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The
International Counselor Exchange Program makes possible the placement of several
hundred students and young people from Europe, Africa, and other parts of
the world, ages 20-30, to serve as counselors in American childrens' camps
in the US. The program's goal is to create opportunities that will facilitate
a healthy interaction between international counselors, American children
and American camp staff, with the ultimate aim of nurturing friendships and
better understanding between peoples from different cultures.
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Since ICEP's key
initiative is to contribute significantly to the childrens' experience at
their summer camp, we aim to bring in counselors qualified, or at least interested,
in the educational fields. Participants with backgrounds in sports education,
psychology, psychiatry, social work, teaching, arts, etc. would make strong
candidates for summer camp counselors. The ability to teach chldren international
traditions from their respective countries is what makes qualified international
counselors ideal participants in any camping experience.
Many counselors return
for a second or even third summer of participation at a camp they already
know and love. Thus there are veteran counselors as well as "freshman" and
the camaraderie amongst them helps every counselor through his or her summer
here in the US. Most counselors say they are here to meet interesting people,
work with and educate children, make friends in the United States, meet with
other international cultural ambassadors travelling here for similar reasons,
and hone their communication skills, specifically in English. In addition
to these myriad benefits, counselors also find their weeks at camp a spiritual
experience in the healing atmosphere of the wilderness.
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ICEP counselors must
be able to communicate in English!
In order for the international
camp counselor to be an effective educator, friend and leader among the American
children at camp, he or she must be proficient enough in English so a language
barrier will not become a hindrance to an otherwise mutually benefitial opportunity.
The ability to read, write, and certainly speak idiomatic English is an absolutely
essential qualification that every camp counselor must have. Counselors who
feel they are close to achieving this competancy are advised to practice their
English language skills so they are up to par by the time they arrive here
in the US. If you do not have the prerequisite skills in English and feel
that you cannot gain the necessary proficieny in time, ICEP urges you to reconsider
your application until such a time when you can claim adequate language competancy.
We definitely look
forward to hearing your various accents and culturally unique usages of the
english language!
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