All India Access Summer Camp

Background The English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) provides a foundation of English language skills to talented 13-20 year-olds from economically disadvantaged sectors through after-school classes and intensive sessions. In India, there are 15 different Access programs in 14 different locations across the country. The Regional English Language Office (RELO), Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, oversees these programs, which are implemented by local NGOs. Objective and Overview The aim of this program is to organize and manage an “All India Access Summer Camp” that will bring approximately 45 disadvantaged teenagers and 15 English teachers from these Access programs together in a countryside location in India for 7 full days in either May or June, 2015. The Regional English Language Office, U.S. Embassy, New Delhi will select the students and teachers from the Access programs to attend the camp. During the camp there will be a minimum of four trained American camp counsellors to conduct all of the camp activities and oversee all aspects of managing the camp. The camp sessions planned and led by the camp counsellors should focus on cross-cultural understanding, global issues, such as sustainable development, volunteerism, and leadership skills. Through the activities, the selected students will learn more about regional cultural differences within India, U.S. culture and cultural differences among regions in the U.S., and develop their leadership skills. In the camp the students should also plan and design a project based on a selected global issue, which they can implement within their community when they return home. All camp activities must be conducted in English to ensure that the students have adequate opportunity to practice their English skills. In addition, 15 Access teachers will attend the camp. The teachers will receive one week’s intensive teacher training on the latest ELT methods and they will learn how to include global issues in their English classes. At the end of the camp, the teachers will be able to design educational projects, which they can implement in their Access classes and schools, based on global issues, such as climate change, food security, and religious diversity. The RELO will select and pay for the teacher trainer for the teachers.