Camp Journal
How did this year’s Camp Mentors fare?
15th August 2011
This summer we’ve been delighted to welcome back ex-campers Anat and Alex onto the Camp Mentor Program. Here’s what they had to say about their summer 2011 experiences as Camp Mentors:
After nearly five weeks jam packed of constant work and fun, my time as a camp mentor has come to an end and to be honest I’m completely gutted! Being a mentor is brilliant; you are practically the same age as the older campers but more like a member of staff, so you make really good friends with both campers and staff alike, acting as a link between the two. As a mentor I got to take part in the activities, my favourite probably being Parc Aventure, even if I did get stuck! I’ve had the most amazing summer being at Camp Suisse, I’ve made so many fantastic friends and gained so much experience I don’t think I could’ve gained anywhere else at my age. My co-mentor Anat also played a massive role in my enjoyment here, she was absolutely outstanding and perhaps the most enthusiastic person I have ever met. All the kids and staff adore her, me included, thank-you Anat. I’m really glad I got the chance to be a mentor and hope I get to come back again next year.Thanks Camp Suisse, it’s been awesome.- Alex.
This summer we welcomed Anat to camp as the first ever recipient of our sponsorship scheme, aimed at widening participation in our Camp Mentor Program. With all her expenses covered all she had to do was make sure she turned up on time and ready for action for the first day of camp. We had a sneaky feeling that Anat was going to excel in this role, and boy were we right about this one! Here’s what she thought of her time as a Camp Mentor:
After receiving the sponsorship I waited impatiently for my summer adventure to commence. Now, after it has ended, I can say that being a mentor, for me, was a major and wonderful change – from being a camper to being a mentor. I found myself in the opposite position- having responsibility, knowing what’s going on and what the schedule is, guiding the campers, learning more about how Camp Suisse operates, having to make decisions and being a good listener to the campers. In addition, the Hip-Hop dancing class I held was a great opportunity to use the skills I’d gained. This whole experience has greatly aided my personal development and the benefit from being exposed to all the members of staff I can’t begin to describe in words; being amongst these unique people, learning from them and their experience and simply being able to approach and talk to them about everything, as friends, was a golden experience. Having a co-mentor, Alex, was simply amazing; having someone with the same job description as me, as fellow-rookies we were able to share all of our experiences and think about how we could get more involved. Being away from home in such an enriching environment and being exposed to people from all ages, nationalities and backgrounds was so inspiring and I feel like I have matured a great deal and learned a countless number of things. I just can’t find the right words to describe this adventure that has not yet sunk in. It has given me so much experience, helped me shape my character and will accompany me throughout the next years.- Anat.
I think it would be a fair summation to say to that this year’s program has once again been a great success. From our point of view the Camp Mentors are an invaluable resource who bring a completely different dimension to the dynamics of camp life. From their point of view it’s a chance to grow and develop in a safe, supportive atmosphere that is culturally and linguistically like no other. The program will most certainly be open for applications for a third year in summer 2012, for any enquiries please contact us at info@campsuisse.com
