Camp assignments = Making the camp happen, together!
The best way to feel the authentic joy of guiding & scouting is being right in the middle of everything! So, when participating in a guide & scout camp in Finland, daily life consists either of taking part in the program or having an assignment.
Camp assignments are the perfect opportunity for you to try something totally new or provide your expertise to create an unforgettable experience for everyone. We guarantee that each and every one of you will learn new things, gets memorable experiences and most of all, gets new friends!
On Kajo the core camp program for every participant over 18 years old is a camp assignment. As a part of the registration process, each participant has had the possibility to influence their assignments via the camp assignment engine. Only the youngest guides & scouts, Trackers (age 12-15) are not required to have any camp assignments. The older you are, the more of your time goes to your assignment.
The Explorers (age 15 to 18) will have short assignments (approx. an equivalent of two 8h days). The rest of the time the Explorers take part in activities specifically planned for their age group. The Explorers carry out their assignments together with their camp patrol.
The Rovers’ (age 18 to 22) camp life consists of 80% assignment and 20% Rover program. The assignment does last the entire camp, however, there will be timeslots for entering the Rover program. If one wishes, the assignment can be 100% as well, but the recommendation is that Rovers only sign up for 80%-assignments. The Rovers’ assignments are individual and are on the same level as the adults’ assignments.
The adults (age 22+) have 100% assignments. For most assignments, this means one shift, approximately eight hours long, per day. All adults should also have at least one entire day off at the camp. During the day off the adults can participate in activities dedicated to them, based on their interests.
Your camp assignment is your responsibility
Your task as an IST is your responsibility. You are expected to complete your assignment according to the instructions you are given and expected to show up at the agreed times. If you for some reason are unable to complete your assignment, e.g. you fall ill, you need to tell your superior. You can always ask your superior or the IST Camp Assignment team for further instructions on how to complete your assignment or about anything else regarding the camp. Remember that the camp assignments are important, they are the backbone of the camp!
Different camp assignments
Every IST participant should get information about their assignment well beforehand. Most assignments, however, do not require any preparations before the camp. The assignments can roughly be divided into two different types:
- Camp unit (“Leirilippukunta” in Finnish) assignments such as support leaders for the Trackers or camp unit leaders. Each camp unit needs to have a certain number of adults per minor. These assignments are agreed upon with the Finnish host units.
- The IST’s camp assignment is for all those 18+ participants that don’t have camp unit assignments, i.e., the majority of ISTs. These camp assignments are allocated via the camp assignment engine. The assignments can for instance be helping with the camp program, working in a café, helping out in the sub-camp kitchens, or the camp safety or maintenance.
Daily tasks / Good deed of the day
During the camp, there are also many daily tasks that need to be done. Some are administered via the camp app, some via the Assignment office, and some will just present themselves to you as part of daily camp life. Let’s all pitch in and do our best to create the best camp experience ever! The best way to get the most out of the camp as a rover or an adult is to explore the camp through different tasks. Also, if you have an assignment in the camp unit, you can always agree with your fellow leaders to go and do some short daily tasks and thus get to see a totally different part of the camp!
Schedule
We follow a previously agreed schedule; that is, if your shift begins at 8 am, you need to arrive a little before that and be ready to start working at 8 am. Events in the program start promptly at advertised times. Finns appreciate that you arrive 5 minutes beforehand rather than 5 minutes late. Actually, Finns find it rude if you are late.
The youth as leaders
In Finland, the youngest guide & scout leaders are about 15 years old. They have equal rights to lead and to instruct. Our rank conveys our responsibilities, not age or gender.
The most important thing to remember
Have fun! Enjoy your time in the spectacular Finnish forest! Make new friends! Create new memories! Fall in love with Finnjamboree Kajo!
Registering for an assignment
The “Camp Assignment Engine” is closed. All the camp assignments will be matched with the results of the Camp Assignment Engine. The matching work is ongoing at the moment and will be completed before the camp starts. The camp assignment supervisors will contact everyone before the camp. However, please don’t worry if you haven’t been contacted yet, you will be.
The assignment you are given will last throughout the camp. Depending on your age group, the assignment ranges from two to seven days.
If you have practical questions about your assignment, please contact your camp assignment supervisor. For other questions about the assignments, please contact the IST Camp Assignment team: international.kajo2022@partio.fi including the phrase “Camp Assignment” in the headline.
