What is CISV?

Group of ChildrenCISV is an independent, non-political, volunteer organization promoting cross-cultural friendship through a variety of educational programs for youth and adults in 60 countries around the world. Find out more by reading our Frequently Asked Questions, watching a 1 minute promo clip or reading a Powerpoint presentation.

CISV Ottawa is on Facebook and Twitter. CISV International is on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube

Our chapter was founded in 1962. CISV Ottawa is a registered charity #13224 8717 RR0001.

Bien que CISV utilise l'anglais comme langue officielle, les programmes et les activités locaux, nationaux, et internationaux comportent une facette de sensibilisation à plusieurs langues et cultures. Pour plus de renseignements sur l'historique de CISV et une description des programmes voyez www.cisv-stgregoire.org.

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2012 Dinner Dance Birthday Bash!

Hey CISV Ottawa is 50 and we are throwing a birthday bash!
The Feb 11th Dinner Dance is less than a month away! 
This entertaining evening is for EVERYONE and will be a great chance to meet up with people you haven’t seen for a while.   It will also be a great opportunity to invite back people who used to be involved in CISV and also to bring along new families who you think would like to be involved in the future.
The Dinner Dance is Friday, February 11th at 6pm, at the Best Western Gatineau. Tickets are 30$, 15$ for children 12 and under.  Price includes a Great   dinner, a Dazzling raffle, a Special guest and a dance organised by our wonderful JB exec. This will also be a great opportunity to hear about CISV travellers or to share your interesting travel tales from all around the world.
Why you should get your tickets right away? - Ticket sales are going well but spaces are limited. 
How to get your tickets? - To get tickets, please log on to www.bit.ly/zBSVfH , and fill out the form for every ticket you wish to purchase. Then, you must pay before February 3rd or your space will be released. We expect to sell out so please get your payment in ASAP by mailing a cheque or dropping off payment (cash or cheque) to John Sobol. He will be in touch by email shortly after you submit your order to confirm your reservation and provide a mailing/drop-off address.
Don’t delay and order your tickets today!
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Montreal Winter Mini-Camp 2012

Did you have way too much fun at our Camp? Want to do it all over again? Well,.... Ottawa JB are invited to participate in Montreal's Winter Mini-Camp on Feb 3-5th.  To find out more, sign in and view their pre-camp / invitation.   
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Help Fill our Delegations

We need a few more great youth to fill our delegations - please spread the word to your adventurous friends & colleagues!!

Although the official deadline has passed, we are still accepting applications for these exciting opportunities, in order to ensure that we can send these delegations: 

  • 11 year old boy for Village,
  • several 12/13 year old boys for an Interchange with Sweden,
  • 14 year old girls for Summer Camps
  • 16-18 year old for a Youth Meeting in Denver next winter.

See this year's programs for full details.

Selection Camp (Jan14-15) is an excellent chance for youth to learn what CISV is all about and is the next step in selecting our delegates.

All ages for delegates are between June 1 & August 31 of this year, whereas JCs & leaders must be the required age as of the first day of the program, as per CISV Age Guidelines. More information can be found in Selection Guidelines, Program Fees,Volunteer Policy and Program Timeline (which explains the next steps in applying for and preparing for a program) give information for potential candidates. Concerned about your child's safety? So are we! CISV Ottawa, CISV Canada, CISV International and CISV chapters around the world take the safety of our participants very seriously. Please read more here.

 

For more information, please contact the Program Chair  as soon as possible.

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2012 Programs - Application deadline is Dec 4.

We are pleased to announce the 2012 program details available to CISV Ottawa. Leaders are needed for the villages, interchange & summer camps. We also have an exciting opportunity for a youth 18 yrs+ to be a junior leader with the interchange

Program application & leadership applications (email, post or in person at Program Registration Day)  are due Dec 4, 2011. The exception is Seminar Camp applications, whose  applications will be accepted until all positions are filled, contact the Seminar Camp Coordinator)

A full application package includes:

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Looking for staff for 2012 Village

CISV Ottawa is looking for a dynamic Camp Director and staff members for our 2012 Village (July 6 – August 2). 
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Francesco Coffee Fundraiser

Get your fix & support the next Village CISV Ottawa will host! Order your Francesco's coffee through CISV now! Several coffee types (including fair trade organic) are available as whole beans or ground in 1 lb bags. The coffee is roasted and vacuum packaged by Francesco's approximately 2-4 days before it is available for pickup. Proceeds from the order go toward hosting the CISV Ottawa 2012 Village.   read more (158 words)
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Grocery Gift Certificates

Gift certificates for Loblaws (also valid at Maxi, NoFrills, Provigo, Real Canadian Super Store, Your Independent Grocers,  Valu-Mart, Zehrs) & Metro (also valid at A&P, Dominion, Ultra Food and Drug, The Barn Markets) are available. No minimum order is required and you can order a mix of Metro and Loblaws cards - the cards are available in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $250 (Loblaws) and $5, $10, $20, $50 (Metro). For each $100 sold, the family will be credited $2.50 (Loblaws) or $2.00 (Metro) applied  directly to the family's account or you may choose to donate the money and get a tax receipt.   read more (46 words)
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Youth offered the chance of a lifetime through international program

 TRAVELING ABROAD. Ottawa west teen Johan Westeinde recently went to Forli, Italy as part of the Children’s International Summer Villages program. Kristy Wallace/ Ottawa This Week

For 14 year-old Johan Westeinde, the best part of going to Italy was the food – as well as going to the beach often and eating gelato everyday.

The west-end teen had a chance to live on a lavender farm in Flori, Italy this past summer as part of the Children’s International Summer Villages program.

“It’s a really great experience,” said Johan. “If you can try it out, you probably will like it.”

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Program offers memorable summer experience for area youth

EMC News - For 11-year-old Troy Martin, this past summer was like no other he's ever experienced.

Troy was among several local youth to participate in a program courtesy of Children's International Summer Villages (CISV) Ottawa, one of 12 CISV chapters across Canada that enable children and young people in more than 60 countries to experience different cultures and build international friendships based on understanding and respecting cultural differences.

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From Manotick to the Motor City

As part of CISV International People's Project, for members 19+, Ann Blackburn helped make a difference in the lives of children from Detroit's underprivileged suburb. Read the article by Matthew Pearson from the Ottawa Citizen describing how one of our members spent her summer vacation.