What If Every Young Person Experienced Camp?
A new report challenges us to think about the future of camps in Australia.
If camp is this impactful — what would it look like for every child to experience it?
New research highlights both the benefits of camp and the opportunity to reach more young people.
Currently, nearly half of all school-aged children attend camp each year.
A Proven Experience
Camps consistently deliver outcomes in confidence, wellbeing, and social development.
A Missed Opportunity
At the same time, many young people are missing out on these benefits.
Looking Forward
Expanding access to camps could have a lasting impact on future generations.
Read the Full Media Release
Top 10 Benefits of School Holiday Camps
Why go on camp? Great question! Read on to learn just 10 benefits of sending a young person on camp.
So… why exactly do we think you should be sending kids and teens on camp?
It’s not just because we’re biased. We believe in the power of camp, and we’ve been lucky enough to see countless young people impacted by their experiences as campers.
So, if you’re considering signing up for camp, we’d like to help make your decision a little easier!
We’ve put together a list of the ten biggest benefits of school holiday camp programs. Honestly, the list could go on and on – but, for the sake of time, ten will have to do. Let’s dive into it.
#1 The Holiday Entertainment is Sorted!
School holidays always come around faster than expected. That last minute hustle to find plans for kids and teens during their term break is always a point of stress – but it doesn’t have to be!
Heading on camp is a fun, active, and community-based way to fill up several days of the holidays. Whether you’re working and looking for supervision, or whether you’d like a few days with an empty house, signing up for camp is a win-win. All the entertainment is organised for you, and your camper will get the experience of a lifetime… what could be better?
#2 Building Relationships
Going to camp isn’t just about playing games and hanging out by the campfire (though those are both great, too!). Campers get to connect with an incredible community of people their age, bonding through the experiences they share and the amazing discussion times they have together. Is there any faster way of making friends than getting covered in mud during messy games together or racing down the waterslide?
The camp community is powerful. Campers get to meet people they never would have connected with otherwise, often from all across Victoria. And, as per tradition, they’re sure to be scrambling for ways to stay in contact when it’s time for sign-out.
#3 Trying New Experiences
There’s no place quite like camp. Where else can you zoom down a 110-metre waterslide, zip across the site on a flying fox, conquer your fears on the high ropes course, or try your hand at canoeing? No matter which site they go to, your camper is bound to have opportunities to try various new activities and experiences. From colour powder wars to capture-the-flag, every day is sure to be memorable.
#4 Unplugging for a Week
All CYC Holiday Camps are tech free. For some young people, hearing that makes them not want to come to camp at all! But we promise that the break will be worth it.
When our eyes are locked on screens all day every day, even during school hours, it can be unbelievably refreshing to take a step back. Campers get to put all their energy into building friendships, enjoying the fresh air, and throwing themselves into various games and activities. The community we’re able to build when we aren’t scrolling through social media is amazing – even in just a handful of days! Camp is a great way to get young people unplugged, reconnected to those around them, and enjoying everything the great outdoors has to offer.
#5 Personal Growth
We’ve seen countless transformations over the course of camp – sometimes it’s campers coming back season after season, and sometimes it’s watching someone come out of their shells over just five days! Camp is a place to develop key social and personal skills, with programs specifically designed to engage young people in experiences that build these key life skills.
#6 Learning More About Life & Faith
At CYC Ministries, our Christian faith is at the core of everything that we do. Everyone is welcome on our camps, regardless of their personal backgrounds or beliefs, but our programs will have daily Christian input. These sessions will be targeted towards the appropriate age groups, with a guest speaker in to present on various aspects of faith. Campers will get a chance to split off into their cabin groups to ask questions, provoke deeper thought, and discuss matters of life and faith.
#7 Spending Time With Incredible Leaders
Our camps are run by an incredible team of volunteer leaders. These leaders take time out of work and school to come on camp, simply because they’re passionate about building up the next generation. Your camper will get to spend a week with one or two leaders who will cheer them on, care for them, and invest in their well-being.
#8 Stepping Out of Comfort Zones
A part of our goal on camp is to create a safe space for young people to step out of their comfort zones. This can come in all shapes and sizes – be it getting to know a new group of people or scaling the high ropes course. Our encouraging and supportive community of leaders and campers is here to cheer on everyone on camp. We provide opportunities to step out and conquer fears, and we’ll help make it happen in any way we can!
#9 Making Memories
Why let another school holidays pass by? Coming on camp makes the term break unforgettable! Every moment of camp is well worth remembering. From trying out the mountain boards to chatting around the campfire, a week at camp is sure to be something your camper will cherish for years to come.
#10 Having Fun!
Alright, it has to be said. Camp is heaps, and heaps, and heaps of fun!
Our CYC Holiday Camp programs are designed to engage different age groups depending on which camp they’re on. We strive to pack every day of camp with as much fun as possible, from wild games to unforgettable outdoor recreational activities. Spending your school holidays on camp is one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year… so why not jump in on the fun?
Sign Up for Camp Today to Secure a Spot
All in all, camp is an impactful and refreshing way to spend the school holidays. If there’s a young person in your life who you think could benefit from the things listed above, then it’s time to sign them up!
Our CYC camp programs can fill up quickly. Click below to check out our full list of upcoming camps and apply for whichever suits you best.
How camp shaped my faith journey
We love sharing stories from camp.
Read one camper’s reflections about the role CYC camps played in their faith journey.
We often reference the ‘power of camp’, which refers to a lot of different things. It’s about the community, the fun, the adventure, the personal growth, and much more. One part of what makes camp such an impactful experience for young people is the elements of Christian input involved – but saying that we think our camps can help young people discover more about Christianity doesn’t give that much insight into how our programs encourage campers in their faith.
So, let’s dive into just one camper’s story. I can confidently say that camp was the foundation of my faith journey when I was growing up – and here are a few reasons why.
Finding Independence on Camp
For plenty of campers, camp is the first place they really hear about who God is. For others, however, the idea of ‘God’ is extremely familiar. Maybe they’ve heard Bible stories throughout their childhood, at school or at church, and going on a Christian camp feels natural. I’ve been lucky enough to witness countless campers from both groups come to grow in their faith from camp.
Personally, I was in the second. Sundays at church had taught me all the basics of Christianity. My family said grace over dinner, my school had several chapel services throughout the week, and it all felt natural to me. When I went on my first primary camp, I was at an age where I was starting to find a sense of independent thought. I had questions about God, and I had never actually made a conscious decision myself to believe – until then, it had just been what was expected of me.
On that very first camp, I felt like I was finally exploring my faith ‘on my own’. It wasn’t because my parents were there or my school or church had nudged me in that direction. Being on camp gave me the chance to step back and really consider what mattered most to me, and on that very first camp, I began to ask questions and participate in meaningful discussions with others my age.
For the first time in my life, I made my faith my own. And I owe that to the community and atmosphere that comes with a week spent on a faith-based camp.
Learning From Guest Speakers
Perhaps the most memorable part of the Christian input on camp is the guest speakers. As I go through all the camps I went on as a kid and teenager, I can distinguish each week of camp by remembering who the speaker was. I never got tired of coming back to hear from a new camp speaker, because the environment of those sessions on camp is incredibly meaningful.
A CYC camp speaker always comes with their own background in church or another ministry. The cool part about camp is that the speaker is there for the whole week. They aren’t just there during their allotted time to teach us about who God is. They were there during games and activities, there to roam during free time and build relationships with all the different campers. I can remember that speaker from my first camp coming to sit with my cabin as we each had turns on the mountain boards, more than happy to have a group of curious twelve-year-olds tossing her question after question about her faith and story.
The camp community is tight-knit. For me, that sense of building relationships was key to helping me understand and explore my own faith.
Connection with Leaders
When I think about why CYC Camps were so impactful for me as I was growing up, the first thing I think about is my leaders.
On each and every camp I went on, I was led by passionate and caring volunteer leaders who quickly became role models for me. They took the time to get to know me across camp, encouraging me and taking the time to talk about life and faith. My leaders played a huge role in my faith journey, and seeing the impact their care had on me is why I decided I wanted to lead on camp.
Oddly, more than ten years later, I caught up with one of my leaders from my very first primary camp. Getting the chance to talk to them as an adult in my early twenties really made me realise just how crazy the camp experience is; after one week spent together when I was twelve years old, this leader had made a lifelong impact on my life. And it was all because they took the time to get to know me, encourage me to think more deeply, and step into who I am.
A Place to Explore Faith
The coolest thing about camp is the community that is built over the course of a handful of days. Leaders and campers all come from different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. But during camp, everyone comes together to build meaningful friendships and learn from each other. There are people I met on camp that I probably wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise. I heard different opinions and stories, broadening my perspective on life and faith.
As someone whose family wasn’t attending church throughout my teenage years, camp became my space to intentionally learn about God and explore my faith. It was a safe place for me to ask questions and consider what I believe, with total freedom to grow at my own pace. Camp was fundamental to my ongoing faith journey – and I looked forward to exploring more about my beliefs every camp just as much as I looked forward to the adventure activities!
Place a Camp Application Today
This is just one glimpse of one camper’s experience. No matter where a young person stands with the idea of faith, CYC Ministries runs camps that offer intentional opportunities for discussion and exploration. And it all happens alongside a jam-packed program of fun and games!
If there is a young person in your life who could benefit from the experience of camp, we would love to have them come along. We run several camps across Victoria every school holidays.
Spots can fill up quickly, so check out our upcoming camps today and sign up your camper.
Christian Leadership Development opportunities
Looking for Christian leadership opportunities? Read on to learn about our leadership development programs at CYC, both on and off camp!
Christian Leadership Development Opportunities
The power of camp gives everyone a chance to grow, both camps and leaders alike. Just as much as we strive to give campers opportunities to develop who they are, CYC Ministries is also committed to helping young leaders enhance their skills and understanding of what Christian Leadership means.
There are several ways we achieve this. Not only do we instil leadership into our campers, but we have built camps that encourage our volunteers to learn on the job. But applying to be a leader isn’t the only way you can explore Christian Leadership and ministry with CYC. In this blog, we’re going to dive into some of the opportunities we have available for up-and-coming leaders — there’s something for all levels of leadership experience!
To ask any questions about leadership with us, contact CYC Ministries today.
The LIT (Leader in Training) Program
Supporting the next generation of young leaders is a crucial part of our ministry here at CYC.
One part of this is our Leader in Training (LIT) programs. This is an awesome experience for young people between the ages of fifteen and eighteen who are interested in growing and developing in Christian Leadership. With elements of spiritual and personal formation as they learn about practical leadership, this program is designed to help young leaders gain a better understanding of who they are and how they can lead others.
LIT participants will engage in a range of activities and sessions throughout their time together, guided by a mentor. As part of the program, LITs will learn alongside some of our Primary Camps across several campsites. The program will culminate in them shadowing one of our experienced Primary Camp leaders through their camp experience.
Volunteering on Camp
Being a volunteer leader on camp is an experience like no other.
You can lead on primary camps from the age of fifteen, and our leadership teams tend to have a broad range of ages. Whether primary, teen, or family camps appeal to you, coming to lead on camp will give you a chance to pour into others and help create incredible memories. We provide training to new leaders to support them in their appropriate roles, but the development opportunities don’t end there.
No matter your level of skill or experience, we want everyone to leave camp as a better leader. To achieve this, we have people available on camp to provide ongoing support. You will always have people around to guide you, answer questions, and offer insight into how you can strengthen your leadership skills.
Oh, and you’ll get to have a whole lot of fun with some amazing campers along the way… it’s a pretty sweet deal!
Learn more about how to apply to volunteer on an upcoming camp here.
The CYC Internship
If getting to come on camp every school holidays isn’t enough… what about a whole year with us?
Navigating early adulthood can be hard. This period is crucial in developing who we are and who we’re going to be, particularly in our sense of self and faith. That’s why we run the CYC Internship. This gap year program is designed for young leaders between the ages of 18 and 23. Being a CYC Intern will help support you through this stage of life, all the while enhancing your leadership skills and building strong foundations for the years to come.
The Internship involves elements of ongoing personal formation, providing a deeper understanding of faith and the practical side of ministry leadership. All of this happens through teaching, mentoring, small group discussions, practical biblical engagement, and an optional element of study. Plus, you’ll get to work alongside our amazing staff team – getting a peek behind the curtain about how they make our camps happen!
Interested in learning more? Check out our Internship prospectus.
Contact Us to Learn More About Leadership at CYC
Getting the chance to build up the next generation of leaders is one of the best parts of what we do here at CYC.
Whether you’re looking to start your leadership journey or are curious about the next steps you can take to gain practical ministry experience, we’d love to hear from you! We’re always looking for new volunteer leaders, and our applications are open year-round. If you’re interested in any of our leadership development programs, feel free to check out our website to learn more about when they run.
Apply to Volunteer Today!
The Power of Family Camps
Why not combine a family holiday with the fun of camp? Check out some of the reasons why our Family Camps are a great way to bring the family together.
As our ministry has grown and expanded over the years, we’ve taken every opportunity to create camp experiences for as many people as possible. A big part of that is the several Family Camps that run every year. But what exactly does camp with the whole family look like?
In short, these camps exist to give families to opportunities to bond, enjoy the fun of camp together, and create lifelong memories. Continue reading as we dive into what makes family camp so special – and why your family should sign up ASAP!
To ask any questions about our upcoming Family Camp programs, contact CYC Ministries today.
Bring the Family Together
Between school, work, extracurricular activities, and everything in between, it can be hard to set aside quality time with the family.
That’s what Family Camps are all about!
Our goal is to help families grow together, make memories, and (most of all) have fun. Getting outdoors and sharing new experiences can help bring the family closer together, giving you not only a holiday but also an opportunity to build into the relationships that matter most. These camp programs are designed to bring families together, with plenty of chances to recharge and take a breath of fresh air amongst the busyness of family life.
Engaging for All Ages
Babies, kids, teens, parents… Family Camp is for everyone! While much of the program will allow the whole family to participate in games, activities, and sessions together, we also have specific streams designed to engage individual age groups.
Each stream (creche, kids, and teens) will be led by some of our amazing volunteer leaders, who will run sessions jam-packed full of fun. Parents, meanwhile, will have time of their own to grab a coffee and engage in content without the kids around. Everyone will get to make friends their own age and enjoy the range of programming available.
Christian Input
Every single CYC Ministry’s program is centred around our Christian faith. We believe that camp is a perfect opportunity to help people of all ages learn about God, explore their own beliefs, and ask questions about life and faith. Family Camps are no exception!
Our camps are carefully designed to engage the entire family with age-appropriate Christian input. With an incredible guest speaker and time spent split into different age groups, there will be plenty of opportunities for everyone to explore their faith. No matter your family’s background, camp is a safe space to hear from our speakers and discuss faith as a family unit.
Take Time to Reflect
Keeping your family running can be challenging, stressful, and even exhausting at times. The busyness can sometimes take over your day-to-day life, leaving very little time to give yourself a proper break.
Part of the sessions that you will get to participate in will involve gathering with the other adults to reflect on your family life. With content about life, faith, and parenting, you will get an opportunity to step back and collect your thoughts. With the crazy hustle of everyday life when you have kids, sometimes all you need is a chance to recharge and have the space to think about who you are personally and as a parent.
Your Next Holiday is Sorted!
Alright, we need to state the obvious: coming on Family Camp takes all the stress out of your next family holiday.
Everything is sorted! You don’t need to worry about activities, entertainment for the kids, accommodation, meals, or anything else. You can let our team take care of it all, with incredible activities and sessions to create a fun time away for all ages. Too many parents associate family holidays with stress and months of planning – fun as they might end up for the kids, they don’t necessarily give you the chance to rest in the same way. Family Camps are action-packed with fun, but balanced with downtime and the peace of mind that everything is taken care of.
Apply for Family Camp Today
All in all, Family Camps are a pretty amazing deal. That’s probably why they tend to book out pretty far in advance here at CYC.
If you think your family could benefit from experiencing the magic of camp together, then jump on it! We open our Family Camp registrations early each year, meaning that there is likely to be an upcoming camp program you could check out. Click the link below to check out our Family Camp availabilities to give your family a chance to rest, rejuvenate, and bond.
Your guide to sending your camper to camp
Wondering if holiday camps could be right for your child? Read more about what you can expect from a CYC program.
Weighing up whether camp could be the right choice for a young person in your life isn’t always easy. Does their personality suit the ‘camp’ lifestyle? Will they connect with others if they don’t know anyone on camp? What benefits are there to sending them on a camp anyway?
Continue reading as we answer all these questions and more in our comprehensive guide to how sending a child on camp can boost their well-being.
To ask any questions about our upcoming holiday camp programs, contact CYC Ministries today.
Will My Child Enjoy Camp?
To this day, my parents are still surprised that I ended up falling in love with camp.
I was a fairly quiet kid, not too extroverted, and not all that outdoorsy. The idea of a week spent away from my family, running around outside, and trying to make friendships with a bunch of strangers didn’t exactly seem up my alley. It’s easy to assume that holiday camps are only for a specific kind of child – an extroverted, adventurous young person that finds it easy to jump into a new environment and thrive.
And yet, I loved camp. I ended up coming back season after season, because it turned out that camp had something for everyone. There were activities that I enjoyed and people that I clicked with, but there were also opportunities to step out of my comfort zone in a safe and supportive environment. I grew so much and developed so many key social skills by being on camp.
If there’s one thing I can say to parents worrying about whether camp is ‘right’ for their kids, it’s that there isn’t just one personality type that can benefit from a camp program – you never know how the young person in your life could respond to being on camp!
What a Young Person Learns From Camp
It’s one thing to say that I learned a lot from camp, but what exactly did I learn?
I’ll try to keep it relatively brief (I could go on and on!). For me, camp taught me how to build community. I found that all my anxiety around new people was easier to manage on camp, even though it required me to connect with a group of total strangers in just a few days. I was encouraged and welcomed, and as years went by I learned how to make other new campers feel just as comfortable.
On top of that, I learned so much about my personal strengths. Camp was a place where leaders and peers alike encouraged me, got me to step out of my comfort zone, and cheered me on. Plus, being on CYC camps was a key aspect of my faith development as a young person who wasn’t regularly attending church.
Finding Community
If you’ve never been to a camp before, it can be hard to wrap your head around how powerful the sense of community is. The temporary community created on camp exists only for a few days, but the relationships can continue far longer than that. By coming back to camp season after season, I had friendships that become some of the most meaningful relationships in my life. There are friends I made on that very first primary camp that I’m still close with today, as well as leaders who I had multiple times throughout the years who encouraged my ongoing growth.
A Breath of Fresh Air
If nothing else, camp is an opportunity for young people and families to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
CYC campers get to take a pause and reflect. By making our holiday camps tech-free, we give campers the chance to connect with those around them instead of staring at a screen. Young people and families alike can enjoy outdoor activities, opportunities for personal reflection, and a break from the busyness of school, work, and life. With five beautiful campsites and scenic surrounds, there’s no better place to refresh throughout the year.
Sign Up for Camp Today
Is there a young person in your life who could benefit from all these aspects of camp? Let’s make it happen!
Our CYC holiday camp and family camp programs can fill up fast, so it’s best to secure your spot as soon as you can. Click below to take a look at all our upcoming camps and events.
We look forward to seeing you on camp!
What is the best age to come to camp?
Who is ‘camp’ for? What is the right age to send a young person on camp? Read on as we dive deeper into the way camp serve different ages.
What is the best age for camp?
One of the most common questions we hear at CYC is all about what ages can go on camp. More broadly, we’ve chatted with plenty of parents and carers alike about who camp is for, who can come on camps, and what ages are going to get the most out of their camp experience.
In this blog, we’re tackling all these questions and more! Continue reading as we break down the age groups we run holiday camps for, as well as how camp programs can uniquely benefit people across different stages of life.
To ask any questions about our upcoming camp programs, contact CYC Ministries today.The power of camp gives everyone a chance to grow, both camps and leaders alike. Just as much as we strive to give campers opportunities to develop who they are, CYC Ministries is also committed to helping young leaders enhance their skills and understanding of what Christian Leadership means.
Camps for every generation at CYC
Here at CYC, we love camp. We believe in the impact that coming to camp can have on the lives of young people and families. This is why we strive to build camp programs that aren’t just available to different age ranges, but are specifically designed to best engage them and support them in their unique stage of life. Camp can serve different purposes for different people, which is part of what makes camp so special. As we discuss each type of camp we run for different ages, we will discuss more closely the ways in which they support campers in that bracket.
Primary Camps
Our primary camp programs are designed to engage children in years 3-6 at primary school. We understand that a holiday camp can sometimes be a young person’s first time away from home, not in a school context, and it can be a lot scarier than staying at a friend or family member’s home!
That’s why we carefully curate our primary programs to help foster independence and confidence in young people. We seek to create warm and welcoming environments, helping to develop key developmental and social skills for children in this age bracket. Stepping away from home and school can be an incredible opportunity for growth in young people, and it’s an honour to play a small role in that journey. Plus, our primary camps are always filled with wild and wacky fun – it’s always a blast!
Teen Camps
Being in high school isn’t easy. Young people go through a monumental amount of growth and change in their teenage years, and it’s important to remember how pivotal these formative years are.
When it feels like the stress of high school, social pressures, and the constant presence of devices and social media are taking over life, camp can offer a well-deserved break.
Our teen camps are an opportunity for young people in years 7-12 to disconnect from social media and instead connect into a welcoming, supportive, and fun community of peers. These camp programs are a breath of fresh air amongst the stress and pressure of regular life. Plus, with ample opportunities to meet other people their age from different backgrounds as well as discussing topics of life and faith, coming to camp can be an excellent growth opportunity for teens.
Young Adults Camp
Young Adults is our newest expression of camp. This camp is for 18-25 year olds and provides the full camper experience, giving them the chance to enjoy all the fun of camp with some extra flexibility and independence. Over the course of a long weekend, young adult campers got to escape from work and study to instead connect with likeminded people their age. Not only was this program an absolute blast, but the community itself was beautiful – with young adults getting to reflect on life, discuss important topics, and (of course) spend plenty of time strolling the Phillip Island beaches!
Family Camps
If you don’t fit in any of the above categories, there may still be a CYC camp program for you.
Our Family Camps are some of the biggest programs we run. These camps bring the whole family together for a getaway to one of our sites, resulting in one of the easiest family holidays you’ll ever have (accommodation, food, cleaning, and entertainment all sorted!). These camps provide ample opportunities to enjoy activities and free time together as a family, helping you to all bond and grow together, but there are also age-based streams to make sure everyone in the family has a chance to enjoy programming tailored to them.
Family Camps are a great way to invest time into your family, relax, and have some fun together!
Find your perfect camp today with CYC
With so many opportunities to jump in on the fun of camp, there’s no reason to wait. Applications are open for several of our upcoming camps, but spots can fill fast! Click the link below to check out a full list of our upcoming camp programs and submit your application. Or, if you have any questions about which camp might suit yourself or a young person in your life, feel free to request a call with one of our friendly staff members today.
How camp impacted me
Wondering whether camp could be a good choice for a young person in your life?
Read about five ways being a camper has positively changed one person’s life.
When my parents signed me up for my first CYC primary camp, I’m sure it was simply a matter of wanting me out of the house for a few days of the holidays. And I was on board as soon as I heard about the waterslide, so it was a win-win!
What they didn’t expect was the way I would fall completely in love with camp, now itching to sign up for however many school holiday camps they would let me go on.
Deciding whether a week of camp could be the right choice for a young person in your life can depend on several factors, but why not start by asking how camp could positively impact their growth and development?
Continue reading to learn about just five ways being on camp impacted by life and personal growth.
To learn more about our upcoming camp programs, visit our CYC Camps page here
#1 New Community
The temporary community created on camp is something that can be hard to understand if you haven’t lived through it. As an introverted kid, I didn’t expect to like spending five days with a group of strangers. And yet, I found a tight-knit community that welcomed me, accepted me, and had me excited to come back time and time again. The lack of phones and devices on camp left us no choice but to connect with this new group of people, in our cabin and camp as a whole.
The leaders took the time to get to know me, I bonded with other campers over races down the waterslide and messy games, and before I knew it I was sad to be going home again. The camp community gives young people of all backgrounds and personalities a place to belong, connect, and learn how to be a part of an interdependent community.
#2 Personal Growth
Camp pushed me out of my comfort zone. Not only did I have to make friends with new people, but I also got the chance to conquer activities that I’d always chickened out on before (namely the flying fox). Going on camp time and time again transformed me into someone that was happy to try new experiences, comfortable jumping into a group of new people and getting to know them, and spending time away from my usual community. All of these skills have definitely shaped me into the person I am today!
On top of that, being on CYC camps gave me an opportunity to explore issues around life and faith in new ways. The leaders that guided me through these discussions had a profound impact on my life, and camp became the place where I could explore who I was and who I wanted to be. From primary camps through to teen camps, I learned a lot about the Christian faith and got to make choices around what I personally believed.
#3 Lifelong Relationships
When you go on a school holiday camp, you’re going to meet people you never would have met otherwise. Even if you attend camp with friends, there will be other people in the cabin and wider community to get to know and befriend. There are people from my very first primary camp that I’m still in contact with, and I can’t even count all the people in my life that I know from doing camps together over the years.
I met people with different backgrounds and stories than my own. Building relationships with them helped me broaden my perspective and gave me loads of friends to catch up with throughout the school term. One of the highlights of camp is always scrawling emails and contact details on pieces of paper to try and stay in touch with the other campers!
#4 Leadership Development
One amazing aspect of the CYC camp structure is that it gave me room to continue growing as I got older. My first primary camp led me to go on teen camps as I grew older, and rather than ‘ageing out’ of camp I decided to explore what it might look like to try to lead. I attended the Leaders in Training program, which taught me a lot about life, faith, and being a good leader.
I never expected to really enjoy camp when I started out, let alone leading on camp, but I ended up falling completely in love with it. The opportunities to grow as a leader and get encouraged by the leaders around me spanned across my initial days as a camper to my leadership training, and has continued on every camp I’ve ever attended. No matter when your involvement with CYC ends, every young person is given the opportunity to step up and grow in their ability to connect with others.
#5 A Heap of Fun
Look, I’ve saved the best for last – camp is fun! I could spend hours listing off all my favourite memories from being a camper. Sliding through foamy slip n’ slides, soaring down the flying fox, racing around the campsite on a scavenger hunt, canoeing, board games, classic camp-wide competitions, discos… I could go on and on. I kept coming back to camp because I loved it! There was something for everyone, and I never had a dull day.
Who knows how many events and invitations I turned down because I was determined to spend my holidays on camp. I think everyone who knew me growing up (and knows me now) would say that “Sorry, I’ll be on camp!” is one of my most common phrases. Some of my favourite memories all take place at CYC campsites!
Sign Up for Camp Today to Secure a Spot
Whether it’s their first camp or their tenth, there is always going to be something new to experience at a school holiday camp. If you’re looking for kids camps or teen camps in Victoria to impact a young person in your life in any of the above ways, you should definitely consider signing up for a camp with CYC Ministries. Browse our upcoming camps at the link below, and feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.