SwissCommunity “I want to give something back” Fashion designer Lucrezia Biondi, who lives in Germany, used to go on OSA Youth Service summer camps every year when she was younger. She is now taking the plunge as a camp leader and wishes to take elements of her training for this position and put them into practice in her professional life. MIREILLE GUGGENBÜHLER Lucrezia Biondi works as a clothes designer and has her own fashion line. She is a dance instructor, she is learning to become a yoga teacher – and she has also completed her training as a Y+S camp leader this year. Y+S stands for Youth and Sport, the federal government scheme to promote sport. Soon Biondi will be doing a dance project in the south of France. A few weeks later, she will be co-leading the OSA Youth Service camp in Fieschertal (canton of Valais). The 26-yearold obviously has a lot on her plate and a great deal of energy to burn. “I just get a kick out of doing a lot of different things,” she laughs. Living in Germany, Biondi is a Swiss Abroad herself. Her mother grew up in Gethought that was great. The whole camping environment pulled me in again straight away.” Biondi felt particularly energised by the team-play nature of camp sports. “Until then, I had only ever done sports outside the competitive, teamwork setting. This playful aspect of camp sports is missing in fashion, yoga and dance.” The course changed her perspective. “I found that camp sports can really be quite exciting too. I can imagine incorporating these elements in my professional work.” Chance to catch up with her relatives There was another good thing about doing the Y+S training course in Switzerland: “I realised it had been a long time since I had last Lucrezia Biondi in her day job as a fashion designer. Photo: provided neva, while her father holds dual Swiss and German citizenship. She used to go on an OSA camp every year as a child and teenager. “It was the highlight of the year for me,” she says. “To meet people of my age from around the world, all of them Swiss nationals like me, was always exciting.” The attraction of team play It is ten years since Biondi last went on such a camp. “Because I enjoyed the camps so much, I decided to become a camp leader myself. I want to experience that special atmosphere again and give something back.” Biondi did the Y+S camp sports and trekking instructor course in Switzerland. “The course itself is structured like a camp. I 36 Swiss Review / August 2022 / No.4
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