International Programs

Camp Jewell YMCA employs over 25 international staff each summer to help campers gain a new perspective on the broader world. Internationals have the opportunity to travel, live in a new culture, and gain valuable experience working with children in an outdoor setting. Campers gain a greater understanding of the world by enjoying songs, stories, food and games from other countries.

Host Family Program

To ensure that our international staff feel welcomed and appreciated, we have a Host Family Program that pairs a staff member with a Camp Jewell family. Host family responsibilities are very simple. On a day off from summer camp, families can arrange to take their staff member to a local event, attraction, or family engagement.

Examples of activities:

• Dinner
• Movies
• Day trip to New York City, Providence, or Boston
• Shopping in Great Barrington
• Parades
• Fairs
• Sporting Events
• Hiking/Biking
• Birthday Parties

We also ask that host families provide a welcome package for the international staff members to be given at the Camp Jewell International Banquet.

International Staff Banquet

International Staff Banquet is an event for host families to meet their staff member and enjoy authentic foods from around the world. During the evening, each international staff member performs a short presentation about their country using items they brought from home, such as a flag, traditional clothing, a song or musical instrument.

This year the banquet will be held June 20, 2008 starting at 5:15pm, at Camp Jewell. The evening begins with our Annual World Service Silent Auction. All proceeds go to help support our international program and our sister YMCA’s in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Cape Flats, South Africa and the Jerusalem YMCA.

To register for the international banquet or to become a host family please contact Jodi Gove, International Staff Coordinator, at 1-888-412-2267 or jodi.gove@ghymca.org

See our International Staff Hosting information!

Countries Represented in Past Summers

• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
  
• Brazil
• Croatia
• China
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Dominican Republic
• Egypt
• France
• Germany
• Guatemala
• India
• Ireland
  
• Israel
• Italy
  
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kenya
• Mexico
• Netherlands
  
• New Zealand
• Norway
  
• Poland
  
• Russia
  
• Scotland
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
  
• Sweden
• Turkey
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom