logo american village logo american village

Menu

Fermer

Drapeau Anglais Postuler / Se connecter

What’s the B.A.F.D.?

Back to posts

Voyage Vie au camp ESL Activités

All of our camp directors during the school vacation camps have the B.A.F.D. Learn more about the qualification here.

 

Similar to the B.A.F.A., the B.A.F.D. is a nationally recognized child care certification program in France. As you may have already deduced, the Brevet d’Aptitude aux Fonctions de Directeur is the B.A.F.A. equivalent for seasonal camp directors. Through a series of formal training sessions and on-the-ground work experiences, seasonal camp directors can obtain this certification in order to manage camps during school vacations.

 

What’s different between the two training programs? For starters, the majority of people that enter into B.A.F.D. are already B.A.F.A. certified, the director’s training program is not based uniquely on the day-to-day interactions with the campers. As a director is required to know how to manage all the “hidden” aspects of the camp, so that counselors can do their day-to-day, this training program is focused on the camp’s functioning as a whole. This includes aspects like camp accounting, relationship with parents, transportation, communication with the employer, health & safety regulations and how to deal with different types of emergencies, and of course, the famous “Projet Pédagogique”.

 

What’s the projet pédagogique, you might ask? The  “pedagogical project” is the backbone of any child care program in France. Each director must write out what is planned for the camp (team, goals, schedule, activities, functioning). Considering how specific our approach is, I guide and mentor the directors in their writing. The AmVil Pack Projet Péda is a tool that helps directors write their pedagogical project while respecting the American Village program. The activities plan for the session is completed during preparation days, just before campers arrive.

 If you live permanently in France and are interested in learning more about the B.A.F.D.,  visit the Youth and Sports Ministry’s BAFD webpage.


One last thing. Yes, it is possible to be American Village Director without the B.A.F.D.. It is not a prerequesite for School Trip Camps (Classes Découvertes). Our criteria include French fluency, management experience and relevant experience in a French camp. If you have had a positive experience working on our team as a counselor, this may be a great next step for you.