INTERNATIONAL SEA CADET ASSOCIATION
“GUlDE FOR INTERNATIONAL CADET EXCHANGES"
1. INTRODUCTION
This Guide is written in the male gender for simplicity but the contents apply equally to
the female gender.
1. Our Mission is to facilitate the international exchanges of cultural and maritime training for young people.
2. Our challenge is to establish a "common understanding" between member countries without compromising the very characteristics that make each country and its respective programme unique.
3. The cllmate that we create for our exchanges must be one that is safe, exciting and rewarding.
4. In order for our clients, the Sea Cadets, to function in our very diverse international society, they must understand and appreciate cultural differences and respect the fact that there is no room in our global community for racism, bias and ignorance.
5. Through close communication and cooperation,we need to organise programmes for our Sea Cadets that are worthwhile and are carried out with a minimal number of "cultural collisions".
This Guide was originally prepared for the ISCA as a joint effort. The Nave League of Canada had been designated as the custodian of this document, and it was their task to update the Guide with any suggestions or recommendations which would improve it. At the 1997 Annual Conference of the ISCA, South Africa was tasked with reviewing the Guide and updating it. This revision has thus been prepared by the South African Sea Cadet Corps for the ISCA.
2. THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL SEAW CADET EXCHANGE
Experience has taught us that an international exchange is made up of a number of objectives, which include：
・ Sea Cadet Training [sailing, tours of and training on military ships etc]
・ Citizenship experience [visiting embassies, war graves etc]
・ Cultural experience [food, dress, sports etc]
・ Making new friends through homestays and summer training experience.
Experience has also taught us that too much of one and not enough of another is not necessarily a good thing. The key to a successful exchange appears to be a healthy combination of all of the above.
A host country does not necessarily have to spend a lot of money in order to host a successful exchange. For instance, Sea Cadets can be billeted in the homes of domestic Sea Cadets. Not only does this save money, it also permits you to very easily meet a number of the overall exchange objectives. Sea Cadets enjoy meeting with and being with young people their own age. Whether the are cooking together, watching TV, playing sport or just hanging around, through osmosis the Sea Cadets will unknowingly exchange culture, traditions and in the end, develop friendships. In order to ensure safety, Cadets involved in homestay experiences should have contact phone numbers so that in the event they feel uncomfortable, alternate plans can be arranged. As well, some effort should be made to ensure that host Cadets and visiting Cadets are of the same gender when paired up for a homestay. The homestay programmes can be the best option as Sea Cadets accommodated at a military base will only be exposed to that which they are probably already familiar with. Sea Cadets want to meet other Sea Cadets and no books or videos will ever transfer information as well as two young people spending time together.
