BUNAC, Camp America.... etc

catieeb06

Right, I'm looking for some advice on what to do and where to go.

This summer I am looking to do work experience or something like that in one of these places.

I'm just looking for people's personal experiences if they have done anything like this.

And also, if they did, how they found the information out.

Thanks

Wine_of_the_World

I spent a summer teaching English in Italy, with ACLE. This company pays well compared to others like camp America where from what I understand you only get paid pocket money. I cant remember how I found them - I think it was just through at internet search.

Perhaps you are looking for something further afield, however once you have worked for ACLE you have teaching English as a foreign language experience which means you be able to work in lots of other countries. Plus this job was well paid enough that you can save money to travel after teaching.

Wine_of_the_World

Also, isnt BUNAC a company where you have to pay a lot of money out, then you teach / help build something, then travel a bit? Not sure if this is one of the companies but I have have heard of people doing these sorts of things and feeling a bit ripped off due to the cost.

If you are keen to travel and make a bit of a difference I would suggest that you look for organisations once you are in the country - there are heaps thoughout SE Asia where I have travelled and are always looking out for volunteers.

lynzpower

One of my best freinds did Bunac, and went to work in a theme park somewhere in the wilds of USA.

Although she was over 21 and at university, the leaders came in at night and took a half bottle of vodka, and tried to force my freind into going on some sort of course for alcoholics as she had a problem, was bringing the org into disrepute.

Up to you , but I certainly wouldnt pay to work anywhere. Sorry.

Are you going to do this in a summer holiday, or are you wanting to pack up work and go- if the latter, find a legit volunteering opportunity, if you have plenty of time.

You will get fantastic work experience by volunteering here in the UK, but IM guessing you want the excitement of going abroad?

flutterbyuk25

I did Camp America last year and totally loved it! It changed my life!

I was 26 and wanted to get into youth work. I had already had some voluntary experience with a UK charity who told me about Camp America, so I looked into it and decided to apply. Application is relatively simple, all done online intially, then you have a local interview. And if accepted you then have to get a visa from London (you need to go in person).

You don't so it for the money. It cost me around £450 to apply, this includes visa, insurance and flights. I earnt around £500 for the whole 10weeks whilst I was there (this is more than the under 21s got)! Plus I took a career break to go so 'lost' my wages for those months. But I wasn't in it for the money, just the experience.

You get out of it what you put in. If you want an easy life then opt for a rich day camp. If you want a proper experience then go for a disavantaged (poor) camp, but be prepared to work your butt off, 20hours a day!

I went to a camp for disadvantaged children from New york, but it was in New Jersey. Accomodation was basic. Wooden cabins standard, with thin mattress and sleeping bag. Sometimes we just camped out under stars. My camp was very rustic, spiders webs, bears, snakes, bugs etc were all common place. I worked with teens, and we cooked all our own food (sometimes in a kitchen sometimes over open fire), but the lower camp (4-11 had all meals cooked).

My day started at 6.45, shower and dress, get teens up at 7, start breakfast at 8 then clean and wash up, first activity 9.30. We had 2 activities before lunch at 12.30, afternoon started at 2, 3 more activities. Dinner 5.30 -7, at 7 the evenings activity started, 9pm was wind down, 10pm was get ready for bed, lights out 10.30. Then if you were on duty you had to stay in cabin and you had to plan the next day/weeks activities. If you were off duty you could go off camp (there wasn't much though, just a bar which was a half hour walk) but had curfew off 2am. Generally you had 3 nights off a week, and 1 day off a week. Activities included 2 lots of swimmings (one session counsellors HAD to participate in), we swam in a lake, rock climbing, biking, craft, cokking, drama, music, games etc.

It was the most exhausting thing I have ever done, but also the most rewarding. It got me my dream job in youth work. I made so many friends from around UK and the world, who I am still in touch with. We had a reunion last month, and I'm going to stay with one of them in New Zealand this Christmas You make intense friendships as these people see the best and worst of you. There is no hiding away, you are all out there with your emotions!

I'm assuming your female from your username (apologies if you aren't!), I literally did not have time to apply make-up or dry or straighten my hair on a normal working day!

As said I went with Camp America and would highly recommend them. I had no contact with them other than initial application and booking my return flight. However a friend had a bereavement in UK and Camp America arranged a flight home for him the next day and then a return flight to US a week later, all free. I think BUNAC pays more, but I don't think they are as effiecient in a crisis situation.

I could talk for hours about it but that is just the outline. Feel free to PM if you want more info.

HTH

x

catieeb06

Hey, thanks for all the input guys!
I'm just wondering though, would I need any teaching experience? I looked into doing a lot of things like that but most of them take teachers or graduates. I had to drop out of Uni due to personal circumstances. I'm looking to go back in September but right now my job is annoying the hell out of me so I just want to get some life experience as I am also due to get married next year.

I know doing Camp America, the money I get back would just about cover my expenses, and that's totally fine. I'm not in it for the money. I want a career break and I also want the experience and being kinda selfish, I want something to put on my CV to make me stand out.

flutterbyuk25

Nope don't need any teaching experience. But you should have experience of working with kids/teens as they will ask you for this on the application. Also if you have experience of an actual skill then this will be good eg. biking rock climbing, lifeguard, drama etc. as they recruit activity workers too.

What are you planning on studying at uni? If it's child/social care related and you already have a place then this will help your application.

The way I found that it worked (from speaking to other counsellors, and from one who is now working for Camp America) is that people with experience get placed first. 18 year olds straight from college/6th form with no experience at all tend to be accepted but on a non-guarenteed basis. So they go on a waiting list, once camps have filled all the places they want to fill with experienced people they back-fill off this list for general staff.

I was accepted and placed with a camp within a week of my interview (Feb) as I had a lot of experience with disadvantaged teens. But some people were still waiting to here in MAy or June!

HTH

x

catieeb06

Well I have ridden since I was 8 and am now 21. Have a few qualifications in that. Mainly rosettes and stuff but it's something lol

And i'm planning on going to university to study to become an Operating Department Practitioner.

flutterbyuk25

catieeb06 wrote: »

Well I have ridden since I was 8 and am now 21. Have a few qualifications in that. Mainly rosettes and stuff but it's something lol

And i'm planning on going to university to study to become an Operating Department Practitioner.

The riding would be a good skill if that's something you would be interested in doing at camp. My friend went to a cowboy camp and taught riding and absolutely loved it!

x

WolfSong2000

Riding is a skill they're very interested in...I toyed with the idea of working at a summer camp but ended up doing BUNAC's work America programme...wasn't overly impressed with them to be honest. Cost me an awful lot of money and they did very little to make me feel it was worth it. I ended up having to leave the job I got due to lack of accomodation and BUNAC were thoroughly unhelpful. They had a list of employers, but none near me and every one I was eligible for that I contacted said they'd want an in-person interview, which really wasn't feasible for me if I was 1000's of miles away...if the economy had been better and I'd been more organised (it was a last minute decision) then maybe it would have worked. As it was I just felt I was being fleeced by BUNAC.

catieeb06

Right, now off to google to investigate the various website