As parents of two children who have been active in CISV since the age of 10 (now 17 and 14), it seems natural to us to support the organization whenever possible during the various activities it organizes.

Our latest volunteer mission in support of the committee and the YM 2025 service in July in Satigny involved several activities:

• Before and during the camp, we planned the volunteer needs over the two weeks to support the on-site staff and ensure there were always enough people for the various tasks required for the smooth running of the camp. We used an online form and communicated via email.
• At the beginning of the camp, we did shopping, including food, to help the staff welcome participants in good conditions and to supply the kitchen team for the first meals.
• During the camp, we helped the cook prepare meals.
• On “Leader’s Night Out,” we took care of the participants for one evening (dinner, evening activities) together with another volunteer mom and, most importantly, with the precious help of our eldest son (a JB member) and his friends who came to support.

It’s hard to quantify the time we dedicated because we did it with pleasure and without counting, but overall we estimate we spent around 22 hours:

• Volunteer coordination: setting up the form, tracking registrations, updating the schedule, and sending reminders throughout the camp — approx. 8 hours
• Shopping, including food, on a Saturday — approx. 6 hours (3 people)
• Kitchen help — approx. 4 hours
• Leader’s Night Out — one weekday evening, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. — approx. 4 hours

Most of the commitment took place in the evenings or on weekends, outside of our working hours. The kitchen help, one weekday morning, was possible thanks to a half-day off.

The most memorable moment was surely the evening when the leaders went out: it was the first time we truly found ourselves in the middle of a camp, and seeing firsthand the activities our children had described from one camp to another was truly captivating. We were warmly and respectfully welcomed from beginning to end. It was also a great sense of responsibility (being in charge of 45 children), but with our son present, who knows CISV inside out, we never felt overwhelmed.

Every volunteer mission, no matter how small, is enriching on a human level; of course, it can be tiring and sometimes time-consuming, but the smiles of the participants quickly make you forget that! It allows you to contribute concretely to creating unforgettable memories for everyone during these camps — it’s priceless and essential to keep the beautiful CISV family alive. Give a little of your time, which will be shared with kind-hearted people who share the same values, and in return, you’ll receive gratitude that knows no end or measure. 😊

A big thank you to the Pignoly family as well as to all the volunteers for the cleaning, cooking, shopping, welcoming, and transportation of the delegations, etc., who made the Youth Meeting Switzerland 2025 possible — and to our amazing staff: Floriane, Clémence, Tim, Diogo, Ana!