Megnyitotta kapuit a Digitális Bátor Tábor
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The volunteers of the GO! Hospital Outreach Program don’t rest even between Christmas and New Year’s. We don’t forget about those children who don’t spend Christmas, the winter break at home, so even at the very end of December in Budapest, they bring joy, play, and experience to hospitals.
Unfortunately, every year there are children who spend the holiday season in their hospital beds. They can’t go home to eagerly unwrap presents with their families. They don’t help with baking gingerbread cookies, don’t decorate trees, don’t gather around the Advent wreath this year. However, the GO! Companions bring play, experience, and smiles to hospitals before Christmas and between the two holidays, and something even more important: a piece of our community, a slice of Bátor Tábor. We believe that especially during this time, it’s crucial to make the power of togetherness and support felt. Because childhood, and holidays are everyone’s right!
I have never seen my kids happier as here, in the camp.
When I think about Bátor Tábor, it makes me feel strong, powerful emotions what are locked in my heart forever. At the end of the Family Camp, I felt, that I have to think through my life: I love my job, but here I learnt, that I can act like a kid sometimes, and it is totally OK 🙂 I learnt, how I can play or be present in my kids’ life calmly – without thinking about the illness and stressing out. I have experienced that I should pay attention to others more. That I am not alone. I can be truly happy and be happy for others successes and achievements. I can laugh together with strangers.
We, as a family have received such experiences what we never could elsewhere.
I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to meet the wonderful volunteers of Bátor Tábor. I will never forget them. They changed my life and, with all of my heart I wish them every joy what can be experienced.
n the United States, there is a much deeper culture of camping, and accordingly, its regulation is also stronger. Since Bátor Tábor is a member of the American Serious Fun Children’s Network, they have revised this regulation and extended it to international camps, including ours. Compliance with this regulation is an essential condition for our membership in the American Camp Association.
Previously, we had to undergo the inspection every 3 years, but since 2016, it has been extended to every 5 years – because before that, we performed at such a high level that we were moved to a higher category. The inspection covers everything: programs, health regulations, communication with campers and volunteers, volunteer application and selection process, camp equipment and buildings, suppliers, contracts.
The inspection consisted of two steps: first, in the spring, we had to fill out a questionnaire with 266 questions and upload all necessary documents – if I remember correctly, exactly 158! In June, a 2-person inspection committee visited the camp to check the site, programs, and ask any further questions they had.
We fully complied with the mandatory regulations, and our overall evaluation was 98%, with only 3 minor areas mentioned where improvements were suggested, but none of these affect the safety of the camp, campers, or programs. They mainly concern cultural differences, such as the emphasis on prohibiting weapon use towards campers in American camps.
Scoring 98% (and completing the mandatory regulations 100%) means that we met all these criteria, everything was found in order with our programs. They also highlighted 5 different areas that impressed them:
- Diverse camp programs – They praised our willingness to deviate from basic programs and constantly work on inventing and incorporating new programs. They were particularly impressed by our circus and performing arts programs, which debuted in 2023. They are accustomed to the programs offered by American camps (such as searching for a “woodworking” program), but we pleasantly surprised them with these positive changes. They also praised our ability to innovate and expand our repertoire.
- Healthcare and preparedness at camp – They had many questions, from medication administration to emergency response, and they appreciated how we store medications, handle data, and have a well-established system for everything.
- Kitchen and dietary needs – When they visited the kitchen, they were completely amazed by the regulations we adhere to and had to dress accordingly to inspect. They were impressed by the organization of our kitchen, how each area is separated, and how we have a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. They said they had never encountered such professionalism anywhere else, where the campers’ meals and nutritional needs are prioritized to such a high degree. They specifically requested (out of curiosity) our menu chart, which indicates how many different diets the kitchen prepares for each session or training, and how they manage them. On average, we accommodate 13-14 different diets, and they try to create menus that can combine certain diets to reduce the number of variations needed.
- Sustainability – They found our pioneering sustainability efforts exemplary even on an international level, and they highlighted how interesting they found our solar panel system and efforts in alternative energy utilization. It was amusing to discuss the boiler and heat pump system with them in English. They sadly noted how our programs are directly affected by environmental impacts, such as the sad state of our lake.
- Partner relationships, volunteerism – They praised our close and effective collaboration with volunteers, experts, and supporters, how efficiently we train our volunteers, and maintain communication with the community. In the United States, it is more common for a volunteer to contract for an entire camp “season,” so they were impressed by the dedication of our volunteers who have been returning for more than 10 years. We also talked a lot about volunteer management, which they also found impressive, as we work with such a large number of volunteers and have built a community around them and Bátor Tábor over the years.
It was a very dear moment for me when they arrived. At the beginning, there was a discussion with Tamás Knecht, our CEO, and me about the inspection in general. Kelly and the others immediately highlighted that everything was generally fine, and although there are mandatory areas to inspect, they mainly want to enjoy the day and experience the professionalism they saw in the submitted documents. Throughout the day, they were very open and curious, not only about the camp but the entire organization.
They mentioned several times that they were asking us further questions not necessarily related to the inspection, but out of their own curiosity or interest, because they really enjoyed what they experienced with us.
When they arrived, they also shared that the day before, they went to a restaurant for dinner to prepare for the next day. The waiter overheard that they were from Bátor Tábor – I think it was one of our volunteers – and joined their conversation. They were completely amazed that we are so well-known and wherever they go, they encounter someone who is somehow connected to us.
After 22 years, Péter Küllői, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bátor Tábor Foundation, hands over the presidency to two other Trustees.
Kamilla Hermann will take over as chairman and Balázs Báthory as vice-chairman in the Board of Trustees. Both of them have a long-standing commitment to the Foundation, thus ensuring continuity in our operating principles.
The management of Bátor Tábor, which makes the professional decisions and develops strategy, does not change; and neither does our mission.
We are grateful to Peter for his support in the past 22 years. It is thanks to his visionary leadership and mentoring that Bátor Tábor has become a professional, high-impact, independent and transparent organisation.
You can read Peter’s personal farewell note here.
Bátor Tábor, the Camp of Courage has more than 20 years of experience in preserving and developing mental health.
Its influence reaches far and wide: it is no longer now just within the gates of the camp that the Camp provides life-changing experiences for children with serious chronic diseases and their family members. But, it also helps them recover in hospital and reintegrate into school. A new platform will be launched again in May.
The online programs were made available to everyone during the pandemic which was followed in 2021 by the Above the Clouds podcast, those episodes dealt with topics that concern us all – for example, inner peace, preserving our strength in difficult situations, or overcoming external and internal obstacles, and nurturing our human relationships.
The professional success and listenership of the podcast proved that there is a great need for a podcast about mental health and that the Bátor Tábor Foundation needs to use its expertise in the field of mental health care, in the wider society. That is why we are launching an online magazine called Above the Clouds, a platform where mental health experts meet, and their aim is to reach as many people as possible with the foundation’s message and idealism.
According to a WHO survey, 4.6% of 15-19 year olds suffer from anxiety disorders. Hungary is particularly affected by the rise of depression, for example, according to a domestic research, every tenth person is faced with mental health problems that make it difficult to perform everyday tasks. And according to a 2022 British survey, 84% of parents believe that their child’s mental problems have also increased in recent years. “The situation is similar at home, after the pandemic, the number of children and families requiring psychological help has increased significantly,” highlights Dorka Kocsis, psychologist at Bátor Tábor.
“In the concept of health, diseases are not the only thing that can harm us, but also it can be physical, social, and mental well-being,” says Dorka Kocsis. “The experience of meaningfulness in life, satisfaction, and self-expression are all part of mental health, just as they are conditions for our wellbeing, and our physical and social well-being,” she adds.
“The extension and accessibility of the Bátor Tábor’s ideology has been a long-standing concern for us,” says Tamás Knecht, the executive director. “We want to improve the lives of readers and the state of society by sharing everything that the Camp of Courage team has learned from seriously ill children and how we help their healing through our free camp, hospital, or online programs. Moreover, in addition to personal life, the role of mental health is increasingly important in workplaces, and it is important for companies that their employees are well. Everyone needs a little Bátor Tábor.”
In the magazine “Above the Clouds,” we explore multiple topics related to mental health each week. On this new platform, the Bátor Tábor approach is accessible to everyone, based on the experiences of children, volunteers, and parents in our programs: how to find and maintain strength in difficult situations, how to turn to each other. And the title speaks for itself, as the sun always shines above the clouds!
The “Above the Clouds” magazine was made possible by the support of Abercrombie & Fitch.
Don’t just plan for a year, think long-term!
Why is planning for your long term future more beneficial than just planning for one year? You can read about it in more detail in one of our previous articles, but the essence is that you help yourself a lot more if you think ahead for 3 or even 5 years instead of just 365 days! By doing so, you’ll be able to formulate a more accurate and realistic goal for one year. Moreover, according to the suggestion of coach Gábor Cséffalvay, it’s worth outlining our entire life journey because we can draw a lot of inspiration from our past for our future!
Set realistic goals and break them down into steps!
Bikini body in a month? Running a marathon from scratch? Going vegan overnight for a meat lover? Some people succeed with drastic changes, but if you’re not part of that lucky group based on your experiences, feel free to break down your ultimate goal into smaller steps. It may turn out in time that it’s not realistic to complete a full marathon within a year, so instead, prepare happily and confidently for a relaxed half-marathon! When it comes to changing lifestyles, then start with meatless Mondays, then add one meat-free day per week (and so on). If you have time to adapt to the changes, it’s much more likely that you’ll stick with them in the long run, and you won’t have to suffer!
Find what motivates you in your resolution!
In order to stick to your resolution even in the hectic everyday life, it’s not enough to have a large goal in mind. You also need to know exactly why this goal is important to you. What is your personal motivation, and your mission? For those embarking on a diet, they are more successful if they change their eating habits not for the sake of the scale and an idealized dream body, but to live a longer and healthier life. Even Incorporating exercise can also be motivated by charity: if you prepare for that first half-marathon as a member of the “Élménykülönítmény,” you’ll be more eager to put on your running shoes even on gloomy Mondays!
Be patient with yourself!
One bad habit of modern humans is always wanting everything immediately and perfectly. It’s time to remind yourself that you’re not a robot and can’t handle everything at once, and you can’t perform flawlessly all the time. Instead of beating yourself up, realize that mistakes are not failures but part of our development! And most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your “small” successes! Couldn’t run to catch the bus last year, but now you can run 2 km in February? Did you eat fresh vegetables with every meal this week? Your fundraising campaign is already at 20%? They all deserve a pat on the back!
Choose a goal (or goals) that also helps others!
You have probably heard that charity and volunteering not only change the lives of those who receive help but also the lives of people who help. Supporters, volunteers, and donors of the Bátor Tábor can confirm that giving to them is also a life-changing experience! Going to bed knowing that you made the world a slightly better place today is a completely different feeling. Give it a try and provide courage to seriously ill children through volunteering, regular donations, or fundraising! We guarantee that you will notice: the sun always shines above the clouds!
Vigyük el együtt a Bátor Tábort az otthonokba!
We change lives. Help us in our mission!
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Megnyitotta kapuit a Digitális Bátor Tábor
Áprilisban kezdtük el építeni digitális táborunkat. Azóta szervezünk online, interaktív foglalkozásokat súlyosan beteg...
Megnyitotta kapuit
Áprilisban kezdtük el építeni digitális táborunkat. Azóta szervezünk online, interaktív foglalkozásokat súlyosan beteg...
Megnyitotta kapuit a Digitális Bátor Tábor
Áprilisban kezdtük el építeni digitális táborunkat.
Célunk
We change lives.
Súlyosan beteg gyerekeknek és családjuknak nyújtunk sorsfordító élményeket, erőt, eszközöket az élethez, a gyógyuláshoz. Mindezt ingyen. Hisszük, hogy a felhők fölött mindig süt a nap.
Táborunk nem klasszikus értelemben vett tábor. Különleges élményekkel mozdítjuk ki a gyerekeket a komfortzónájukból, hogy félelmeik legyőzésével felismerjék: képesek szembeszállni nemcsak a kalandok során rájuk váró feladatokkal, de a betegségükkel is. Mosolyt csempészünk az arcokra, erőt adunk a küzdelemhez.
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Segíts újraindítani a gyerekkort!
We change lives. Help us in our mission!
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Adni jobb, mint kapni.
Tudja ezt, aki nehéz helyzetben kapott már segítő jobbot. Ha ismered az érzést, forgasd vissza táborlakóinkba mindazt a jót, ami benned lakik. Add át, mutass példát, változtass életeket, tedd önkéntes munkádat követendő példává a jövő generációjának!
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