General information and rules regarding our camps and holiday retreats

1. Holiday retreats of the ZPM Ljubljana Moste-Polje have been organised for 70 years; in recent years, we have increased the number of available destinations, holiday retreats, and camps. The programme is designed for children in the approximate age range from 6 to 14 years of age, and is then adapted to the specific group. The programme is also suitable for children who have never attended a camp/holiday retreat before, and who do not know anyone there. Immediately after the departure, we make sure that children get to know one another, that they feel good, and that all of the participants in the group are included in the activities.

2. The adults accompanying the group are our educators, who also accompany children and adolescents in other programs – they are attending various training sessions during the year and are carefully selected, responsible, and tolerant. One accompanying adult is responsible for approximately 10 children. Each accompanying adult also signs the “ZPM MP Protocol on the Protection of Children” and the “Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children”, which obliges them to treat children appropriately (prohibition of psychological and physical violence, protection of the integrity of the child, and other provisions that you can read in the attached Code). The accompanying adult is responsible for the safety of all children in their group during the course of the camp/holiday retreat.

3. The parent of the participant and the child undertake to respect the opinion of the accompanying professionals on the appropriate setting of boundaries for the group or for an individual in the event of non-compliance with the rules and agreements. Just like the accompanying adult who has signed the “Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children”, the parent also undertakes, by signing this statement and on behalf of the participant, that the participant will not commit any psychological and physical violence against the accompanying adults, other participants and staff, and that they will behave in a respectful manner, without insulting, name-calling and swearing. Any violation may mean that the participant in question will have to leave the holiday retreat/camp.

4. In all our programmes, regardless of the age of children, the rule of prohibition on the consumption of alcohol and tobacco products (cigarettes, snus, vapes, etc.)

applies.

5. The participant is also expected to be mature and to behave appropriately for their age (the participant can take care of their own personal items, they are no longer wetting the bed, they can take care of their own hygiene, they can dress themselves; children over the age of 10 can resolve conflicts by themselves and can also take care of their own pocket money).

6. Accommodations vary greatly according to the programme but are always held in a child-friendly holiday home or camp. They also depend on the destination.

7. Meals are usually made available at the accommodation, and the participants themselves are responsible for attending the meals in a timely manner. Attendance at meals is mandatory. Any dietary requirements must be reported in advance. In the holiday home, the cooking is adapted to the taste and nutritional needs of children. The participant is expected to be accustomed to a basic varied diet. If the child does not like something on the menu, they are not forced to eat it and are offered bread with a spread instead. If the child misses more than one meal, an accompanying adult or a member of the medical team will talk to the child. Together, they will try to find the reason for the issue and then decide whether to consult with the parents or whether the kitchen can provide something that the child will like. If it is not possible to find a solution, a parent must come and pick up their child.

8. The daily programme is always very animated, and all the participants and accompanying adults are expected to take part in the programme. Waking up and taking care of the morning routine and the room are followed by breakfast, the morning programme and lunch. After lunch, children have some time to rest and enjoy quiet activities, which is followed by an afternoon snack and afternoon group activities, dinner, short break, and the evening programme. After the end of the evening programme, it’s time to take care of the evening routine, followed by talking or reading fairy tales in rooms. Bedtime is adjusted according to the age group. Anywhere from 8 to 10 hours of sleep are planned per night.

9.Safety always comes first. Cell phones are allowed for 30 minutes a day, during the time which is also allocated for calling parents using the landline. Cell phones must be used to call parents and not to spend time on social media. If the child does not have a phone, the phone available in the holiday home will not be used to call their parents, unless this is necessary for health or educational reasons. In this case, the parents are called by the head of the pedagogical team or by a member of the medical team. Participants are encouraged to independently explore the surroundings and create appropriate relationships with their peers.

10. When the group is staying in the accommodation, it is prohibited to leave the accommodation unaccompanied.

11. The programme may change in the event of a force majeure that we cannot predict (e.g. the opening schedule of the sights, the weather). If deemed feasible and appropriate, we might also add a sightseeing entrance fee to our programme, at our own costs.

12. During the programme, we adapt to the wishes and capabilities of the group. However, some physical fitness is expected so that the child can actively participate in the envisaged programme, and they will also need suitable clothes (sports shoes and clothing) that allows them to do so.

13. In order to make sure that parents are not worried about the well-being of their children, we are trying our best to get in touch with the parents as frequently as possible, using the photos that are published in the album. The link to the album is provided to the parents on the first day of the camp. The time frame of our posts depends on the time of the head of the pedagogical team and also on the speed of our internet connections.

14. We present all the information, the detailed program and the team of accompanying adults at a meeting with the parents, which usually takes place just before departure.