How can we help you

Roeland VZW is a youth service which began in 1971. Our motto is ‘Creative language learning’. We organise French, English and Dutch language camps for children and young people during the summer holidays. We also offer Dutch day camps in Ghent for non-Dutch-speaking newcomers and children with language delays.

Throughout the school year we arrange Dutch and French city visits for schools.

No, that’s not something we do. But take a look at our website if you would like to find a language camp for your child.

No, Roeland does not give private lessons. We would advise you to contact your child’s school for information about private lessons.

Roeland organises projects in Dutch, French and English.

Roeland offers language camps during all school holidays. See our camps page for information about our different camp dates and age groups.

At Roeland we always choose cool instructors, so you can be sure of having lots of fun all day long. The supervisors will give you plenty of encouragement to speak French or English. We call this total language immersion. In order to give you as much help as possible, we have a ratio of one supervisor to four students at most of our camps. That’s one of the things that makes Roeland truly unique!

We are always on the lookout for ways to fund our projects for vulnerable children and young people. You can make a donation to our account BE47 8900 1425 4280 using the reference ‘gift maatschappelijk project’. We are not able to offer you a tax certificate for donations.

As an employer, you can enter into a partnership with us which will allow you to offer your employees a 5% discount on our holiday camps. In return for this discount, we ask you to spread the word about Roeland amongst your employees. If you are interested please contact our Communications Officer, Nathanëlla Monsaert (nathanella@roeland.be) for more information.

Are you entitled to an employee discount? Ask your employer for more information about their partnership with Roeland VZW and they can give you the discount code.

Please note: our discounts may not be combined.

This means that we have to satisfy a number of quality criteria in order to be recognised and to receive subsidies from the Flemish government.

You can find more info here: https://www.roeland.be/en/corona/.

That’s great! We are happy to welcome you. Look on our employee page to see how you can apply to become a volunteer.

Log in to your personal page and register your availability. You should also check that all your personal details are still correct.

Roeland runs holiday camps of the highest quality, and we expect all our language instructors to have an excellent command of the language spoken on the camp. Hence we test all new language instructors before they come to camp for the first time to make sure they have a good enough knowledge of the language. This test is held either during the training weekend or by means of an interview.

We would love to have you on our camps! Teachers usually step into the role of class language teacher, but you could also choose to take on a camp games assistant role. The same language proficiency rules apply to teachers as they do to other volunteers (see previous question).

Yes, at Roeland we offer a volunteers’ allowance. The amount you receive depends on the duration of the camp and your role at the camp. For more information, contact our admin team at info@roeland.be.

Roeland organises training weekends for all new language instructors in the spring. During the training weekend you will learn what is expected of you as a Roeland language instructor.

Roeland organises regular training sessions on various subjects for volunteers and prospective volunteers.

Our language instructors must be at least 18 years old.

From the age of 16, you can volunteer for a logistical role (kitchen and maintenance staff.)

From the age of 16, you can take part in the Language Instructor for Youth Work course, and the following summer you can join a camp as a trainee language instructor.

Roeland organises Dutch day camps for non-Dutch-speaking newcomers and for children with language delays. Would you like to teach these children Dutch in a fun, playful way? Look at our employee page to see how you can apply.

• English language camps: Lieve Haverbeke (lieve@roeland.be)
• Junior French language camps (7-12 year-olds): Lieselot Van Leeuwen (junior@roeland.be)
• French language camps 12-18 year-olds: Jérémie Ruffin (jeremie@roeland.be)
• Dutch language camps: Tom Vandevelde (tom@roeland.be)
• Camps for non-Dutch speaking newcomers (NT2): Tom Vandevelde (tom@roeland.be)
• Camps Brede School Ghent: Tom Vandevelde (tom@roeland.be)
• Queries about logistical roles (e.g. kitchen, maintenance etc.): Senne Govaert (logistiek@roeland.be)

Artscène Français, Artscene English, City visits: info@roeland.be

Of course! If you would like to do an internship at one of our camps, or are interested in being involved with a particular project, then please contact the project co-ordinator (see previous question). If you have a general query or you would like to do an internship at our head office, please contact our admin team (info@roeland.be).

Yes. As we work with children and young people at Roeland, we ask all supervisors to provide an “Uittreksel uit het strafregister model 2” (certificate of good behaviour). Ask your local authority for more information.

You can read our brochure online. Would you like to receive a paper brochure? Mail info@roeland.be. If you order before or during the summer you will receive the current brochure. After the summer you can request the new season’s brochure. It will be available in December.

When you search for a camp you will be able to see which camps have availability and which are full.

No. Please sign up using our website, so that you can fill in all your personal details and upload a photo of your child. If it doesn’t work or you are having trouble, we will be happy to help you -  call us on 09/221 60 44

If you cannot log in with your email address, then it is likely that you registered under a different email address (e.g. your partner’s email address). Try again using a different email address. If it still doesn’t work, please call us on 09/221 60 44 and we will be happy to help you.

Click on ‘forgotten password’ and you will automatically be sent an email so that you can re-set your password. Don’t forget to check in your spam folder. If it doesn’t work or you are having trouble you can call us on 09/221 60 44 and we will be happy to help you.

You should be able to see all your personal details on your profile page. Check your details to see if your email address is correct. It’s also possible that our emails have gone into your spam folder, so don’t forget to check there, too. If you are still having trouble, feel free to contact us on 09/221 60 44 and we will be happy to help you.

We ask you to pay the full sum within 30 days. You can see the details of your invoice at any time on your personal profile. Your registration is not confirmed until we receive payment.

If it is not possible for you to pay the full sum in one go, please contact our admin team to discuss your options.

You can check the status of your payment at any time on your personal profile. It may take a little while for the status to register as ‘paid’. Make sure you use the official notification when you make the payment. Your registration is not confirmed until we have received your payment.

From this year onwards, you will only be able to register your own children. It’s best if you talk to the parents of your children’s friends before you register.

Should this happen, we recommend that you book both children onto a different camp (as long as there are enough places left in the right age group). This won’t cost you any extra money. Please contact us by telephone (09/221 60 44) and we will be happy to help you.

It depends. You can read our general conditions here.

If there are not enough applicants, we may cancel a camp. If this happens, we will help you to find a suitable alternative. If we cannot find an alternative you will receive a full refund.

If your camp of choice is already full, your child can be placed on the waiting list. Spaces often become available due to cancellations or changes. We cannot guarantee that a place will become available, therefore we recommend that you choose a different camp for your child. You can then cancel this camp free of charge if a place becomes available at your first choice of camp.

If a place becomes available, we will contact you immediately. If your child still wants to attend the camp, then we will arrange for the registration to be transferred.

If you change your mind, you can remove your child from the waiting list at any time on your personal profile page.

You will find the documents on your personal profile page. Log in, go to "my dashboard" and select the language course concerned. There you will find all the necessary documents.

• Included: accommodation, meals (except on day camps), lesson materials, outings, civil liability insurance, accident insurance.
• Not included: transport by coach to and from the camp site and personal purchases (in the bar and during outings).
• There may be some changes to the programme (i.e. activities and outings). This does not imply a change of price.

Because some parents prefer to bring and pick up their child themselves, we have decided to exclude transport by coach from the camp price. You can book your preferred method of transport, both for the outbound and the return journey, when registering. 

2. Employee reduction: Does your employer have a partnership with us? Then you could be eligible for a staff discount. Contact your employer for more information.

Would your business like to form a partnership with us? If so, please email info@roeland.be

4. Study allowance reduction: If you are receiving a study allowance for secondary education this school year then you are eligible for a reduction of 20% of the total amount of your allowance. Does this apply to you? Then send us proof that you are receiving a study allowance via email (info@roeland.be) or by post.

Please note that our discounts cannot be combined. Make sure you check which discount is most beneficial for you before signing up.

Some (Belgian) employers and health insurance companies will refund part of the cost of the camp after registration. Are you eligible for this? After your camp is over you can download the ‘certificate of participation’ on your profile.

When you register, you can add your discount by giving the name of your employer and typing in a code (ask your employer for the code). The discount will then be applied.

Send us an email ( info@roeland.be) and we will reimburse you the appropriate amount.

Please note: Did you forget to ask for your employer’s discount (5%)? Don’t worry! There is no need to contact us – Our discounts cannot be combined.

Check here for our general terms and conditions.

For children who are under 14 during the camp, we will provide a tax certificate. This can be found on you personal profile after the camp (click on the camp, then choose ‘documents’). It will be available from the month of March (next calendar year).

Some (Belgian) health insurance companies will refund part of the cost of the camp after registration. Are you eligible for this? After your camp is over you can download the ‘certificate of participation’ on your profile. Send this to your employer of health insurance company.

Room-sharing requests can be specified on the medical form. Some locations have single rooms and others have shared rooms. Girls and boys never share rooms, even if they are brother and sister. You can find out more about room sharing on the camp page. 

Of course! There will be plenty of other kids there who have gone without a friend. The kids get to know each other really quickly thanks to our meet-and-greet games. Living and playing together as a group is central to the Roeland experience.

Of course. Please ensure you state it clearly on the medical form so that we can take good care of your child at camp. If you have any concerns in this regard, please give us a call on 09/221 60 44 and we can put your mind at rest.

At Roeland we try to give every child the chance to come to camp. We will be happy to discuss the possibilities with you. Please contact us on 09/221 60 44 so that we can come up with the best solution together. When it comes to registering, be sure to fill in all the necessary details on the medical form so that we can give your child an unforgettable camp experience!

This can be possible under certain circumstances. For example, if your child has either been kept back a year or skipped a year at school, he or she may be more suited to a camp with other children from his/her school year. If your child’s birth year does not correspond with the age range of a camp then you will receive a notification when you register and the camp coordinator will contact you to discuss it. You can also contact us yourself on 09/221 60 44 or info@roeland.be.

We speak exclusively French or English on our 12+ camps (immersion camps). We expect all the kids to stick to this rule and to speak only French or English while they are at camp.

At junior camp and some 12+ camps (discovery camps), your child will be allowed to speak Dutch with the other kids. Our language instructors will only ever speak the camp’s target language. 

So an immersion camp is harder, but the immersion is greater.

The most important thing is that your child has a good time and gets to grips with the foreign language. You know your own child best – think carefully about their character, maturity and language skills before you decide. If you’re in any doubt, get in touch with us.

The CPIWP will first of all listen to the story. Then he/she will consider possible solutions. The CPIWP is bound to discretion: anything said must remain confidential whenever possible. Anyone can turn to the CPIWP! Volunteers, but also participants or participants’ parents.

At Roeland the CPIWP is Mieke Van Parys. You can contact her on +32 (0)473 34 65 59 or mieke@roeland.be. Of course you can also turn to other people you trust. Sometimes the CIWP has no choice but to get extra help, but he/she will always inform you.

• All French courses in Wallonia and Ostend: Oostakker (Ghent area) and Brussels
• All French courses in France: Oostakker (Ghent area) (except Stenay: Oostakker and Brussels)
• All English courses in England: Oostakker (Ghent area) 
• English course (residential) in Oostakker: Brussels
• English courses in Ieper: Oostakker (Ghent area) and Brussels
• English courses in Dworp: Oostakker (Ghent area)
• Dutch courses in Ghent (Nieuwen Bosch): Brussels
• Dutch courses in Heino: Brussels

Departure times

Departure times in Oostakker vary between 7:30 and 10:00,
and those in Brussels between 8:00 and 10:00. 

Arrival times 

in Oostakker are between 11:00 and 13:30.
Buses from the UK arrive in Oostakker between 16:30 and 18:15. 

Arrival times in Brussels are between 10:15 and 12:15

More specific departure and arrival times per camp will be mentioned in the guidelines for the camp, which will be available several weeks before the camp starts. 

You will find the addresses of all the camps on the Camp Information pages.

What should my child take to camp? Where does the bus depart from and when? Practical information about the camp will appear on your personal profile page one month before the start of the camp. You will receive an email informing you when all the details have been posted online.

Only you, as their parent, can decide this. Pocket money can be used for personal expenditure at the bar (a drink or snack) and during outings. Take the length of the camp into consideration and don’t overdo it. Roeland cannot be held responsible for the theft of personal belongings. We ask you to give your child a combination padlock so that suitcases can be locked.

For travel to the United Kingdom an international passport is required that is valid for at least 6 months upon return. Apply in good time to your local authority.

You can use the medical form to inform us of any allergies, food intolerances and anything else of importance (adhd, extreme homesickness etc). Fill the form in carefully, so that we can take good care of your child. The information will only be used by the supervisors at the camp which your child is attending. You will find the medical form on your personal profile page. Go to "my dashboard" and select the language course concerned. There you will find all the necessary documents.

We can only issue medication at camp if we have a certificate of permission from you or your doctor. The medication and the form should be given to the bus monitor at the beginning of camp (or to the first aid monitor at camp if you are dropping your child yourself).

This document is only necessary if your child is going to a camp in France. French law states that there may be no medical intervention on a minor without written parental permission. If there should be any medical intervention necessary during the camp, we would of course contact you beforehand to ask for your permission. However, we do also require written proof of your permission, therefore we require that you sign this document beforehand. We will make this document available to you on your personal profile page one month before the start of camp. You will also receive an email from us requesting that you fill the document in.

Your child is insured for accidents and civil liability. However, Roeland cannot be held responsible for theft, damage or loss of personal belongings. If you have any questions regarding insurance (e.g. broken glasses, reimbursement of medical bills etc.) please contact our logistics coordinator, Senne Govaert (logistiek@roeland.be).

We have a first aid monitor at every camp, who will be able to care for your child. We do not take any risks and if we are in any doubt we always contact the doctor or hospital immediately. In an emergency, the camp supervisor will get in touch with you straight away. Please also refer to the previous question.

In cases of illness, you will be responsible for any doctor’s bills or medical costs. If necessary, the camp supervisor will cover the costs on a temporary basis. The child’s parents will then receive a letter requesting repayment. You will also receive a doctor’s note for your health insurance provider. We are insured against accidents. Please also refer to the previous question.

Check our general terms and conditions here.

We welcome the children from 8:30 onwards and the activities start at 9:30. During the day, there are several cool workshops in which the children learn the language in a playful way. We always make sure it is lots of fun so that they will hardly notice that it is all in a foreign language. We sing together, do arts and crafts, play games, sports activities, … There is also one fun outing during the camp. The activities stop at 4:30; pick-up is possible until 5:30.

• Cool workshops. Working in small groups of various levels you will deal with different themes’. We always make sure it is lots of fun so that they will hardly notice that it is all in a foreign language.
• Singing sessions (a great way to learn a new language!).
• Creative workshops: arts and crafts, making a movie, cooking etc.
• Afternoon activities (games) and sports.
• A fun outing.

The children are allowed to speak their mother tongue (see also ‘rules’)

This will depend on the location, the duration of the camp and the theme: the daily schedule differs from camp to camp. The following activities are usually included: cool language workshops (lessons) throughout the day, a sports session, workshops in small groups (of choice), a big game, a city game or other activities, a singing session, free time (bar, shower, siesta), one excursion per week. During camps for older teenagers (15+) they have a say in the programme too. See also next questions about making groups and the language workshops. 

There is a short test to decide how the groups should be arranged (see following question). Therefore, it is possible that your child may not be put in the same group as his/her friend. We do this to ensure that each child is placed in a group which is the right level for him/her. All other activities take place with the whole group or in small groups which the children can choose themselves (e.g. for sports, creative workshops and excursions).

We call them ‘language workshops’. These active workshops allow you to put all the vocabulary and grammar that you have learned at school into practise. We use videos and online resources as well as doing lots of group work and we always make sure the tasks we set you are fun. That way you improve your French or English, but it doesn’t feel like hard work. Of course, now and again there will be a bit of grammar, just to make sure you’ve got all the basics in place.

The age, school subject(s) and school year of the participants are gathered upon registration. The camp starts off with a placement game which helps to determine the language proficiency of the participants in a playful way. Using all of this information, the participants are then divided into smaller groups based on their level of proficiency. Each group contains around ten participants of a similar level and is lead by one of our language coaches. 

Yes, it is allowed to speak its mother tongue with the other kids. Our language instructors/assistants only speak the language of the camp, but, as you will see, it all works out! To help you out, there is a daily ‘language break’, a moment when the camp leader will give you some explanation in your own language so that you know exactly what’s going on.

No, everyone (staff and participants) exclusively speak the language of the camp. Don’t worry, we make sure we explain everything really clearly so that you understand us.

If your child is older than 12, we expect him/her to speak exclusively the target language at camp. Our professional teams will go out of their way to help your child with this. If all attempts to encourage this are unsuccessful – or if your child is disruptive or in cases of vandalism – your child may be sent home. However, we do not expect this to be necessary.

It is not possible to phone your child at camp, as this can cause children to feel homesick. If you have an urgent enquiry, you may contact the camp supervisors. You will find the contact details with the final camp information, which you can download onto your personal profile page one month before the camp begins.

No, we request that the children leave their mobile phone at home. Not everyone in this age group has a mobile phone, so we think it’s fairer this way. If your child is ill or feels homesick, the camp leader will contact you.

Yes, we allow them to bring their phone to camp. However, there are a few conditions. Participants are not allowed to have their phone in their pocket the whole day (even for taking photos) and they may not make phone calls (because then they will be speaking in their native language). We will make sure there are regular times when the participants are permitted to use their phone to send messages home. Parents are also updated on the camp activities via our blog and photos on our website.

No. A visit from parents would disrupt the camp atmosphere as well as going against our ‘total immersion’ principle. We ask you to respect this rule. 

We have a strict no-smoking policy on camp, regardless of parents’ permission. Of course alchohol and drugs are also prohibited.

We strongly advise against this. The group atmosphere is central to the Roeland experience, and if a child is not present for the entire camp it is disappointing for the group and of course for the child in question. If it really cannot be avoided then you can get in touch with our secretary to discuss the options.

You can communicate in various ways (preferably in the language of the camp):

• Mail. The email address can be found on the final instructions (see personal profile). The team will print them and give them to your child. Don’t forget to mention your child’s name. The children cannot send emails themselves.
• Letter. The camp address can be found on the final instructions (see personal profile). The team will give them to your child. The children can also send letters or postcards to their parents.
• Sms (only 12+ course). We will make sure there are regular times when the participants are permitted to use their phone to send messages home (see also the ‘rules’ section).

You will find the photos and blog on your personal profile page. Log in on our website, go to "my dashboard" en select the language course concerned. There you will find all the photos and blog. The camp leaders will make sure that pictures and blog are regularly updated.

Some children do feel a little homesick at the start of camp, and others find it hard to adjust to our total language immersion policy, and they might well send their parents a rather unhappy text message. We would advise you not to panic, and to encourage your child to take a bit more time to get used to the new environment. Most children adjust quite quickly. If you are still worried, give the camp supervisor a call. And of course, if there is any kind of emergency, they will not hesitate to contact you.

Yes. You will be able to see photos and blog posts on your personal profile page. The teams make sure that there are regular new photo and blog updates, so that parents can see what the kids have been up to. The photos will be visible on the website for one year. The photos may also be used on our website, in our brochure and on social media to promote our camps.

By agreeing to our general terms and conditions you are giving Roeland permission to take and publish photographs and other visual images unless you send us a written request not to do so. You have the right to access and change your personal information at any time. Please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone or email if there is a particular image you do not want us to show or use.

• Send an email to info@roeland.be with a description of the item/clothing, your child’s name and the which camp he/she was attending.
• Any lost items we find are brought to our head office in Ghent. They can be collected from there on weekdays between 9am and 5pm. Let us know if you’re coming to pick something up and we will make sure we have the item/clothing ready for you.

For children who are under 14 during the camp, we will provide a tax certificate. This can be found on you personal profile after the camp (click on the camp, then choose ‘documents’). It will be available from the month of March (next calendar year).

Some (Belgian) employers and health insurance companies will refund part of the cost of the camp after registration. For this you need a ‘certificate of participation’. Are you eligible for this? After your camp is over you can download the document on your profile. (click on the camp, then choose ‘documents’).

At Roeland we are always keen to receive feedback from participants and their parents. Participants on our 12+ age group camps fill in an online questionnaire at camp, and participants in our junior camps can fill in an online questionnaire with their parents when they get home. Parents who have feedback for us (compliments or points for improvement) can email us at info@roeland.be.