New Zealanders are known around the world for our resilience, our ‘can do’ attitude and our skills in outdoor environments. The Y 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 one of our camps!
Wainui Park, on the Banks Peninsula, has been the venue for Y camps for over 90 years, and is the perfect location for children to learn, grow and develop.
Children ages 7-10 years stay at Wainui Heights, where they are accommodated in bunk rooms (up to 6 per room) with ensuite bathrooms. Children aged 11 years and older are accommodated at Powell Village, where they enjoy a more rustic stay in our cabins.
Wainui Park has a wide range of activities both on and offsite, including kayaking, high ropes, coasteering, archery and much, much more.
We’re sure your child will come home inspired and with some great stories to share!
Our Arthur’s Pass Outdoor Education Centre (APOEC) is set in the heart of the small rural township of Arthur’s Pass. The towering mountains and alpine landscape are sure to inspire anyone that visits!
The Centre is much smaller than Wainui Park however this gives a more intimate feel to our Camps. Participants stay in dorm rooms (up to 11 per room) when onsite, check the programme to see if overnight camping is included, as this is often a feature of an APOEC Camp.
What’s truly special about APOEC is that we use the landscape around us for activities. We give young people the chance to connect with nature whilst learning about themselves through challenging activities under our expert instructors’ guidance.
Winter Sandhoppers |
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Winter Sandhoppers includes more indoor activities at Wainui Park, as well as archery, high ropes and all our other non-water activities! |
7-8 year olds |
10-12 July 2023 |
$300 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Y Camp Cook |
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This 3 day camp is about discovering the joys of cooking and meeting like-minded friends. On the second night the campers will cook a meal for the local community and any parents/caregivers. |
12-15 year olds |
2-4 July 2023 |
$300 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Winter Y Camp |
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This 3 day camp is about meeting new friends, keeping busy with activities, experiencing independence and resilience – all while having lots of fun! |
8-11 year olds |
5-7 July 2023 |
$300 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Winter Explore |
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An amazing introduction to winter in the mountains on this 5-day camp! Have a fun ski day at Porter’s, learn about the area, seek out the snow and participate in adventurous outdoor activities. |
11-14 year olds |
3-7 July 2023 |
$600 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Ski Camp |
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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 the Mt Hutt and Porters ski fields. |
9-15 year olds |
2-7 July 2023 8-13 July 2023 |
$1,450 $1,295 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Sandhoppers |
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Sandhoppers is a 3-day introductory residential camp based at Wainui Park in the school holidays. |
7-8 year olds |
4-6 October 2023 |
$300 |
Handbook + Gear List |
Grasshoppers |
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Grasshoppers is a 3-day introductory residential camp based at Arthur’s Pass in the school holidays. |
7-8 year olds |
27-29 September 2023 |
$300 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Winter Grasshoppers |
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Winter Grasshoppers is a 3-day introductory residential camp travelling to Arthur’s Pass on the Tranz Alpine. Fun in the snow! |
7-8 year olds |
July 2024 |
TBC |
Handbook & Gear List |
Y Camp |
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Our iconic 5 day Y Camp is about meeting new friends, keeping busy on all our outdoor activities, experiencing independence and resilience, and discovering everyone’s own capabilities – all while having lots of fun! |
9-16 year olds |
25-30 September 2023 at Wainui Park |
$360 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Alpine Adventure |
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Learn outdoor skills, environmental education, and experience a first introduction to having an expedition during this 5 day camp. Activities may include hiking, river crossing techniques, shelter building and orienteering. |
11-14 year olds |
October 2023 |
$400 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Alpine Expedition |
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The camp is designed to give young people the opportunity to learn about themselves whilst completing an expedition on foot with their peers, in a remote environment. Our staff work alongside the young people to develop their self-awareness, expand their ability to work with others, and encourage them to take on leadership roles. |
14-16 year olds |
TBC |
$400 |
Handbook & Gear List |
Return transport is provided from Christchurch to the camp destinations.
Leaders work alongside our qualified instructors and are responsible for supervising the campers. They will work with one age group for the week and have the opportunity to participate in the activities.
Prerequisites for Y Camp leaders are:
To find our more about volunteering at camp please contact ycamp@ymcachch.org.nz
