CYL - Facilitators
On this page:
- About CYL facilitators
- To be considered as a facilitator
- Facilitator Time Commitments
- To apply
- Intern facilitators
- A new facilitator's experience
Share your skills, talents and passion with a great group of youth by becoming a CYL Facilitator.
ABOUT CYL FACILITATORS
Every year, approximately 40 adults are accepted as facilitators with the CYL program. These people have diverse backgrounds and skill-sets, but share a common passion for engaging and working with youth. A large percentage of them come from the co-operative sector and are employees of credit unions, housing, insurance, consumer, agricultural and other co-ops.
Facilitators are CYL volunteers. They often take time away from their jobs to attend camp - or their employer will allow them to count their volunteerism as part of the organization’s community involvement or corporate sponsorship of the CYL program. Graduates from the CYL program are also encouraged to apply.
Facilitators are volunteers and are not paid by On Co-op or CYL. However, pre-approved, direct expenses related to the program are paid for, and your food and accomodation are included.
To be considered as a CYL facilitator:
- You must be 18 years of age or older (includes Interns)
- All new and intern facilitator applicants must participate in an interview with the CYL selection committee
- All facilitators must attend a mandatory training session, tentatively set for May 28-30, 2010 at Lake St. George. An optional debrief will be held in September.
- All facilitators will require a background search to be completed by your local police department
- All facilitators must be aware of their roles and responsibilities, and sign the facilitator contract
- On Co-op reserves the right not to accept applicants, even after completing facilitator training
Facilitator Time Commitments
CYL facilitators contribute an amzing amount of time and dedication to the Co-operative Young Leaders program. We appreciate the commitment of our team members in providing a high-quality, safe and organized CYL program to participants. We also appreciate the support of your employer and others in your life in allowing you to take the time to prepare for camp and to actually participate in camp.
- All facilitators (new and repeat) MUST take part in a mandatory 2-day facilitator training session, generally held over a weekend in late May. Training is vital due to updated curriculums, program outcomes, liability issues, facilitation team dynamics and so on. You must attend training each year, no matter how long you have facilitated.
- You will be required to review the curriculum and facilitator resources for your week prior to the beginning of your session so that you arrive at camp familiar with the materials, and the week's objectives and outcomes.
- You will meet with your facilitation team at least once by teleconference; and possibly more often to prepare for your week. Many teams are also in electronic contact in the days/weeks before their session.
- Facilitators are expected to contact their participants personally before camp (generally by phone) to ensure the participant is ready for their CYL experience.
- The CYL day generally goes from early morning to later in the evening. Teams will schedule themselves to ensure proper participant supervision, facilitation of events and curriculum, and to balance facilitator workloads and obligations. Some long days are to be expected during camp! Get lots of sleep before going, and try to schedule a quiet day or two after you return home.
- You may have additional obligations such as team lead, site liaison, or first-aider, which could impact your pre-camp workload.
- An optional, but recommended, debrief session is held for all facilitators after completion of camp, generally in September.
- Professional development sessions and social activities may also be arranged for facilitators throughout the year.
To apply as a CYL facilitator:
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Read the information contained in the CYL webpages, including those for facilitators, participants and parents to familiarize yourself with any changes to the CYL program. (You may also wish to download the current CYL newsletter.)
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If you're unsure you are qualified to become a facilitator, contact On co-op. We can help guide you, or put you in touch with other facilitators.
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If you are unsure about your summer plans, or the amount of time you can devote to becoming a CYL facilitator, please talk to On Co-op before applying. Teams are created based on a variety of criteria; scheduling last minute replacements can be disruptive and takes On Co-op time away from other CYL obligations.
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Talk to your employer to see if they will allow you to take the time off as part of their sponsorship or community involvment policies.
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Download and complete the Facilitator application package, and submit by the application deadline.
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Facilitators do not require sponsors, as participants would.
The CYL facilitator application package must be submitted by Friday April 12, 2010, to:
Ontario Co-operative Association,
Attention: Kerr Smith, Education Manager
450 Speedvale Ave. W., Suite 101
Guelph ON N1H 7Y6
Phone 519.763.8271 Toll-free 1.888.745.5521
Fax 519.763.7239 Email
INTERN FACILITATORS
Recent graduates often express interest in coming back to CYL as Intern Facilitators. These are young people who would like to maintain their involvement with the CYL program, and would like to increase their facilitation experience. For CYL alumni, this attests to the strength of the program and positive effect Co-operative Young Leaders camp has had on participants. Approximately 5-7 applications will be accepted annually for Intern Facilitators. Intern Facilitators do NOT require a sponsor to apply, and all related camp expenses are paid for by CYL.
If you are interested in becoming an Intern facilitator, please visit the Internship page. From the applications received each spring, potential Intern Facilitators may be contacted for an interview. Past CYL participants wishing to become intern facilitators should contact the Education Manager in person prior to applying.
Be sure to check out our NEW participant web pages which also host a blog for facilitators at www.coopsontario.com/cyl.
CAMP ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS
CYL camp is also an opportunity for adults involved in the co-op or credit union movement to share their experiences and interact with today's youth.
New Facilitator's Experience: Bonita G.
Take 31 energetic teenagers for 8 days and nights, mix in lectures on leadership, co-operative principles and you've got yourself the potential for some pushback.
What I could not possibly anticipate was the life-altering experience that CYL camp would become. Once the kids understood that CYL was a safe environment they really blossomed. Friendships formed fast, support networks developed, and the kids started taking ownership and accountability for their own experience. If only us adults could do as well!
I was inspired witnessing the power of positive encouragement. Awed and at times moved to tears hearing the teaching internalized and spoken back so eloquently at Talking Stick each night. Being with this incredible group of young people allowed me to experience the open exchange and human to human connection that occurs where there is trust and caring - on a large scale! My only hope is that I was able to pass along some of my life experiences to them as well.
See also the 'What they are saying' pages for more comments from facilitators, parents and participants.