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School Trip Camps
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Vacation Camp
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Who we are
School Trip Camps
Vacation Camp
This page is all about the French childcare certification le BAFD. Under Youth and Sports regulation in France, a person with this certificate must direct each Vacation Camp. The certificate program is open to young adults as young at 18 years old. It is validated through a series of training and work experiences.
Yes. We hire directors without a BAFD qualification to lead our school trip teams (‘classes découvertes’). This position is called School Trip Manager .
Yes. We hire BAFD-qualified directors from March through November every year. A BAFD qualification is required to direct our summer camps, but it is optional for school trips in the spring and fall.
The minimum English level for a director is B2. A director position at American Village is fully bilingual. You must be able to speak English throughout the day and lead staff meetings in English—some counselors do not speak French! A good level of French is also required to handle administrative and logistical responsibilities and communicate with the host center, parents, or the group’s teachers.
With a BAFD qualification, you can work on American Village school trips or at our vacation camps. Seeing as you have experience as a counselor, you can apply for counselor positions. If you would like to direct, you can apply for a School Trip Manager or Vacation Camp Director position.
Yes, you can complete your practical training at our vacation camps. However, you must tell us during the recruitment process that you are in a ‘stage pratique’. Staffing ratios apply, so not all positions are available to BAFD trainees. During your interview, make sure to confirm how many days at our camps will count toward your practical training requirement.
The practical training placement must include at least 14 days actually worked with children present. It can be split into a maximum of two parts, with each part lasting at least four days.
We accept all officially recognized (French) equivalents. You can work as a director at American Village with a CAPES, Master MEEF 2, BPJEPS LTP, BPJEPS DIR ACM, DUT Animation, DEUST Animation, or another recognized equivalent.
You can easily check whether your qualification is recognized as a BAFD equivalent. Visit the official website to view the list of qualifications that allow holders to work as directors at vacation camps.
View the official list of accepted qualifications
We hire BAFD-qualified directors from March through November. With a BAFD qualification, you can work at American Village for four, five, or six months. Summer is a major recruitment period for us because of the number of camps we run. We also offer summer-only contracts for BAFD-qualified directors lasting two to eight weeks.
Our programs take place throughout France. Across all our programs, we work with 16 partner centers.
Apply on our recruitment website using the green button at the top of the page.
You can apply for renewal before your BAFD’s five-year validity period expires. Submit your application through the BAFA-BAFD platform.
You can enroll in BAFD training online. Visit the official jeunes.gouv.fr website to learn about the training process. BAFD training is a rewarding and valuable experience that we highly recommend.
Yes. American Village offers BAFD training funding to its counselors and School Trip Managers who would like to become Vacation Camp Directors. Up to €500 is available toward a training session, provided you commit to working with American Village for one month during the summer. You must request this funding during the recruitment process for a director position.
Read or download our BAFD training funding information : bafd.pdf
