Date Added: 18-08-2005

American-style summer camps have arrived in the UK with the launch of Do it 4 Real. Dipika Ghose finds out how the first intake of young people is getting on. "Show us your spirit fingers," yells Gilly Kirk, a young camp counsellor looking after a group of 11-year-olds who call themselves the Galaxy Queens. The young people throw their hands in the air and wriggle their fingers yelling: "spirit fingerrrrrss". The young people are taking part in Do it 4 Real, a new government programme of US-style summer camps for 11- to 17-year-olds from England. The 23 camps are being run across England and Wales and offer experiences in a range of activities from arts and crafts to outdoor adventure (see box, above right). The young people, who have been collected by bus from 27 pick-up points around England, attend for a week over the summer holidays. They pay bet- ween £25 and £100 depending on their family circumstances. Frances Wathen, staff training manager at Do it 4 Real, says: "The most popular programmes have been the watersports - which has been expanded to three sites - as well as the survival skills, dance, music and photography programmes. One of the least popular has been the general sports camp." The scheme is managed by the Youth Hostels Association (YHA), which won the contract from the Department for Education and Skills in January this year, and is being backed with £11.5m from the Big Lottery Fund. In London, the performing arts camp is running in a 19th-century mock-Tudor youth hostel in the affluent area of Golders Green. Buzz of activity Professional instructors Sizwe Sidwell Msuthu and Abey Xakwe have been flown over from South Africa with arts company DramArts specifically to teach the young people African songs, dances and drumming. Many of the young people have been so taken by the sessions they have been rehearsing wherever they can find a space for a performance later in the week. As well as workshops with professional artists and performers, the week's schedule is broken up with Q&A sessions with professional actors and visits to see two West End shows. But while the young people are at the camps, they must observe the ground rules: no drinking, no smoking, no sex, no drugs and no threatening behaviour. "We also recommend they do not to bring like iPods or mobile phones, because we cannot guarantee they will not be damaged," says Wathen. The young people can also make up their own rules for their dorm, such as respecting each other and not swearing. They can create a "bunk chant" with their counsellor and have their own bunk name, such as the Divas, which they emblazon on the doors using stickers, glitter and felt-tip pens. Twenty-seven counsellors look after bunk groups of eight young people each at the Hampstead camp. The counsellors have been recruited from US agency CCUSA (Camp Counselors USA), which was asked by the YHA to find about 240 staff to work across the 23 camps in England and Wales. Most have experience of working in the US as well as in Russia and Europe. Many of the concepts the counsellors employ - such as "spirit points" and "spirit fingers" - originated in the US and are designed to keep the young people motivated. "Bunk teams get spirit points for showing 'spirit' during their stay," explains head camp counsellor, Tracy Rowlinson. "They earn them by being happy, doing drama, singing and carrying out the bunk chants. At the end of the week they find out which team won the most." Because of the rewards, the young people sing and perform all day and the happiness vibe becomes infectious. "Most of the counsellors have experience of the more highly charged US camps and know that a happy, exciting atmosphere will rub off on the young people," says Rowlinson. "A lot of the young people grow up really fast and worry about their hair and make-up, so this is about letting them just be young again." Despite the American influence, there are several differences between English and US camps. There camps last up to eight weeks and counsellors are allowed to hug young people and sleep in the same dorms. Such close contact is not allowed in English camps. "The Americans have been running camps for many years, but in the UK there are a lot more rules and regulations to take into account," says camp counsellor Molly Ayodeji, in between getting her group of 16- to 17-year-old girls called The Rascals to chant their bunk song while banging their hands on the dining table. "The chants help them get along and develop skills. British young people come with fear while in the US they know they'll get crazy counsellors. We tell them that what they get out of the camps depends on what they put in." And the American approach does seem to work. Luke Eaves, 13, a tap dancer from Liverpool, says: "I like this place. I like the leaders and the spirit points. It is very exciting and it has challenged me. Most youth clubs ask you what you want to do, but at this place there is loads of stuff organised." More serious But some of the older young people wish the camp took a more serious approach. William Timms, 16, from Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire, says: "I didn't expect all the meaningless singing. I thought it would be about proper drama. This camp is better suited for the younger people - I was hoping for something a little more serious." William Kennedy, 16, from West Sussex, also would have liked more theatrical workshops. "I thought it would be more about drama but it's about performance," he says. "But my drumming has improved with the African class and so has my confidence in singing." Overall, Wathen is pleased with how the week has gone. "This is the first of our two years running Do it 4 Real and we had a short set-up time. We will be able to look at young people's feedback and build on it for next year. Maybe we will even have volunteers." Find out more: Do it 4 Real www.doit4real.co.uk WHAT CAMPS ARE AVAILABLE - Multi-Activity camps offer kayaking, raft-building, climbing, archery and abseiling. Held at sites in Brathay in Cumbria, Edale and Gradbach in Derbyshire, Kielder in Northumberland, Llangollen in Denbighshire, River Dart in Devon and Quantock Lodge in Bridgwater. - Dance and Music provides access to professional choreographers and musical directors. Held at Crowcombe in Somerset. - Media, Film & TV offers a chance to work behind the scenes with a TV production company. Young people get to work on scripts and shoot a short film. Held at Haworth in West Yorkshire. - Performing Arts provides trips to see West End plays and work with professional performers. Held at Hampstead Heath, north London. - Environmental Action explores the great outdoors and offers wildlife watches in the Brecon Beacons. Held at Danywenallt, Powys. - Ultimate Sports Experience helps improve young people's fitness and performance in a range of sports. Held at Ravenstor camp in Derbyshire. - Creative Arts and Crafts gives campers a chance to make jewellery, card sculptures and a mosaic. Held at Wilderhope Manor in Shropshire. - Girls Football and Sports is all about giving girls a chance to try out sports including basketball, tennis and hockey. Held at Truleigh Hill in West Sussex. - Castleton Quest includes a treasure hunt using GPS equipment and a visit to Alton Towers. Held at Castleton in Derbyshire. - Rugby Mad enables young people to take part in a rugby scrum and receive professional coaching. Based in Manchester. - Watersports Plus offers canyoning, kayaking, climbing and abseiling. Held at Llanberis in Gwynedd, Ilam Hall in Derbyshire and Langdale in Cumbria. - Survival Skills teaches skills such as map reading, camp-fire cooking and orienteering. Held at Quantock Hills in Somerset and Wastwater in Cumbria. - Football Mad provides training, physiology lessons and a visit to a professional club. Set in Manchester and Kemsing in Kent. - Go Extreme is for those who want to try tobogganing, snowboarding, skiing and ice-skating. Based in Coalbrookdale in Shropshire. YOUNG PEOPLE'S VOICES Barnardo's sent me to the camp as they know I like performing arts. I didn't have any expectations but I've enjoyed it and learned that I can sing and dance - Chelsea O'Leary, 11, Liverpool I chose performance arts because I really want to be in the West End. I really like it here as it has helped my confidence - Elisa Barker, 11, Bury St Edmunds I've got more confidence, learned how to project my voice and to not hide talent. I haven't missed my family at all - Naa Acquah, 12, London Coming along has given me confidence, which I don't get from the youth club. It's always happy here, so it would be nice if it were for longer - Fraser Pacheo, 13, Middlesbrough. For More Information: http://www.ypnmagazine.com/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=full_news&ID=8057