"Liderlife": how to become a leader in the teenage recreation segment

Most of you have attended holiday camps. Parents send their children to sports, recreational and other camps during the summer holidays. The camp can be located either at the school where the child is studying, or outside the city, or even several thousand kilometers from home. Such activities bring enormous benefits to the health and development of children. However, not every child will agree to exchange their free summer days for a fun school on schedule. And your child is not the only one. What does it take to open a children's holiday camp? It’s not at all difficult, just like opening a children’s goods store.

New product in the field of children's leisure

Interactive role-playing camp is a novelty in the field of children's leisure. The Russian project “Druzhitite.ru” has proposed a number of completely new and non-standard types of camps for children’s recreation. Let's consider one of them as a business idea, namely the “Civilization” camp. This is one of the most interesting projects of the interactive role-playing children's camp, which will begin its work this year. The start of the shift is scheduled for August 8, the end of the shift is August 24.

The children's interactive role-playing camp is located at the Berezovka recreation center, which is located in the Moscow region. According to the project management, this development is the most ambitious project among all developed children's camps.

Fans of computer games are probably familiar with one of the most popular strategies – “Civilization”. The goal of this game is to seize power in the territory, defeat the enemy and reclaim your possessions. This is done through military action, the use of modern technology and cultural events.

In the children's interactive role-playing camp “Civilization,” reality resembles the plot of a computer strategy, and camp participants have the opportunity to influence the development of events through their actions.

The camp is divided into 5 territories, which are occupied by certain civilizations. Children have the right to choose one of the civilizations they like; these could be the Vikings, Japanese, Greeks, Aztecs and Egyptians. The choice of a specific civilization is of great importance, because the type of housing, daily routine, type of activity, sports competitions, variety of weapons and armor depend on this choice, in addition, each nationality has a certain wonder of the world.

On the territory of a separate civilization there are four sections, this is the central city and three different forts, of different levels. The owner must protect all his territories from enemy attacks. In addition, each nationality receives 5 mines for its use, where they can extract one of the unique resources, for example:

• sulfur
• copper,
• iron,
• silver,
• gold.

Sometimes it happens that a civilization does not have the resources for construction or production. In such cases, economic and diplomatic measures are used, since it is impossible to seize other people's mines. This makes the game more exciting and varied.

Each civilization is diverse with a large number of professions that are available to children. Children who are more physically developed take the role of warriors.

The task of warriors is to capture new territories and protect their territory from enemies. Creative children can take the place of an artist or craftsman. Also, civilizations will need diplomats and economists who will consider all the most important issues that relate to the development of nationality, and they will also enter into treaties and agreements with other representatives of civilizations. As a result, every camp participant will find something they love.

The game process will be supervised by the leadership of the interactive camp, who very proudly call their governing body the “Council of Titans.”

This body awards a certain number of points for victories in various areas, for organizing duels and fair battles, sports events, various quests and other actions.

The goal of the game is to score the maximum number of points.
Victory can be the result of both military and economic, cultural and scientific actions of the players. As you can see, the interactive role-playing children's camp will appeal to children with a wide variety of hobbies and interests.

Types of children's camps

All such establishments can be classified into several types:

• sports - aimed at the physical development of children, there are general and specialized;
• family - you can relax in them with the whole family, usually they are organized by the vacationers themselves - several families who bear all the expenses;
• labor - imply that vacationing children (mainly older schoolchildren and students) perform certain work (usually in the first half of the day) with the subsequent payment of wages;
• sanatoriums - their main purpose is to improve health and prevent diseases according to an individual program;
• summer schools - can be specialized, preparatory and general education, for those who for some reason were unable to master the school curriculum in full;
• summer playgrounds - work at the place of residence (usually on the basis of a school or other educational institution).

According to the method of organizing recreation, camps are divided into stationary, tent and away camps.

The financial side of the interactive camp

In this section, we will look at how much it costs to open a children’s camp, since profit from providing quality services is the main goal of any type of business activity. Unfortunately, at present it is impossible to name the exact figure for the income of the company “Druzhite.ru”, however, there is some data on the company’s website that can become a kind of guideline. The 16-day program costs about 30 thousand rubles per child . The price varies depending on the civilization and the month in which the voucher is purchased; it is advisable to buy vouchers in advance, since in such cases the vouchers will be cheaper. In total, the camp is designed for 150 children .

The camp management offers its regular customers an interesting system of discounts to attract more visitors. With such discounts for children who often attend the camp, the trip costs parents much less. This is a very tempting offer, which is undoubtedly very useful. To find out how successful this camp is, you have to wait until the end of the shift.

Children's camp business plan: where to start?

Determining the target audience

The target audience for such a business is school students, a significant part of whom live in nearby settlements, but residents of distant cities will also be interested in a camp with an excellent reputation. The age of vacationers varies from 6 to 18 years.

Analysis of the level of competition and risks

Organizational risks (increased project launch time, changes in equipment supply conditions, dismissal of personnel during the season) can be mitigated by concluding agreements and contracts with strict penalties for non-compliance.

Marketing risks (actions of competitors, overestimation of demand) are reduced with the help of a well-thought-out strategy.

Protection against deterioration of the economic situation, changes in tax legislation and the occurrence of force majeure is project insurance.

Which program should I choose?

Many camps today continue to operate according to the same programs that were developed and established during the Soviet Union. This does not mean that they are bad, but conservatism lies in the fact that not a single holiday, not a single event, has changed its scenarios over all these years. That is, perhaps even today’s parents of your students once participated in the same competitions and said the same text word for word during performances.

A slightly different approach is needed: for example, take into account the characteristics of children, etc. Then the counselors will have the opportunity to make at least small changes and additions along the way, even if you developed your programs based on conservative ones.

However, so-called innovative programs are now in greatest demand among parents and children. A whole staff of educators, teachers, and instructors work on them in order to change and refine something every year, achieving perfection: if children do not accept some introduction, they exclude it, and try other games, activities or entertainment.

Of course, this is the beauty of a private camp over a public one - you have freedom of action, and you can use your creative potential to the fullest.

Keep in mind that in addition to games or training sessions, you will need to conduct various trips, excursions, organize holidays and other events.

Organizational plan

Business registration

To conduct such activities, the form of ownership is not so important: either an individual entrepreneur or an LLC will do. From the OKVED classifier, you should select code 55, which regulates the activities of providing places for temporary residence, which in 2020 replaced the old code 55.21, which is more detailed (“Activities of youth tourist camps and mountain tourist bases”).

It is necessary to conclude agreements with local utility services, obtain work permits from the SES and fire supervision. If you don’t want to understand all the nuances, you can turn to companies that specialize in this matter for help in registering.

Site search and construction

Typically, camps are located in a forested area, part of which is cleared of trees and used for the construction of buildings and playgrounds. The advantage will be the presence of a reservoir in the immediate vicinity. The river bank should be flat, without holes or cliffs, and the maximum depth should be in the range from 0.7 to 1.3 m.

When building a camp, it should be remembered that the height of the buildings should not exceed two floors. Each room accommodates no more than 6–8 children. Modern children's camps should be equipped with ramps, handrails, lifts and widened doorways - all this will make the holiday comfortable for children with disabilities. In addition to the number of rooms, provision should be made for a kitchen, a dining room, a medical unit, and a security room.

A good solution is not to build, but to rent non-working recreation centers for organizing a camp.

Equipment

The list of major acquisitions should include:

• furniture and household items for furnishing buildings;
• equipment for the functioning of a medical unit;
• tables, chairs, cabinets, household equipment and utensils for the food block;
• tracking systems for security posts;
• safe, counter and upholstered furniture for the administrative building;
• sports equipment for playgrounds.

Recruitment

This business is impossible without hiring a team, which is subject to strict requirements, because the employees are under the care of minors.

Most camps enter into contracts with student trainees from pedagogical universities, hiring them as counselors. But more often a permanent staff is formed, which must include doctors and educators with higher specialized education. In addition, depending on the focus, sports coaches, instructors, and teachers may be required. If we are talking about a health institution, it is imperative to provide a nutritionist and psychologist on staff.

To work in the kitchen you will need a cook and his assistant, as well as a dishwasher. The organization of the camp is carried out by the administrator, whose duties can be performed by the founder himself. To ensure the safety of students, an agreement should be concluded with a security organization.

Organization of work and meals for children

There are usually four meals provided at camp, but sometimes a second light dinner is allowed. The menu must be balanced and meet all standards (including meeting the requirements for the weight of a serving of fruit and a ban on certain dishes, such as okroshka).

If it is impossible to organize food preparation yourself, you can enter into an agreement with a local cafe for constant service. In tent camps, the issue of food is solved with the help of a fire.

Financial component of business

When opening a private children's camp as a business, it is important not only to provide for all the organizational subtleties and nuances, but also to calculate the economic efficiency. When designing business activities, special attention must be paid to the size of investments and their return on investment.

Cost of opening and maintaining

To open a small camp for children, taking into account its construction on a plot of land leased from the state, at least 20 million rubles will be required. The actual amount of initial costs will depend on the type and size of the camp, as well as the potential number of children per session.

In the future, you will also have to bear considerable costs associated with:

• payment of wages;
• business promotion;
• transport costs;
• food purchases;
• payment of utility bills and services of third parties;
• regular updating of the fixed assets (major and cosmetic repairs).

Such expenses can start from 700 thousand rubles per month.

Amount of future income

The amount of future income from the camp depends on its scale and the ability to properly attract its target audience. So, with good promotion, a small camp can bring in up to 3 million rubles in one shift. If we assume that the main peak of children's recreation occurs during four summer shifts, then the amount of annual income of the establishment will reach 12 million rubles.

Payback period

For such establishments, it is possible to preliminarily calculate only the annual amount of net profit, which for a small camp will not exceed 4 million rubles. Consequently, the initial capital invested in a business can pay off no earlier than 5 years of stable operation and high occupancy.

Running a children's holiday camp does not fall into the category of a fast-paying business, but with proper organization it is possible to receive considerable amounts of profit. The main thing, even at the initial stage of implementing the idea, is to make a competent analysis of the regional market for such services, get acquainted with the work of competitors and draw up your own unique project.

Business day and everything, everything, everything

03 August 2012

It was a farewell day and we had a great time! From the very morning everyone was in a great mood. First, we had a “Business Day”: everyone did some kind of work and received Urbucks for it. For example, you had to clean up trash on the territory and for this you were given one, two or three urbasks. Then, when this work was over, everyone came up to the counselors and counted how much they had earned. And for this, in the morning we were given “work books”, which recorded what work we did and how much we received for it. Then you could use your earnings to buy a license to open your own business or something else. Our room bought a license for the Fashionable Thing club, where we did hairstyles, tattoos, massages, manicures, and makeup. It was fun and very interesting, I liked it.

In the evening we went to the square to the dining room where the auction was being held. Here you could buy counselors’ things as souvenirs, and to do this you had to shout out who would give the most urbucks. Then we started a disco, everyone danced, it was fun. We bought an entire hour at the auction, so the disco lasted from eight to ten in the evening. And then the counselors spoke to us, and each expressed wishes to his squad. Such warm and touching words were heard that all the children began to cry. At the same time, the counselors went out to the square, and they had candles in their hands, and they made a big heart out of them! It was so great!

Then they parted ways with tassels of multi-colored threads, and an exchange of farewells began between everyone. You had to approach the people you care about, tie one string and express your wishes, and they should do the same. After that we went to a big fire. There we sang songs with all the troops. The fire was simply gorgeous - very bright and big, I really liked it! And then we went to the football field and stood in a circle with just our squad. We lit a flashlight and launched it into the sky, and watched it fly into the sky for a long time, and it was great!

It's a pity that the shift is over, I really liked it. I will miss everyone, I love everyone - especially my counselors.

Kristina Baskakova, 3rd squad, 3rd shift - 2012

www.campurber.ru

Regulatory framework and legal registration of the organization

The sphere of recreation and health improvement for children, as well as any system that is related to it, is regulated by a number of different departments, services and structures. Federal target programs, regulations and orders change or are supplemented every year, so you will have to monitor this very carefully so that the camp documentation is always in order.

Moreover, you will undergo scheduled regular checks before the opening of each season and taking on a new shift. Depending on what activities your camp will conduct, what services it will provide, and in what period it will begin to function, you will need various documents:

• a license confirming that you have the right to conduct educational activities;
• documents confirming your right to manage certain buildings and land (sale or lease agreement with the founder);
• act of acceptance of the camp by all services;
• sanitary and epidemiological conclusion from Rospotrebnadzor and SES;
• certificates stating that disinfection, deratization and disinfestation measures were carried out (further you will need to conclude agreements for their regular implementation);
• an agreement with the local health authority to confirm the provision of various medical services to your students;
• a drawn up production control plan or program;
• Rospotrebnadzor must also approve all the documentation for your canteen and even a sample menu (don’t forget about product certificates, etc.);
• enter into contracts with various services for the provision of a whole range of services: supply of food, removal of garbage and other waste, security of the camp territory, etc.;
• draw up your own books of orders that will relate to your main activities, the movement of children, plus internal regulations in the camp, job descriptions for staff, staffing, various schedules (daily routine, shifts, duty, safety precautions) and magazines;
• All employees of your institution will be required to have valid medical records and undergo regular medical examinations and hygiene training. Moreover, it is necessary to maintain medical documentation (certificates for each child, data, medical history, etc.);
• financial and accounting documents will also require strict reporting and attention;
• sanitary, technical and technological equipment must be recorded in the floor plans of the premises and certified by all services;
• when recruiting staff and forming a team, you will need to create personal cards for all employees, which will indicate their basic data, qualifications, etc. (this applies to teaching, medical, technical and other personnel);
• if children who have any benefits come to you, then each case should be studied by the social protection authorities, and when you receive the child, you should have all the certificates of receipt of this benefit and other official documents that can confirm it;
• vouchers to a health facility (with a registry attached);
• You must enter into an agreement for the provision of services with the parents of each visiting child, and also have available their applications addressed to the director of the health institution.

In addition, you must register an LLC, select a tax form, and make a stamp.

It is also better to familiarize yourself in advance with some of the main documents that clearly regulate the activities of children’s camps: “SanPiN 2.4.4.1204-03” (for stationary institutions) and “SanPiN 2.4.4.2605-10” (for tent camps). For example, for children aged 6-9 years, the maximum group size will be 25 people, as well as for teenagers 15-18 years old. But for children 10-14 years old, the maximum allowable number is 30 people in a group. Depending on their age, children may or may not be involved in some types of work or other activities. The menu, conditions for accepting children and other details are also strictly regulated.

The maximum shift will be three weeks. The break between shifts cannot be less than 2 days. A child can eat at the camp 2, 3 or 4 times a day, depending on how long he stays there.