Seminar Camps

Year 3(year after programme)

January 31st Deadline for host NAs/Camp Directors to send reports, evaluations and address lists

from Dec-Jan programmes to IO and SCC Chair

For specific information on fees, deadlines and penalties see Info Files C-10 and C-11.

S-4.5.2 Participants Calendar

Participants can only apply to their NA, which will select and assign them according to the followingprocedure:

Round 1:October IO sends the invitations and lists to the hosting/sending nation and the gender of

the participants for each position.January NAs send the list of accepted positions to IO. The gender of the position must be

respected.

NAs send the number of extra participants they have and specify the number offemales and males.

NAs may return invitations with no penalty.

NAs do not specify the names of the applicants.

Deadline 15th January for first round IO sends the results of Round 1 to the SCC Chair.

Round 2:

February IO sends the extra invitations to NAs who have extra participants. NAs send the list of accepted positions from the second round to IO. The gender

of the position must be respected.

NAs may return invitations that have been offered in round 2 with no penalty.

NAs do not specify the names of the applicants. 28/29 February are the last dates for NAs to cancel a Seminar Camp invitation for

all Jun-Aug Seminar Camps without incurring a penalty (100% of membership,participation host and staff travel fees)

March Deadline 15 March for second round

IO sends the results of Round 2 to the SCC Chair.

Round 3:



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IO contacts some NAs to fill vacant positions.

NAs send the list of accepted positions from the third round to IO.

Deadline for third round will be given by IO with the invitations after whichaccepted positions cannot be returned without a penalty.

April IO sends the Seminar Camp Information and Invitation List and the updatedDirectory of Participating National Affiliates to the NAs hosting Seminar Camps.

Extra Information:

Invoices for the number of accepted positions will be sent to the NAs quarterly.

Cancellations after 28/29 February WILL NOT be reimbursed. An Official List of participant names and addresses WILL NOT be distributed to the hosting

NAs.The participants must confirm their attendance to the contact person of their Seminar Camp.

S-4.5.3 Staff Calendar

All staff members, including Home Staff, have to apply to SCC via their NA or PA, following theprocedure outlined below:

October IO sends staff application packages to NA or directs NAs to the following forms

on the website: Staff/Leader Application Form Reference Form List of Seminar Camps, dates and airport codes SC Staff Application Attachment

NAs distribute the application package to the chapters and/or the potential staffapplicants including Home Staff.

November NAs check that the applications forms are correctly filled in. Valid applicationsinclude:Staff/Leader Application Form with complete personal information. 2 reference forms a proof of age (photocopy of ID or Passport Police check (to remain with National Seminar Camp Coordinator)

The NA representative recommends the staff applicant by signing theapplication form and attaching the Seminar Camp Staff Application & ApprovalForm. NAs send the application forms including Home Staff applications to theSC Staff Selection Coordinator.

December The SC Staff Selection Coordinator receives application forms - Deadline:December 1

st. (For Seminar Camps hosted Dec-Jan the deadline is 1 June)

January IO confirms the receipt of all application forms by sending a"confirmation/approval" e-mail to affected NAs. NAs have one week toconfirm/object.

IO informs all staff applicants of the upcoming staff assignment system.

Camp Directors are offered assignments. They have one week to accept/refusetheir position.

IO requests formal acceptance from the applicant for the position or for thewaiting list (on Staff Acceptance Form). Where necessary staff should obtainvisas.



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The reassignment procedure for Camp Directors (if needed) follows the samepattern as outlined above.

IO sends information on Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshops to all staffapplicants. A copy is sent to NAs.

February International Staffs are offered assignments. They have one week to accept/refusetheir position.

IO requests formal acceptance from the applicant for the position or for thewaiting list (on Staff Acceptance Form. Where necessary staff should obtainvisas.

IO informs the staff applicants of the status of their assignment. A copy is sent tothe NAs.

February -March

The reassignment procedure for International Staff (if needed) follows the samepattern as outlined above.

Upon acceptance, IO sends out the information package. The package includesor directs people to:

Expenditure Request Form (ERF 2005; Appendix S-10.1)Health Form (HF; General Guide Appendix G-10.4)Legal Form (ALIF; General Guide Appendix G-10.4)List of staff Members

June The SC Staff Selection Coordinator receives Home Staff application forms forDec-Jan camps - Deadline: June 1

st



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S-5 Hosting a Seminar Camp

Please also see the Hosting a Programme chapter in the General Guide (G-5) which containsinformation that applies to all CISV programmes.

S-5.1 National Association / Local Chapter Role

When the NA offers to host a programme, they should have: a site ready for booking

monitored the availability of people willing to work for their Camp (local chapter).

the finance of the camp guaranteed. potential Home Staff.

Potential Home Staff must be appointed by the NA within the due dates. All staff (including Home

Staff) must be approved by the SCC.

Staff and participants of the activity are the educational unit. Therefore the local chapter and NAshould try to interfere as little as possible with the camp. The role of the hosting chapter during thecamp is very much to support the camp practically, being in close cooperation with the camp. Thisgives participants and staff more opportunity to run a good programme together. The home staffshould be released from local work, which makes them stay away from camp. During the camp, theChapter, the NA, the International Committees and the IO can serve as advisors in special situations.In situations, which are doubtful to the staff or hosting chapter, e.g. policy or disciplinary problems,these bodies should be contacted as needed for advice.

S-5.1.1 The Site

Please see the Campsite chapter in the General Guide (G-5.4) which contains all the neededrequirements for the Campsite.

However, Seminar Camps have some specific items that should be highlighted.

Cooking - Practical work done by campers has an important educational value in a Seminar Camp, asparticipants have to act responsibly on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, it is very important that the siteshould allow for the campers to prepare their own food.

Privacy A Seminar Camp lasts only for three weeks and a big foundation for its success is that theparticipants get to know one another well. Consequently a Seminar Camp is very sensitive to outside

world distraction. To keep the group focused on the camp the campsite should ideally be situated in aquiet area with as little interference and as few distractions from the outside worlds as possible.

S-5.1.2 Finances for Hosting

Each programme should have a treasurer. This person may be the Chapter Treasurer and shouldhave the ability to deal with financial/banking needs of the programme.

The programme budget is vital and should be carefully discussed in the Chapter and with the staff. It

is often helpful for Chapters to have some figures from previous camps in their files in order to forecastcosts.



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Fundraising and seeking contributions in kind are essential parts of hosting an activity. The host feecontribution will assist in covering costs. They may not, however, be sufficient. You may want toconsider seeking free accommodation/food/excursions, donations or grants from government orgranting organizations. Before you agree to host a programme, you must have financing in place.

During the programme, the person responsible for the budget should continuously check that the

budget is being kept. It is a good idea to do a check once a week to see if the spending is withinbudget.

Basic Budget Rules/Items

All expenses for both staff and participants (except personal spending money) are to becovered by the budget.

Staff travel expenses (for Camp Directors and International Staff) are paid by the InternationalSeminar Camp Committee (SCC).

Staff pre and post administrative expenses as well as pre and post meetings are included in thebudget.

Home Staff training costs must be covered by the budget.

All excursion costs (except personal spending money) must be in the budget.

S-5.1.3 Hosting Participants before and after the Camp

Hosting participants before and after the Camp is in line with the recommendations for the otherprogrammes and a high advantage of belonging to this friendly CISV community.

It is strongly recommended that the Hosting Chapter/NA make their best efforts to provide hostfamilies (or similar) for a maximum of two days before the camp if the participants request it.

After the Camp, the Chapter/NA is not obliged to host the participants or drive them to the airport.However, if the participants request it, it is common practice for CISVers to help CISVers, especiallythose who are in an, to them, unknown culture of environment.

S-5.2 SCC Role

Part of the role of the SCC is to be available for Hosting Chapters/NAs as well. Should questions ordoubts arise that the National Seminar Camp Committee/Contact Person cannot assist with the SCCis there to help.

During the Seminar Camp the SCC has contact with all Camp Directors and remains available forthese throughout the whole camp in case help or advice is needed.



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S-5.3 Staff Role and Responsibilities

The Staff in a Seminar Camp have various responsibilities whether practical or regarding programmecontent towards the group, towards themselves and towards CISV in order to ensure the running of

the Seminar Camp.

The Staff are divided into three categories:

Camp Director International Staff

Home Staff

Even though each position carries specific responsibilities, the Staff should function as a team -sharing roles and workload. There is no impediment to any way of dividing work (e.g. InternationalStaff doing the shopping, Home Staffs filling out Incident Report Forms), as long as circumstances andconstraints (e.g. language) are taken into consideration.

All staff must have the following criteria:

all Staff members must be at least 21 years of age and Camp Directors must at least be 23years of age, according to CISV age rules.

at least one of the Home Staff members must have a valid driver licence in the area where thecamp is taking place;

all Staff members must be current members of CISV International

all staff members must have Medical/Health insurance valid in the host country (see GeneralGuide Risk Management Chapter (G-8) for more information about insurance). International Staffmembers need to add travel insurance in addition to that.

all Staff members have to participate in a Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshop (orequivalent) before the camp, unless they have attended a Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshopin the last three years or been Staff at a Seminar Camp within the past three years.

at least one of the Staff members should have first-aid education and preferably know how toact as a lifeguard. The Staff is also obliged to give fire and safety instructions to the participants.

all Staff members must be available at least 4 full days before the camp starts and at least 2 fulldays after the camp.

all Staff members (including Home Staff) must be available for the full period of the camp.

Combining a Staff assignment with a part time job is not an option.

S-5.3.1 After Staff Assignment

As soon as the Staff is informed about the contacts of the other Staff members, they should contacteach other and start to get acquainted with each other. It should be possible for the whole staff to giveinput for the second and third Pre-Camps, dividing the work in any way the whole staff group feelcomfortable with. It is usual (and practical) to divide the Pre-Camps in the following way: the HomeStaff does the first pre-camp and the other Staff members do the second. However, it must be clearthat all the Staff members are equally responsible for the second and third Pre-Camps!

Sometimes it is necessary to have the Open Day and the Excursions days set before the camp, so if

this is the case - the Home Staff should bring up the issue and agree with the other Staff on thesedays.



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Communication between Staff members before the camp should be covered by camp budget, but thiscost should be minimal (or zero) due to currently existing possibilities of communication (e.g. e-mail,Skype). A reasonable amount for this type of costs should be agreed by Camp Director and the HomeStaff right from the start (in their first communication) in order to prevent later misunderstandings. Ifthis type of expense occurs which should be an exception - an invoice MUST be presented.

By the beginning of April (October for Dec/Jan camps) the hosting association should have receivedfrom the IO a list of the number of participants coming from each NA and of the Staff members.

S-5.3.2 Staff Preparation

The SCC strongly recommends that future Staff members attend a Seminar Camp Staff TrainingWorkshop, as this will allow sharing of past experiences, hopes and fears with other Staff membersand provides an opportunity to raise issues and topics to discuss with the fellow Staff members beforethe camp. It is also a good opportunity to (possibly) meet some of the fellow Staff members.

A Staff member applicant may be refused to be Staff based on the following criteria:

If the person has not attended a Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshop (SCSTW) in the last threeyears AND has not been a Staff at a Seminar Camp within the past three years.

The SCC tries to arrange at least one yearly Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshop in each of theregions (North America, Central America, South America, North Europe, South Europe andAsia/Pacific).

The travel and participation of the Home Staff in the Seminar Camp Staff Training Workshop must becovered by the Camp budget.

The SCC recommends that the Home Chapters and Home Associations financially support the travelof International Staff and Camp Directors attending the Workshop, as the inter-cultural environmentand the critical mass of future staff together in one place is a valuable experience that will very likelyincrease the knowledge of the programme and the quality of the Seminar Camps.

S-5.3.3 Pre-Camp Days

The whole staff should meet, prior to the start of Seminar Camp, at least 4 full days before to startdiscussing their ideas for the camp.

The pre-camp days begin when the whole staff meet (which could be before the 4 full days prior to the

official start of the camp). The costs of accommodations, food and transport are covered by the campbudget (for at least the 4 full four days).

The Home Staff, with the advice of the Camp Director, should arrange a place for the staff to meet atleast 4 days before camp starts. The place could be the campsite or any other suitable place.

During the pre-camp days, it is very important that the site should be available for the Staff to visitfreely. Ideally, the site should be totally available during the pre-camp days. However, if it is notpossible, then the site should be available at least one full day before the arrival of participants.

At this meeting, the staff should start to get to know one another, discuss their personal views andexpectations for the camp, as well as to decide how to guide the participants during the camp. It isvery important to emphasize that this meeting should not be used to do practical work, such as

cleaning the campsite or doing shopping for the camp.



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During these days, there should be a meeting between the staff and the hosting chapterrepresentatives to talk about expectations, the budget, and to ensure a good cooperation during thecamp. It can also be a good opportunity to thank the chapter for their (surely) hard work in getting allthe work and organisation done on time.

There is no predefined way to organize the pre-camp days and it can be according to the expectations

and personalities of the Staff members. These are a few topics that the staff might consider when theymeet:

Having plain fun with the whole staff is very important, as is a relaxed way to start to get to knoweach other and to get to know what hopefully will be your first friends during the SeminarCamp;

Discuss what the Staff members expect in the Seminar Camp;

Go through the budget and understand how much can be allocated to what

Unless set already, decide the dates for the Open Day and the Excursions;

Go through several real past scenarios and discuss what should be done and not done;

Divide practical tasks amongst themselves (budget control; camp shop; food supplies, contactwith Chapter, safety, first aid, laundry coordination, driving, etc)

It is important that ALL staff members know the way into the Hospital, so it is recommended thatthis trip is made a few times (with different Staff driving)

Discuss the different staff perceptions of relations and attitudes towards the participants andwhat to guide participants means to them (it is important to exemplify by giving small practicalexamples, not only by general intentions)

Decide how many and what sort of activities are going to be run by the Staff in the beginning ofthe camp;

Discuss how to transmit the rules and how to enforce them during the camp

Go over the security proceedings, such as fire drills (that the Staff will have to pass on to theparticipants later);

Discuss what to expect and not to expect from the Local Committee, SCC and the IO

Something important the Staff should have in mind is that they can discuss all topics in detail, but,once the camp starts, most of the staff will realize that issues can never be fully covered by the pre-camp and just because one topic was discussed in the pre-camp days, it doesnt mean that it will be

understood in the same way by the whole staff.

S-5.3.4 Post-Camp Days

The whole staff group meets for at least 2 full days after the camp for evaluation and to write the campreport. These days do not include cleaning up and closing the campsite. It is necessary to read theparticipant evaluations, evaluate the camp flow, the participants (from the participant perspective aswell as from the staff perspective), and the staff (from the participant perspective as well as from thestaff perspective). It is strongly encouraged that the staff members personally evaluate each other. ASeminar Camp is a learning experience for all people involved and evaluation is the means by whichwe strengthen our understanding of our own actions.



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The evaluation process, by itself, can be a very valuable experience for the people involved. Eventhough sometimes hard, it is most important that the Staff do it with total honesty and commitment, inorder to get a more fulfilling insight of themselves.

It is also helpful for the local chapter to evaluate the cooperation between staff and chapter that tookplace during the camp. This could be done together with representatives from the local chapter.

The local chapter should arrange a place for the staff to meet at least two days after camp ends. Thisplace could be the campsite. As little as possible of practical arrangements should have to be dealtwith by the staff during the post-camp meeting.

It is expected that all staff members are aware of that the post camp days are an important part of thestaff assignment and that these days primarily are intended for evaluation and, if possible, completingthe camp report. For the staff group, the post camp days are not optional and though it sometimes it iseasy to feel distracted by participants staying longer these days is an integral part of being a staff.

The cost of post-camp staff meetings has to be included in the camp budget.

S-5.3.5 Camp Director

The camp director is appointed by CISV international and should be at least 23 years old. The campdirector should have experience of the Seminar Camp programme as a staff member and be capableof leading a quality programme as well as directing the staff. The camp director has overallresponsibility for health and legal matters, finances, cash handling and (if needed) ultimate decision-making. Traditionally the director was the person who bore the whole burden of legal and educationalresponsibility. A new concept is now being developed in the direction of camp facilitator.

As camp facilitator the directors job is to facilitate an optimal atmosphere for the staff to work towardstheir aims and goals, and though the Camp Director is not solely responsible for solving problematicsituations during the camp, he/she is ultimately responsible for getting the staff together in order toevaluate aims and, in case of conflicts, etc be a moderator.

Before camp it is the director who should start communication with the other staff members in order toshare his/her views and ideas, and to encourage the other staff members to do the same thing.

The whole staff must be aware of the fact that they share the responsibility of the Seminar Camp. Anystaff member can propose suggestions for resolving conflicts or call a staff meeting if needed.

Though it is the responsibility of the Camp Director to make sure the DPAF, the Camp DirectorsReport Form and the Camp Evaluation are completed and handed in on time it does not mean that it isthe Camp Director who has to complete them him/herself. It is still the responsibility of the whole staffto actively participate in what is the job of the staff. Neither is it the specific tasks of the Camp Directorto go over the rules and policies with the participants, to fill out Incident Report Forms, to be the staffspokesperson in Camp Meetings. These are all tasks that can be done by any staff member. Nor is itthe job of the Camp Director to run every staff meeting or be the one who has the last word in everymatter. As far as possible the staff should work as a group and aim to be able to reach decisions as agroup.

It is not necessary for the participants to know who the Camp Director is. In fact, stressing this title tothe participants may have a divisive effect on the staff group as participants can begin to consider andtreat staff members differently rather than as a group.

S-5.3.6 International Staff

The international Staff normally consists of two people appointed by CISV international. Due to several

constraints (e.g. language, unknown camp area) it sometimes happens that they get more involvedwith the educational aspects of the Seminar Camp. This, however, does not necessarily have to betrue since they can also share the practical matters with the Camp Director and the Home Staff.



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S-5.3.7 Home Staff

The Home Staff should consist of two people, selected locally by the NA and approved by the SCC.The application process for Home Staffs is the same as for International Staffs and Camp Directors.

One of the responsibilities of the Home Staff is to facilitate practical matters for both Staff andparticipants, such as materials, mail, etc. This does not mean that they have to do all the practicalwork themselves but that they should share as much work as possible. It is normal that they still havea heavy workload regarding practical matters, as they are the ones who speak the local language,know the best places to shop, know the local habits, etc.

At least one of the Home Staff members must be licensed and insured to drive, and both should be upto date about the local facilities, be responsible for maintaining the budget before, during and afterCamp.

The Home Staff and the Local Chapter should work as a unit, sharing practical tasks. Since this kindof work is a heavy load, the Local Chapter should take over as much as possible so the Home Staff

has time to participate actively in the educational part of the Seminar Camp programme for which allStaff members are equally responsible.

S-5.3.8 Shopping

Staff should leave the Camp on an individual basis as little as possible. This is very difficult to manageif the Camp has to manage all shopping every other day, as it keeps the ones who are shopping awayfor at least one activity.

The recommended solution is that the shopping is taken care of by members of the Local Chapter,who can take turns in doing so. Only small things which may be bought during free time should be

done by Staff. Another solution is to have the goods delivered by a local shop.

If shopping is needed, then the whole Staff (and not only the Home Staff) should share this task asmuch as possible.

S-5.4 External Entities to the Seminar Camp

S-5.4.1 National Association and Local Chapter

People from the NA or the Chapter may have worked hard in preparing the camp. And it is because oftheir will and financial support that the camp exists. However it is neither expected nor desirable thatthey are involved in the camp itself. It is up to the Staff and the Chapter to find some sort of commonground, where all feel reasonable within these guidelines. Example: one visit of the local chapter(apart from the Open Day) to see a certain activity (with the participants being informed of this visit)and understand more about Seminar Camps could be positive in rewarding the effort of the Chapterand still have a positive effect on the camp.

S-5.4.2 External Staff

External Staff are not advisable. All staff members (even Home Staff) go through a selection criteriaand CISV International has to approve them, for legal and safety issues. With external staff this isntthe case, so this type of arrangement should only be used in very exceptional cases. Also, people thatare only temporarily in the camp can create some unwanted instability in the camp.



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S-5.4.3 Local People from the Site

It sometimes occurs that the site has either local people working near it and/or other organisations

nearby. Even though Seminar Camps are closed camps, there should be good relations with theneighbours and common sense should be applied in all situations.

S-5.4.4 Other Visitors

Visitors are not allowed in Seminar Camps. If anybody arrives merely to visit an individual (participantor staff), he/she should be asked to leave immediately. Obviously this does not include emergencysituations. If anybody wishes to see somebody in the camp, they should come on the Open Day,where visitors are most welcome.



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S-6 Sending Participants to a Seminar Camp

Please also see the Participating in a Programme chapter in the General Guide (G-6) which containsinformation that applies to all CISV programmes.

A Seminar Camp participant is 17 or 18 year old individual, who is willing to participate in a SeminarCamp understanding the aims and rules of CISV and Seminar Camps.

For camps in the June September period the Seminar Camp participant must be 17 or 18 years oldany time in between 1 June 31 August. For camps in the December January period the SeminarCamp participant must be 17 or 18 years old any time in between 1 November 31 January.

Under very special circumstances, some participants of different ages may be accepted in theSeminar Camp. At the moment participants from Asia can be accepted if they are 19 years old.

As a participant it is only possible to attend one Seminar Camp.

S-6.1 Participant Roles and Responsibilities

A Seminar Camp participant should understand the CISV philosophy and what a Seminar Camp is.

The participant should be aware that it is he/she who is the main pillar of the Seminar Camp and thatthe camp is mainly run by them, with some help from the staff. Above all, they should realize that thebigger the effort they make in the Seminar, the bigger the benefits they can extract from it.

Participants should also understand the rules and policies, being willing to comply with them in orderto attend a Seminar.

S-6.2 Participant Preparation

It is strongly recommended that participants are prepared locally by their Chapter and/or their NationalAssociation before attending a Seminar Camp.

The preparation of participants is always dependent on the Chapter availability and resources, but itshould be a team that includes a mixture of people, so that the transmission of ideas is diversified and

clear for the future participant. At least one ex-participant and one ex-Staff should, ideally, be involvedin the preparation and give their valuable input.

The SCC advises that the following topics are discussed with the participants during the preparation:

Why there are the existing rules and policies;

The role of the Staff in a Seminar;

Difference between a Seminar and a holiday (or language) camp;

The difference between Seminar Camps and other CISV camps (e.g. Villages);

The fact that some participants will have a lot of CISV experience and others wont have any,and the effect this may have on the camp;

Cultural sensitivity;

Communication with staff and other participants before the start of the camp; Legal issues and considerations;

What sort of preparation they can do before the camp;

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How can they contribute to the Seminar Camp; The fact that a few of the participants will speak very little English and the effect this may have

on the camp;

General structure of an activity;

The concept of an educational activity; The daily practical tasks in a Seminar;

Health and Legal Forms; Insurance for travelling;

Legal and health requirements for entering the respective countries;

The SCC has a Participant Preparation Handbook which is available upon request.

Check S-7-2 of this Guide for more detailed information on participant preparation.

S-6.3 Participants Follow-Up

It is important to have a follow-up with participants, as it is only after their going back to normal lifeand the daily routine that it is possible to check how educational the Seminar Camp experience hasbeen. Also, it can be of value to know strong points and factors to improve in the training, preparationor running of a Seminar Camp.

A follow-up can be done individually or in a group (if possible). For participants a chance to talk aboutand share their experiences with other participants is a very valuable opportunity as those who listenunderstand and can relate to the experience.

The SCC suggests some ideas for doing so:

The Chapters and/or NAs organize a debriefing meeting/weekend with the participants a couple ofmonths following the camp, so that lessons learnt can be incorporated into next years training.

The Camp Staffs make a questionnaire six months after the camp and send the SCC a summary ofthe results.

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S-7 Training & Preparation

Please also see the Training chapter in the General Guide (G-7) which contains information thatapplies to all CISV programmes.

Training and preparation can be divided in two areas: training of the staff and preparation of theparticipants.

S-7.1 Staff Training Workshops

S-7.1.1 A Bit of Background: History of SC Staff Workshops

The Seminar Camp programme has a background of annual global and now regional training. The firstworkshop was held in 1976. They were held every second year to train staff only. Since 1985workshops have been open to future staff persons as well as non-staff persons in order to promote the

programme in general or in a specific NA (National Association) or region.

Since the nineties, regional training has been the main strategy in order to facilitate a globalisation ofthe programme and increase the number of trained staff, and at the same time still ensuringinternational training to be a major tool for guaranteeing the quality of the programme and to reflect theinternational character of a staff team in a Seminar Camp.

For several years international trainers with SC staff experience as well as SC Staff Training workshopexperience have been sent out by the SCC around the world. From their experience we havemanaged to make big improvements: both on the quantity as well on the quality of the workshopsworldwide. We hope that you will make, just as the others before you, your special contribution to your

workshop to make it as successful and learning experience as previous years.

S-7.1.2 Practical Matters for Hosting a Workshop

S-7.1.2.1 Introduction

A workshop should last at least four full days, with participants arriving before the 4 days start, usuallyin the evening, and leaving after the 4 days are over, usually in the morning. The size of a workshopcan range from 10 to 40 people. The workshop organiser must specify the dates of the workshop and

provide contact information, arrival information and a budget.

The workshop participants are usually not involved in preparing meals, which is why there should be akitchen staff for the workshop. If, however, the workshop will only be a small group of people, and theworkshop staff feel it is possible to prepare the meals together with the workshop participants withoutit taking time form the workshop programme, then that may be a possibility as well.

The workshop is advertised at the international level, but the workshop organisers must do all theactive promotion. The Workshop Team (from the SCC) will supply support for promotion and help outwith contacts to the best of their ability, but they are not responsible for the promotion of the workshop.

The important points in organising a workshop are discussed in the next sections of this chapter.

S-7: Training Last Updated: 26/02/07

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