New Zealanders are known around the world for our resilience, our ‘can do’ attitude and our skills in outdoor environments. The YMCA believes this hype, but also knows that young people need opportunities to develop these capabilities – we are not born with them. The outdoor camping tradition where children must learn to cope with new people, new environments, new challenges without the comfort of familiar adults and surroundings has long been considered a safe and memorable place to build self confidence, self esteem and self determination.
We also know that parents and caregivers need to trust that their children will be kept physically, emotionally and spiritually safe – and this trust is hard earned. Our focus on all our residential camps is pastoral care first and foremost, because if children and young people do not feel safe they cannot develop the other stuff. Our camps are designed to be a place where children and young people can make friends, have fun, be adventurous and most importantly, go home with positive memories, happy stories and new skills. We look forward to meeting your son or daughter at a YMCA camp!
Y Camp is a very popular six-day residential school holiday camp. From the age of 7 years, children can come and participate in the vast array of fun activities led by our outstanding local and international volunteer instructors.
A strong focus is on social interaction and as the children grow into teenagers, leadership development and goal setting is incorporated into the programmes. Three camps run through the summer holidays, one in the April holidays and one in the October holidays.
9–10 year olds
This programme is designed for primary school aged children, and activities may include fishing, kayaking, streamsteering, low ropes, arts and crafts, archery, bivvy building, swimming, sneak outs and much more.
11–12 year olds
The focus of this programme is on building social interactions while having fun! It is designed specifically for intermediate aged children, and activities may include kayaking, rock climbing, coasteering, abseiling, outdoor cooking, grass skiing, swimming, archery, campfire and much more!
13–14 year olds
This programme is designed to meet the needs of the teenaged youth. The focus is both on social interactions as well as the outdoors, and activities may include kayaking, coasteering, orienteering, archery, rock climbing, high ropes, raft building, leadership development and much more.
15 year olds+
With a maximum of nine participants, this programme is designed around individuals’ own goals and developing leadership skills. Activities may include overnight camps or trips, a solo camping trip and a wide range of outdoor pursuits and journeys.
7–9 year olds
Sandhoppers is an introductory camp for younger campers that only takes place in January. It is a shorter 3 day residential camp with lots of opportunities to participate in many fun activities.
6 day residential Y Camp
$320
3 day residential Sandhoppers Camp
$165
Children are dropped off at the City YMCA, and will then be transported by coach to Wainui Park.
Alpine Adventure is our new five-day residential school holiday camp for 11-13 year olds, based at our YMCA Outdoor Education Centre at Arthur’s Pass.
Young people can come to learn outdoor living and survival skills, while having heaps of fun with their peers, in a unique alpine environment. Led by experienced instructors, the main focus is learning and adapting to your environment, working as part of a team, and developing connections and friendships with others.
Just 18 places available per camp.
Learn how to build your own survival shelter out of natural resources.
Learn the basics of cooking on outdoor stoves and have the opportunity to cook a meal in teams.
Embark on a small expedition, learn the basics including how to prepare, what to pack and how to cook outdoors.
Based on team work and navigation skills, race around the village to collect the orienteering markers
5 day residential camp
$375
Includes all activities, accommodation and meals
NOT WINZ or MSD subsidised
Every winter the Christchurch YMCA runs two 5-day residential ski camps for 9-15 year olds. These camps are a great way to gain skills and confidence in skiing and snowboarding and make new friends! We have highly qualified and talented instructors who lead ski camp and work alongside the equally skilled staff on Porters Ski Field. Accommodation is at the YMCA Arthur’s Pass Outdoor Education Centre. The programme caters to all skills and abilities. The trip includes transportation, accommodation, food, lift passes, & 2 compulsory lessons on Day 1 & 2.
5 day residential Ski Camp
$800
Week 1
8-12 July 2019
Week 2
15-19 July 2019
