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The English Camp Company

Why choose The English Camp Company?

The English Camp Company, L.L.C. organizes English Summer Camps in Italy, Austria & Germany for 6 – 14 year olds. We offer an enjoyable, interactive atmosphere where children can use everyday English and improve their knowledge of the English language in a fun, relaxed summer camp environment.

Our fun-loving Tutors (teachers) come from across the world and all of our tutors are well-qualified with backgrounds in education, teaching, or summer camps!

Working with The English Camp Company, L.L.C. our tutors have the opportunity to teach English in wonderful cities throughout Italy, Austria & Germany. It’s the perfect summer job for students in the education and language fields. At The English Camp Company, L.L.C. we want to instill a desire to learn English, and show the students that they can do it and that's not as scary as they may think!

Reviews

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Annie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

English Camp Company

Being part of this program for the past two years has been an incredible, transformative experience that I’ll treasure forever. My journey began in Austria during my first year, and I returned for a second year in Italy. Both years, I was a director, it challenged me in ways that pushed me to grow as a teacher and as a person.

One of the most rewarding challenges was navigating language barriers. I didn’t speak the local language, and yet I found creative ways to connect with my host families, campers, and colleagues. Whether it was through gestures, visual aids, or lots of patience and laughter, I discovered how to communicate effectively and teach in a way that transcended words. These moments of collaboration and understanding taught me that kindness and enthusiasm are universal languages.

What I learned during these summers has directly influenced my teaching back in America. I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for cultural differences, the importance of adaptability, and the value of building genuine connections with students. These lessons have shaped me into a better, more empathetic teacher in my 4th grade classroom (in America).

The camps themselves were long days but overall incredible. I had the privilege of leading engaging, fun-filled activities that made learning English exciting for the campers. Watching the kids confidence grow over time was one of the most fulfilling parts of my experience.

Ashleigh, Alessio, and Nate, the owners of the company, are remarkable people. Their support, kindness, and dedication to this program made everything possible. Even though they weren’t physically present at the camps, I always felt they had my back. They went above and beyond to ensure that we had the good experience.

The first year I was placed in a host family situation that didn’t work out. However, the staff handled it with incredible care and efficiency, quickly placing me with a better host family where I felt safe and welcomed. My second year with host families was even more amazing. I had incredible host families with whom I still keep in touch—they truly became like family to me and can’t wait to see them again.

This program has been life-changing. It’s more than just teaching English—it’s about building relationships, immersing yourself in new cultures, and growing in ways you never imagined. I cannot recommend it enough to anyone looking for a meaningful adventure!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I am gluten free, Italy has SO many gluten free options!!

We went Whitewater rafting one day in Austria. The tour guide had all of us jump into the water. The water was 32°F!! It was a blast though.
Pros
  • Cultural Immersion and Personal Growth
  • Fun and Rewarding
  • Support from Leadership/Trust
Cons
  • Limited Feedback Opportunities: wish we were able to give feedback about each camp/host family/experience for future use
  • Long days (camps 9-4:30)
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Freya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer with ECC

I had an amazing time in Austria this summer as a Camp Director. From the training in Italy, where we learnt camp games and songs and really bonded as an orientation group, to staying with lovely host families and visiting beautiful lakes, mountains and towns; I had brilliant time. ECC allowed me to spend 5 weeks with great people in some amazing places! I particularly enjoyed cycling and swimming so much in Austria, even the long train journeys through the mountains was a joy. I would recommend to anyone looking to spend the summer somewhere new!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Lots of schnitzel!
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Charlotte
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching Abroad in Austria

I taught abroad in Austria for a month at a summer camp and I had a great time! I got to know my students very well and we collaborated and made an amazing Final Show together. I also got along really well with my host family and I felt like I was a part of their family. They were really welcoming and accommodating and showed me around a lot. It was such an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend you take part in it. I feel like the children also learned a lot of English and picked up quite quickly on what I taught them.

What was your funniest moment?
My funniest moment was the Talent Show as all the kids got so involved and they created a comedy skit which made all the tutors laugh. They were so invested in it which also helped us out.
Pros
  • I am going to get a TEFL course certificate.
  • I got to explore Austria for a month and it was a beautiful and serene experience.
  • I was able to get more experience by teaching children.
Cons
  • I think at my first camp I should have been placed with the people I did my orientation with as I was only placed with one other person
  • I think we should have been informed more on how to plan a lesson and the TEFL course as it was quite long and I feel like I did not include everything from the Tefl course in my lessons
  • I think the second camp I was placed at which was called G3 Mehrzweckgebäude should have had another classroom as I was in the hall but apart from that the facilities were good there.
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Bonnie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Fulfilling Summer!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with ECC this summer as a Camp Director. Although the experience is unpaid, I gained so many skills and memories I will cherish for years to come. The host families I stayed with were amazing, with good accommodations and food (I will say this is a very crucial part to the experience).

As Camp Director, I also received plenty of support when needed, and therefore was able to support my tutors and make sure they had a great time too. I highly recommend the ECC if you enjoy working with kids and are willing to get out of your comfort zone and work hard!

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Mathieu
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

One of the best experiences of my life: Italy and Austria with the English Camp Company!

I worked as a Tutor for the ECC in July 2023, and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life.
The program started with a week-long orientation in Assisi, Italy, where you get to meet all the other tutors from around the world. During the orientation, you're trained to lesson plan and carry out camp activities, so the ECC staff makes sure you're ready for the actual camps! My 2 camps were in towns in Emilia-Romagna, Italy and Carinthia, Austria, and both times I lived with a local host family. This was my favorite part of the entire experience, as you get to become a part of these families and truly get immersed into the local culture and their everyday lives. The families brought me to places like waterparks, the beach, hiking, and the ECC also hosted cultural activities in each camp such as canoeing and wine tastings!
During the actual camps, you typically work with a class of about 8-10 kids, who are all really eager to learn English. You have lots of support from the ECC staff, your camp director, and other tutors during the entire process, so there's no pressure at all. The ECC not only wants to teach English, but they want to make English fun, so you'll enjoy your lessons as much as the kids.
Working with the ECC allowed me to meet amazing people, explore Italy and Austria, and reminded me how much I love teaching. I am currently completing my TEFL Certification to be able to teach English abroad, and plan on visiting both my host families again!

Pros
  • Meeting all the other awesome tutors: everyone doing this program loves to socialize and seek out new experiences, you'll meet some friends for life
  • Living and becoming a part of local families
  • Free Housing and Travel in Italy and Austria

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I came across the ECC while searching for opportunities to work abroad, particularly in Italy (as I had been wanting to immerse myself in that culture for a while). Their program stood out to me from the other "teach abroad" programs because they offered a position that no other program did: being a camp director. Seeing as I speak Italian fluently and I have experience organizing events, I was very attracted to the possibility of being a camp director while also being in the country that I had been dreaming of visiting.

Needless to say, I was positively overwhelmed by the experience and I'm so glad I decided to accept and spend 2 months in Italy!

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

ECC has two leaders, Nate and Ashleigh, that really do help you out from the beginning by having an orientation week that helps you understand a bit how the camps are going to go. Obviously there are a lot of situations that can't be taught theoretically (there are so many variables that make teaching at every camp such a unique experience!), but orientation gives you a base to at least get you started.

Also, you aren't left on your own to hunt for somewhere to live. The week at orientation accommodation at a local hotel is provided and meals are provided too (except for one night where you can decide to explore Assisi and eat out). When you actually start working at camp, food and accommodation are also provided, but by the host families that ECC pairs you up with.

The only things that I had to organize were:
- Plane ticket to Italy and back home.
- Train ticket from Rome to Assisi.
- Train ticket from my last camp to the airport (and accommodation/food for the extra day I spent in Rome after my last camp).
- Health insurance.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

You really have to realize that you're going to Italy/Austria to work and not to travel. Yes, the latter will most likely happen, as you can make arrangements with your host families (and they probably have plans already to show you their country). However, the main goal is to go and work. You do have a 9-5 job after all!

However, this should so not stop you from applying because it is such a beautiful job. There are worse things that could happen to you than being overseas, eating delicious food and experiencing a new culture. It's such a dynamic environment that you'll probably not even see the days go by. First thing you know, you'll be crying at the train station, saying good-bye to your current host family and hopping on a train to go to your next one.

One other thing I wish I could have known is that it's ok to not know things. It's ok to feel like you're not prepared and there's no way you could do this. You're probably in the same boat as the tutors that are working with you. You'll see that you'll manage to figure something out in the first few days of the first camp and then you'll only keep getting better!

You're working with kids. They will appreciate anything you do and the mistakes that you think you're making, no one else is noticing them. Kids will literally be so happy only to get to know you. They don't need much to have an awesome day at camp. Be patient with yourself and the other tutors. You'll figure it out!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Camp goes from Monday to Friday for two consecutive weeks in one same town. During the week, the routine is pretty similar:

- In the morning, as soon as you get to camp you prepare whatever needs to be prepared for the day and you play with kids that arrive early.
- At the beginning of camp, we have a morning circle with songs and then we play some games before starting the day.
- Then we have two English lessons that are divided by a 20 min break for a snack
- Then there's lunch (this is a 1h break).
- The afternoon consists of two blocks of games where the kids are divided into teams (the team with more points at the end of the week normally gets a little something!) . These are separated by another break.
- By 5 pm, parents are normally already waiting so you just greet them at the door and say bye to the kids :)
- Then you have the whole afternoon to visit/spend time with your family/spend time with other tutors/etc. It's really free time for you to relax and enjoy yourself!

The last Friday is special because it's the final show! Parents get to see what their kids have done during the 2 weeks.

During the weekends you mostly spend your time with your family, visiting or going to family/friends gatherings. You also have some free time to roam around the town :)

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was traveling alone and not knowing how things worked abroad. I had never ever left the North-American continent, let alone traveled alone, so I was a bit scared as to what that would be like. Especially since my mom is a bit protective, so I've always been by her side and I had never traveled without her planning everything.

To overcome it, I honestly just jumped into it. It sounds strange to say, but I almost didn't even have time to think, as I got accepted into the program in May (less than a month before the start of camp). I really had to move it. Before I knew it, I had a ticket to Italy so there was no going back. I must say that having the language down diminished my stress a lot. Actually, that stress turned into excitement and I couldn't wait to actually interact with this culture that I had been learning about for years. It was a bit scary to find my way around the big Rome station, but I managed to get through it.

I was also scared to feel awkward being a guest in a house that had no clue who I was. I couldn't understand why someone would open their house to a total stranger, but I had such a beautiful experience with every single family... They are so open and happy to learn who you are and what you do. Again, language probably helped, but the level of hospitality in Italy is remarkable and I got attached so fast to every family. I still talk to them and we are figuring out plans to see each other again!

What was your favorite thing about working in this program?

I absolutely loved getting to interact with the host families. They really made a big difference and they made me feel at home. Even if I am not their biological child, they really treated me like one and they gave me emotional support like my family would.

I have beautiful memories of all of them. From going to family gatherings, meeting their friends, going out for a drink with them, going to festivals (and being strongly suggested to sing in front of everyone :') [I told them I sing opera and from that moment they had been wanting to hear me sing jaja]), going for gelato together every day... There are so so many priceless memories I made with all of them in a short span of 2 weeks per family.

We shared laughter, tears and beautiful moments that, to this day, still warm my heart.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Ashleigh McLean

Ashleigh McLean was born in Adelaide, Australia and moved to the UK with her family in 1999. While studying at the University of Liverpool, she spent a year living in Austria, improving her knowledge of the German language, and co-founded The English Camp Company with Nathanial Poerio. After graduating with a BA in German and International Development, she moved to Italy to devote her time to The ECC. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her dog Alba, cooking new recipes, and travelling.
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What position do you hold at The English Camp Company? What has been your career path so far?

Ashleigh: My name is Ashleigh McLean and I am the Co-Founder of The English Camp Company. The ECC was founded while I was in university; after graduating from university, I have since been organizing summer camps through The ECC.

Did YOU teach abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Ashleigh: Yes, in the summer of 2005 I taught English in Romania at a residential summer camp for 6 weeks. I had so much fun that I wanted to continue my summer job of teaching English in Europe. I then taught English in summer camps in Italy for 3 consecutive summers before founding The English Camp Company.

What does the future hold for The English Camp Company - any exciting new programs to share?

Ashleigh: We are always continuing to strengthen and improve our summer program for our tutors. We currently have most of our camps in Italy and a few in Austria, so we hope to be able to expand in Austria in the future.

What about the future of the teach abroad industry? How do you think international education will change over the next 10 years?

Ashleigh: The teach abroad industry is extremely positive. Many people are now realizing the importance of Mother Tongue Language teachers, and I think this will only increase.