As a camp director you know that each summer some American staff may not always exhibit ideal behavior at camp. The same is
true of international staff. In spite of screening, selection, and training, some international staff do not perform as expected at all times.
Often this problem is due to the adjustment between their home culture and life in the United States. We have asked all ICCP participants
to try to work out misunderstandings and difficulties with their camp supervisor or camp director before turning to ICCP.
ICCP Screening
ICCP relies on a network of volunteer recruiters around the world to screen applicants. Recruiter authorization and training is the
responsibility of Amarilis Soler here in the ICCP office. Recruiters are required to arrange face to face interviews with each applicant to
access language ability and verify through questioning the accuracy of the application. In addition, each application is required to submit three references which must be from teachers or employers. The recruiters verify these references and translate them into English. ICCP has begun asking for Police Background checks as a part of
the application process All applicants, except those from Australia, submitted police background checks from their home countries.
All applications are screened by at least three people in the ICCP office before being accepted into the applicant pool. Applicants who
have been guaranteed a placement must apply for the J-1 visa at the U.S. Consulate in their home country. The Consular Officer also performs a
background check in most cases before issuing the visa. Each year ICCP tightens the standards for who can be accepted into the program.
If you are having difficulty with an ICCP participant:
If you are having difficulty with an ICCP participant, please feel free to call your ICCP Placement Director for consultation. Often, we are
able to identify the causes of difficulties, especially when they relate to cultural differences which may not be readily apparent. Our
experience in dealing with thousands of international staff over the years helps us to recommend possible solutions in the event an ICCP participant is having a rough time at camp.
Occasionally, ICCP participants find themselves in serious trouble. We respect the right of any camp to remove from its staff individuals who are willfully not complying with camp rules or acting in an unlawful manner.
Camp directors wishing to terminate an ICCP participant from employ at camp should follow the same steps to guard against wrongful termination as with American staff.
In the event that a camp director is unable to continue the employment of an ICCP participant, we ask that the ICCP Placement Director be called
before any action is taken to remove the participant from the camp. As the program sponsor of
the ICCP participant, we are responsible for any decisions to change a camp placement or terminate ICCP participation.
ICCP participants who are terminated from a camp placement may be instructed to return to New York to meet with the Placement Directors. Before
the participant leaves camp, the Camp Director should pay the international staff person the pro-rated pocket money due at the time of departure.
The camp director will be asked to send by FAX or Express Mail a report briefly documenting the incident(s) causing the termination of the ICCP participant's employment at camp.
ICCP Placement Directors will meet with the participant to review the reasons for termination and to decide whether or not to continue to sponsor the participant on the ICCP
program.
Tips to avoid frustration:
1. Be certain that your international staff understand what is expected from them during both their on-duty and off-duty time.
2. Use behavior contracts which spell out expected deportment if a problem persists.
3. Call your ICCP Placement Director if you encounter an on-going problem with your international staff.
4. Do not terminate the employment of an ICCP participant before you have called the ICCP Placement Director.
5. If you must terminate the employment of an ICCP participant, prepare a summary report to be FAXed or sent by Express Mail to ICCP.
6. Understand that the camp's responsibility for the ICCP participant ends once arrangements have been
made for the participant to leave camp after notifying ICCP Placement Director's of the participant's dismissal. ICCP Placement
Directors are responsible for the participant's continuation or dismissal from the ICCP program
|
