Camps international expedition- can you pay without the fundraising?

[homebythesea]

Anyone had experience of this? I know the fundraising is meant to be a big part of the participation but I just predict a massive ball-ache, and we can afford to pay the whole lot. Is this allowed, do they only accept people who have raised the money themselves? What happens if they don't raise the money, is it expected that we would pick up the tab anyway?

Camps really don't care who provides the money, as long as they are paid. I think it would be useful for your DC to at least do some fund raising, as part of the whole experience. There may be school organised things they can join in with which would help.

Thanks Leeds- I totally agree with you, just don't want it to become all encompassing on top of school and other commitments when we can just write the cheque!

Before signing up, we were led to believe that the school would support lots of fundraising activities which just didn't happen. I would've been furious if I'd been relying on this!

My DD did though enjoy raising some (a very small amount!) of the money herself. One thing she did do, which was no effort at all, was sign up to easyfundraising, so that whenever we/she bought anything on line from certain suppliers, she got a % of the price. Didn't raise a huge amount, but better than nothing.

It is a ball ache Op! We paid our DD for doing household chores (washing / putting out the bin) and she did a couple of bake sales and a fashion sale.

Does anyone have any recent experience of the CI camp(s) in Borneo .... And what the students actually do there?

My son went to Borneo with CI three years ago. We live in China so it was just for a week and no fundraising was involved, parents paid.
They spent most of the week in longhouses and one night in a hotel in kota kinabalu and visited the night market there.
Trekking and some cultural activities - dancing etc.
Community work - digging holes and planting trees and building walls. This part of the trip I dislike as the kids do not have the experience or skills to do this type of work properly and I feel it takes paid work away from local people so that our kids can have a photo opportunity of them doing some good in the world - :(
I would prefer it if the kids could use the skills they have (and which local people my not have) to bring some benefit to a community e.g local children can chat to them and improve their English, songs and games in English etc.

Thanks ShanghaiDiva . I have sympathy with your view ... My child has been offered an internship for the summer ... So just trying to get a handle on its value etc. much appreciated.