Dear Members,

We are pleased to share with you our first CISV Switzerland Newsletter of the year! This is an opportunity to share with you the latest developments in our Chapter. Please reach out with any contributions and suggestions!

Minicamp and General Assembly

On Friday evening, the Junior Branch (youth aged 15 to 25) met to plan the mini-camp activities, do the special JB activities and elect the new NJR. Sima completed her 2-year term, so Timoté became Senior NJR and Marie (here on the left) was elected as Junior NJR – thanks so much to Sima for all her support and welcome Marie! The NJRs during the mini camps play the role of staff, so they make sure with the camp director that the camp runs smoothly and sometimes organize the activities, but here the JBs were on fire and had found enough activities for the whole weekend. The JBs, on the other hand, play the role of leader and supervise the younger ones. With the help of the JB the mini camp went very well, at the GA Timoté presented the role of NJR to the new members.

The GA was also an opportunity for our now former president Dimitri to pass the baton to our new president Marine. A big thank you to Dimitri for all his commitment over the last few years, including during the difficult COVID period and welcome to Marine!

Online Q&A with the parents for the 2024 program season

On January 21, we organized an online Q&A session for those registered for the 2024 summer camps. It was an opportunity to remind everybody of CISV rules, the principles of family engagement and share some useful administrative information.

Camp coordinators within the committee will now be the main contact persons for families and participants going forward.

Our Camps 2024

Our delegations are almost complete! Our 2024 camps are:

2 Villages : Sweden & Portugal
2 Youth Meeting : Italy & Sweden
1 Step Up : Genève (organised by CISV Switzerland)
Seminar spots : Mexico, Portugal & Spain

Open slots

We are still looking for two girls for Villages (born between 1/9/2012 and 31/8/2013) and a girl for our 14-year-old Step Up (born between 1/9/2009 and 31/8/2010). Also, we are still looking for a leader and staff for our Step Up (13/7 to 4/8 in Geneva) so don’t hesitate to send us your candidates!

Reminder of Family Engagement

At the start of the Step Up organized by CISV Switzerland and as is customary, the children (around 36 young people) will be accommodated with a host family for the weekend of July 13-14 and while the Staff and Leaders prepare the camp.

We are therefore calling on all CISV families to make themselves available this weekend of July 13-14 to welcome a minimum of two children (or more) into their home. Arrivals will be organized so that families from both French-speaking and German-speaking Switzerland can be host families. More information about host families is available in English here. Please note that to become a host family, it will be necessary to have followed a short online training course, more information on this subject is to follow.

As you know, one of the values of the CISV is volunteering and commitment within the association. As such, the involvement of families as volunteers (cleaning after camps (4th of August for our Step Up, cooking during mini camps and Step Up 15th of July to 3rd of August) and in particular as host families is essential.

FOCUS ON… NATIONAL CAMP COORDINATOR

Most of you know us as the people who help your children go to another country for their CISV experiences. However, CISV Switzerland organizes its own annual camp to welcome all participants from other countries (and indeed from Switzerland too).

Organizing an annual camp is essential if we are to continue to receive invitations from CISV International. It’s certainly a team effort, in collaboration with the entire committee but the role of the national camp coordinator is the pillar on which the camp rests.

The coordinator’s work takes place mainly in the run-up to the camp: he or she is responsible for logistical aspects such as the campsite, organizing shopping, hiring a cook/caterer, excursions, etc. Even before the staff team is selected, the coordinator fills in and prepares the pre-camps to be sent to CISV international. And of course he’s the main point of contact between the staff team and the committee. In collaboration with the staffs, he prepares the material the camp will need, establishes the need for volunteers, etc.

Even if they don’t necessarily meet the children or organize the activities, it’s thanks to all the people who play this role that camps are held year aer year at CISV, and we thank them most warmly! So do not hesitate if youʼd like to lend a hand for our Step Up Camp this summer! Or for 2025, we are searching for a camp site for our camp.

Save the Date

May Mini camp

The May mini camp (May 3-5, 2024 in Arzier – VD) is an opportunity for children who are going to 2024 camps to get a taste of a mini CISV camp experience and a privileged moment to get to know each other within their delegation. However, it is also open to other children who would like to have a first CISV camp experience.

The JB (16-25 years old) meets on Friday evening, May 3, to welcome newbies, organize the weekend schedule and carry out activities requiring more in-depth reflection. The youngest join the mini camp on Saturday May 4 for a little taste of the camps.

Participation in the camp is necessary for anyone going to camp with the CISV in 2024, the registration form will follow shortly so…mark your calendars!

In the future, we are looking for a campsite in central Switzerland that is more suitable for our participants from German-speaking Switzerland, so do not hesitate to offer us suitable structures.

International Activity for JB : Walk the Trash

On 4 February, an international competition was launched, the Walk the Trash. The goal is to collect as much waste as possible per country. How does it work? Everyone picks up what they can that day, weighs it and sends the result to the JB group. The NJRs will discuss each country’s totals and announce the news in their country.

Basel Get Together

Our newest Committee member Charlotte (see below!) will be organizing a Basel get-together at her place on 3 March. It will be an occasion for members to gather in an informal way and inform people who might be interested in joining CISV. Marine as our president will say a few words, participants and members will be happy to share their experience and answer questions, some food will be served and there will be some CISV activities. AFS, a CISV “sister association” focusing on schooling exchange for children (15+) will also be there https://www.afs.ch/ to present itself and mingle.

The event is free so please feel free to refer people who may be interested in joining by reaching out to Charlotte on Whatsapp 0791953054 – places are limited to first come, first served!

WHAT’S NEW WITH THE COMMITTEE

Annelise and Charlotte have joined us on the CISV Switzerland committee. We are delighted to welcome them and thank them for their commitment. Here is a little presentation:

Hi, I’m Annelise, a volunteer for CISV Switzerland based in Basel. I discovered CISV through other families and fell in love with the experience of accompanying my child on this new adventure. With a background in marketing and communications from my time in the UK, Spain and now in Switzerland, I’m happy to bring my expertise and support CISV Switzerland’s promotion and social media activities. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and share your CISV experience with the community!

Dear CISV community,

I am Charlotte Frederiksen and know about CISV since 2020. I would have loved to know about it 35 years earlier to experience it as a child : ). I am grateful that my 3 kids are growing from it and it’s a pleasure and a purposeful activity for me to be now part of the committee. Originally

from Paris and married to a Norwegian, we are leaving in Basel since 20 years and had the chance to develop a broad network. I am keen to inform them about great people and meaningful activities and I therefore gladly contribute in increasing CISV awareness and maybe number of participants, staff, leaders… people sharing similar values. Our world needs more of such +++ initiatives. Looking forward to know further and grow the CISV community in Switzerland and abroad !