Practical recommendations
» Bear time differences in mind: Owing to partici- pants being in different time zones, depending on the scheduled times it may be almost impossible for interested young people in some countries to take part in a specific virtual camp. Starting in the early afternoon (Central European Time) often pro- vides the greatest flexibility. » Increase commitment: Commitment to virtual camps, which usually involve neither costs nor trav- el, is much lower than to in-person camps where participants have to pay a registration fee and pay for their own travel before the start of the project. It is worth considering this at the planning stage, con- stantly communicating this aspect and, for example before the first meeting, incorporating asynchro- nous formats for the introduction and getting-to- know-each-other phase. For instance ,participants can then be encouraged to record a video or voice message or take a photograph by a certain deadline to introduce themselves, and to upload the files to a platform (Slack, Padlet, etc.) so that everyone can access them. » Consciously and specifically plan asynchronous phases: Depending on the project, the asynchro- nous work that certain tasks involve can be mean- ingful and useful. Besides, new ideas generated by a virtual camp that are shared and directly
implemented in one’s own environment not only lead to everyone thinking more seriously about a specific topic, they are also a welcome change from sessions where everyone sits in front of their own screen and an opportunity for more in-depth exchange during the next virtual group meeting. » Create space for informal exchange: Regard- less of the content, technical implementation and timeframe of virtual projects, participants regard personal exchange within the group and the chance to get to know others as a particularly valuable experience. It thus makes sense to provide space for informal exchange, for instance keeping virtual breakout rooms tools open after a session officially ends. » Actively involve participants: Instructions for an energiser exercise, preparing a playlist for a fare- well party, checking time management during a ses- sion – as is the case in in-person formats, it can also be useful in virtual camps for participants to take on concrete tasks and responsibility for shaping the meetings. This is particularly relevant in longer pro- jects when participants volunteer to take on tasks rather than being assigned them at the start.
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