Selection Process

The Jacksonville Chapter of Children's International Summer Villages is indeed fortunate to have the opportunity to send delegations to represent our community and the United States at CISV Villages in different parts of the world. The Chapter Village Delegation Selection Committee is responsible for determining which children, Junior Counselors and adult leaders will represent our community and our nation.

The primary qualifications and attributes considered by the Selection Committee are that the Junior Counselor candidate:

• Must be 16 or 17 years old on some date between June 1 and August 31 of the year of travel.
• Is physically and emotionally healthy, and demonstrates self-discipline
• Is able to be separated from family and friends for four weeks
• Is responsive to authority
• Makes friends easily and is readily accepted by others
• Communicates effectively with adults and peers
• Assumes responsibility and work within a group
• Has a positive, flexible personality — able to adjust to differences in schedules, activities, cultures, foods, etc.
• Enjoys playing games, singing, dancing, etc.
• Accepts others without prejudice, regardless of race, religion, language or culture
• Is able to commit significant time (March-June) in preparation for the Village experience

The Selection Committee consists of active members of the Chapter who bring various perspectives and a wealth of expertise to the task. The committee includes past Village delegation leaders, recent Village parents, Village staff members, and members with prior Selection Committee experience. Both men and women are included, representing teachers, counselors, and parents actively involved with youth.

The strength of the selection process lies in the strength of the dedicated members of the Selection Committee. Their experience, expertise and variety of perspectives assure us that the delegations selected will represent our community, Chapter and nation well.

The selection process involves several important factors. No single factor is necessarily more important than the others, but all are considered together in the committee's decisions:

• Application and References — found under Application section.
• Two "Play Days" - Three hours on a Saturday, involving games and other activities similar to those experienced in the Village. The Play Days give the committee opportunities to observe the children and the adult leader- and junior counselor- applicants at play and interacting with each other. See Calendar of Upcoming Events for dates.
• Parent Interviews - Conducted at a mutually convenient time. Both parents should be present to ask questions about CISV and learn all pertinent information about the commitment required for participation. The Selection Committee will learn more about the youth, the family, and the family's willingness to support the Chapter's efforts through volunteer assistance with recruiting and serving on committees. Youth participation in the CISV Village program requires a 2-year volunteer commitment on the part of the parents.
• Overnight - A carefully-structured and supervised "mock" Village environment during which children relate to their peers, junior counselors and adult leaders in CISV games, songs and activities. See Calendar of Upcoming Events for dates.
• Junior Counselor Candidate Interview - An opportunity for the youth to express his/her feelings about the CISV experience and to ask any questions he/she may have.

Using the preceding selection criteria and selection process, delegations and Junior Counselor selections are formed based on the best judgment of the Selection Committee. Parents are informed of selection results by mail, with a follow-up phone call, within a few days of the Selection Overnight.

The number of applicants varies from year to year, but there are always more highly qualified applicants than there are Junior Counselor positions to fill. For this reason, we hope applicants and families realize that CISV offers much more than just the Junior Counselor Program. There is a very active Junior Branch youth group that plans CISV-related activities throughout the year. Families also become involved in many local activities that further the ideals of CISV. We encourage all families to get involved and experience the many positive aspects of CISV. We especially hope that applicants who may not be selected as a Junior Counselor will continue their interest and pursue other CISV program opportunities.

Application Deadline

The application deadline is December 10, 2009. If you are past the deadline, please contact Adam Robinson (adam@cpasite.com), or Eleanor Fails-Hayden (failse@aol.com). to see if applications are still being accepted.

2010 VILLAGE SELECTION PLAY DAYS

Village youth, Junior Counselors and Village leader applicants should plan to attend

• Saturday, January 10, 2009, 9 AM – 12 noon
• Saturday, January 24, 2009, 9 AM – 12 noon
• Friday, February 6, 2009, 8 PM to Saturday, February 7 , 2009 (9AM) - overnight
• South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church
• Family Life Center
• 2137 Hendricks Ave 32207

*Parents will participate in “Welcome to CISV” Orientation and interviews for a few hours on one of these dates.