How we "rested" with the International School of Leadership for Youth ... or about those who "can
How we "rested" with the International School of Leadership for Youth... or about those who "know how to make money"
We are talking about the School in Yekaterinburg. Such a pathetic name that you can’t even believe that something could be wrong...
But let's be consistent - let's go in order.
In January 2010, I sent my daughter for the winter holidays with this school to Mount Pilnaya. They were accommodated in the children's sanatorium "Dyuzhonok" - everything is as it should be in a children's institution - food, living conditions, staff. Well, in general, one word - a children's sanatorium, and that says it all. The educators went with them young and apparently not without the abilities of Kostya and Irina - sort of like psychologists. Daughter returned happy. In general, I thought that this was normal, because they take a lot of money and for that kind of money, well, they should provide everything through. It was like that on Mount Pilnaya.
And so, after such a successful experience, we decided to have a rest in the summer with this School of Leadership.
I paid an advance payment for 4 visiting programs in early May.
And here is the long-awaited arrival on June 13, the program "The Magnificent Eight - visiting club" at the camp site "Swallow's Nest". (Looking ahead, I’ll say - if I knew what kind of camp site it was! ).
When leaving, my 13-year-old daughter was in for a shock: a team of guys aged 6 (!!! ) to 9 years old was standing by the bus. As it turned out later, among all the kids there were two or three guys aged 12-13. Just! Yes, it became clear that the organization was not thought out, because when selling the ticket, the managers of the School of Leadership declared the age of 11-14 years, but not 6-11 years.
Well, let him with age. The most interesting began further:
I never thought that for my own money my child would be FORCED to participate in activities for kids! Well, a 13-year-old person is not interested in “trainings” designed for 6-9 year olds. But no - it is OBLIGED to participate - otherwise a public reprimand. Yes, it would be okay. As if on purpose, my daughter felt bad - nausea, abdominal pain. So it turned out! There is no doctor or nurse at the camp site! There is no one to turn to. She, of course, refers to the "coaches" - so they say and so - she feels sick, her stomach hurts. To which the “coaches” report - “if you complain, we will take you and take you to the hospital, so you better not complain. ” I call the base on a landline phone (Beeline does not catch it there). Before calling the child to the phone, they reprimand me - they say why are you calling - there is no one to call the children here, your problems are that your telecom operator does not have coverage here (at least someone warned in advance that Beeline does not catch there; ). Wow service ? Okay, they called, thanks to them. In general, over 3 days of telephone conversations with my daughter, a picture emerged: a wonderful vacation - she is not interested in “playing in the sandbox” - she does not hide this - as a result, the educators press. Just do not understand why these two ladies of advanced age are called "coaches"? Ordinary educators, women over 50 with a technical education who attended short courses in psychological training somewhere. Here "coach" is the same pretentious name as "International" in relation to the School of Leadership.
In general, I came to this base to see on the spot what and how. My fathers! The base "Swallow's Nest" is an ordinary private property of a small size. It stands in the middle of the forest in the most terrible wilderness. There are no signs along the way, so it's hard to find it. Of the guards - only a dog and an unshaven owner of the base in shorts and flip flops. That is, THERE IS NO PROTECTION AT THE FOREST BASE AT ALL! The property itself is tightly closed by a gate and has no identifying marks - just a house without a sign behind a blank fence. We go in: a small territory, ennobled with unpainted wooden benches and the same table. A hammock hangs, a little further - a fire pit, also surrounded by benches - this is a place for "trainings". Next is the bathhouse under construction. I go down to the shore - a beautiful view of the water surface. A pronounced smell of manure - it seems that local residents are grazing nearby (which was later confirmed).
They invite me to the kitchen to taste cocoa and they tell me that they take milk for the kitchen from local residents. Wow, I think - no wonder, here not only the stomach can ache, here you can pick up something more serious! Persuade me for all the crusts not to take the child.
But I don’t know, maybe, of course, someone will condemn me, but I took my daughter. Because if something happens - there is no medical staff, the attitude towards the child is indifferent, the program is simply uninteresting, and even my child should participate not out of interest, but by force.
Yes! I forgot to say that neither we nor the other participants were asked even the elementary ones - neither health certificates, nor certificates of epidemiological well-being of the address. You can imagine how they comply with sanitary and epidemiological standards when cooking and so on. In general, the risk is real for the health of children.
My daughter stayed at the base for 3 days out of 14. So the director of the School of Leadership refused to return the money for 11 unused days. To my argument that “the service was rendered of poor quality, in violation of all norms” and according to the law they must return to me all the money spent on this trip (23.500 rubles! ). Do you know what the director of this School, Mrs. Golenkova, answered me? Quote: "I just know how to make money. " This phrase explained everything: minimal staff costs (such is the staff! ), minimal costs for accommodation, food (how the children were fed there - a little lower - this is a separate issue). Maximum prices. And Mrs. Golenkova's unwillingness to lose her income, even to the detriment of the client. By the way, she also refused to return the prepayment for July (13.500 rubles) to me - they say, she had already spent this money, they say, I said too late that we would not go (only for 8 days). That is, 23500 and 13500 I should, in her opinion, simply “give” to her. I quote Ms. Golenkova: "This is a market" (! ). That is, the market in its understanding is as follows.
What to do? I then wrote an application for a refund, brought it. (I came with a lawyer). So director Golenkova forbade the secretary to accept the application and generally talk to us. I then approached her directly. What do you think she did? - I did not accept the application, called the security guard and escorted me out of the office with the words "You have no right to be in my office. " That is, according to the logic of the owner of the company - the client has the right to be in the office only to pay . While you are a potential client, everything is very kind, and only after that you can see the true face of "craftsmen to make money. "
A small insert regarding nutrition: upon arrival, I ask my daughter “how did they feed you at least - delicious? ” (It should be noted that my daughter, in general, is picky about food). She listed the menu without emotion.
Breakfast - rice without butter
Lunch - Thin soup and steam cutlet with stewed cabbage
Dinner - now I don’t remember what, but something is also very “thin”
Summarizing everything that happened: a beautiful candy wrapper, designed for more or less wealthy customers, and inside it is an outright fake. The concept of "client" as such does not exist. The concept of "Consumer Rights" is generally an unfamiliar term for the company. By the way, the School of Leadership does not have any licenses for the "trainings" they conduct. So the “trainings”, as I understand it, are pure amateur performances. For potential buyers of the School of Leadership services: pay attention to the wording of the clauses of the contract - they do not contain any specifics. All formulations are vague "consulting services" and nothing more.