Alcohol abuse, sexual harassment, and untrained staff are significant concerns in commercial holiday camps, according to investigations by Vollbild. These providers often neglect the safety of children and teenagers.
“I was frequently offered something. There was almost everything: cocaine, Xanax, a lot of pills, and even snus. A wide range, and many people took drugs,” says Maya. The 15-year-old student attended a large commercial youth camp in Spain for the first time last year. Like Maya, tens of thousands of children and teenagers from Germany travel to holiday camps both domestically and abroad every year. Maya’s experiences shocked her parents. “Ultimately, it’s also a neglect of supervisory duty,” says Maya’s father.
Substance abuse at holiday camps
Substance abuse by minors appears to be a recurring issue in youth travel and holiday camps. Online reviews of major providers suggest that alcohol and drugs are not uncommon. Providers of children’s and youth travel promise carefree adventures: camping abroad without parents or a farm holiday – an appealing offer for relatively little money. However, camp staff and former participants have reported to SWR’s investigative format Vollbild about the darker side of holiday camps.
Sexual abuse by staff
Two young women report that they were sexually abused by camp staff when they were children. They did not receive help from other staff members: “The other staff knew about it, I’m quite sure,” says one of them. It was obvious, “when I wasn’t sleeping with the other children, but with him. But no one said anything about it.” After years of trauma, during which she was abused multiple times by the same staff member, one of the girls eventually confided in her parents. The perpetrator was eventually convicted of sexual abuse and sentenced to prison.
Call for enhanced background checks for staff
While public child and youth welfare organizations are subject to regulation, commercial providers are not. One of Germany’s largest commercial providers, Jugendtours Jugendreisen, does not require its staff to complete a first aid course or obtain an enhanced police clearance certificate. Vollbild’s investigation revealed that convicted sex offenders could potentially work as camp staff without detection. Dennis Peinze, managing director of the BundesForum Kinder- und Jugendreisen, says, “It’s very easy to apply for an enhanced police clearance certificate. What is there to hide?”
In response, Jugendtours stated that there are no legal requirements for an enhanced police clearance. They also noted that such certificates do not fully disclose prior criminal activities or ongoing legal proceedings, thus providing no guarantee of safety. However, Vollbild’s research shows that most providers require an enhanced police clearance.
Online training instead of practical experience
A Vollbild reporter tested the process and applied to various providers as a camp supervisor to see if it is possible to work in a holiday camp without any qualifications. Jugendtours Jugendreisen quickly accepted the application. The only requirement to accompany a children’s or youth trip as a supervisor was a five-hour online training course, including a final test. Dennis Peinze criticizes this as insufficient: “Typically, a training program should cover two weekends or a full week to provide the necessary skills as a supervisor. Five hours are clearly too little.”
Voluntary training standards
Some youth travel providers and child welfare organizations use the “Juleica” (Youth Leader Card) as a training standard. To obtain it, supervisors must complete a multi-day training course and provide proof of first aid certification. Jugendtours’ lawyer points out that, in addition to online training, participants receive “relevant informational materials, which are part of the contractual agreement and must be acknowledged and studied by the supervisors.” They also state that all travel leaders have up-to-date first aid training. However, during the five-hour online training that Vollbild attended undercover, most participants kept their cameras off. The final test, which Jugendtours claims is required for supervisory roles, was intentionally failed by the Vollbild reporter.
“Refresher training” consists of a single question
In a refresher training, the decoy had to answer just one question correctly: What should a supervisor do when going on an outing with children? The correct answer is: Send everyone to the bathroom again. The decoy was then allowed to work as a supervisor at a holiday camp with six- to twelve-year-old children on a farm in Saxony-Anhalt. For this, he received ten euros per day, which experts say is standard in the industry. When asked about the final exam, Jugendtours stated, “The reporter ultimately passed the exam.” On-site, however, the decoy quickly faced challenges: He was solely responsible for a group of six ten-year-old boys. The supervisory team also included a 21-year-old trip leader and two 18-year-old high school graduates, who claimed to have no prior experience. Initially, they cared for a total of 32 children. Only on the second day did another supervisor arrive, a 20-year-old who is the only one professionally involved with children and teenagers.
Commercial providers lack oversight
Supervisors often spend time alone with child groups, even behind closed doors. Ursula Enders, an educational scientist on the board of the Zartbitter Association, which supports victims of sexual abuse, criticizes the lack of protection plans at commercial providers. “Commercial providers are not subject to any professional oversight or sanction possibilities,” Enders laments. “Every fast-food restaurant is inspected by health authorities, but anyone can work with children, whether qualified or not.” It must be prevented that commercial providers become a “paradise for perpetrators.”
Federal Ministry sees no need for action
Cases of abuse in holiday camps continue to occur. While official figures are lacking, Enders estimates a high number of unreported cases. For this reason, she calls for all providers to be required to obtain enhanced police clearances for supervisors. “The police clearance at least signals: We are addressing the issue. And even that is not being adhered to.” While experts see a need for action and call for regulatory oversight of commercial youth travel providers, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, in response to inquiries, does not see a need for action.
