Learning the importance of fostering a positive and inclusive environment can be best achieved with hands-on experience.
That’s why Camp Iluminar organized its first ever monitor leadership training weekend with the expertise of Rahman Michel Rener. This two-day overnight training brought together this year’s chosen Monitors, Youth & Sports members, ITREB leadership and STEP teachers, all currently living in Portugal, yet originating from over 8 different countries.
The monitors were united by a common purpose, to best prepare themselves for a 4-day camp in August with 80 Ismaili youth from various backgrounds meanwhile incorporating sports, creative workshops, and faith-based activities to make an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Despite the team’s initial unfamiliarity with one another and with the goals of the program, the monitors soon realized the strength in their diversity. They participated in the various activities organized for the youth at the camp, providing ideas to enhance the experience to ensure all participants are able to partake in a camp that enriches their lives.
The experience not only prepared the monitors for the upcoming camp, but at the same time allowed them to learn about each other’s journeys and embrace the joy camps bring and why they are such an important program for our Ismaili youth.
“At the beginning we thought we were here to do something for others, to give back to our community but at the end we realized, this camp was also for us. To give us a chance to appreciate the small things, to have a restart”, in Anjeya Amin’s opinion.
Overall, these sessions transformed the team into well-rounded monitors equipped with the tools to make a meaningful impact on the campers' lives at this year’s Camp Iluminar in August 2023.
Learn more about Camp Iluminar and the Summer Youth Camps here.
