Camp Moomba Community Agreements
Our goal at camp is always to have fun and be as safe as possible! To make this happen, we need everyone at camp – campers, volunteers, staff, and visitors – to be a part of our work!
This is a camp agreement that has been built on Camp Moomba’s philosophy and YouthCO’s values. We will talk about this agreement throughout camp, including on the first day! Campers will also have the opportunity to ask questions. We will use this to guide our decision making throughout camp. Everyone on our camp team, including our Camp Director and Assistant Director, Wellness Team, volunteers and visitors, commit to this agreement as well.
Everyone at camp shares our camp philosophy, “friends together having fun”! Throughout camp, campers participate in camp activities within a ‘challenge by choice’ model, build friendships with other campers, and ask for help when concerns come up.
Everyone at camp respects the importance of confidentiality at camp and outside camp. Each camper and their family makes their own choice about whether or not to share their connection to HIV outside camp. Information about who comes to camp and the HIV status of campers and their family is closely protected. One of the ways we do this is by only taking photos of people when we have their permission, and limiting the ways we share photos outside of camp!
Everyone at camp uses non-violent ways to express feelings and resolve concerns! Physical fights, bullying, and hurtful words are not appropriate at camp. Campers are encouraged to talk to counselors at camp to find ways we can address things that make us angry, sad, upset, or frustrated.
Everyone at camp works towards anti-oppression in our community! One of YouthCO’s values is anti-oppression, and we recognize we must always work towards this together! One way we think about anti-oppression is paying attention to the ways our programs ideas and individual actions can value certain groups of people over others, encourage or support stereotypes, and give power to some people while taking it away from others. We recognize many forms of oppression, including colonization, racism, ableism, ageism, cissexism and sexism, classism, and heterosexism. As a community, we commit to learning from each other about how we keep working towards anti-oppression.
Everyone at camp listens to, learns from, and teaches each other! One of the special things about camp is that we all have so much to share. Camp Moomba staff have information that helps make camp safe and fun! And, everyone at camp has teachings, experiences, stories, and information that are important to share. Listening to each other’s experience is an important way to help us realize our camp philosophy!
Everyone at camp works to respect ourselves, the land, the animals, and each other! Camp Moomba believes every single one of our campers is awesome. We work together to respect ourselves, the land, the animals we share camp with, and everyone we interact with during our time at camp!
Campers commit to leaving phones and internet-connected devices at home or with Camp Moomba staff throughout camp! Group leaders, nurses, and Camp Moomba staff and volunteers may use phones and screens to support programming, campers are expected to either leave phones and internet-connected devices at home, or give them to Camp Moomba staff to store during camp. Campers may phone important people at home anytime through the camp phone.
Everyone at camp ensures prescription medications, and any controlled substances, vapes and cartridges, or similar, are stored with the Camp Wellness Centre! Many of us use prescription medications and controlled substances to support our wellness. As we all share space at camp, these substances need to be stored in a central place so someone else does not come across these accidentally.
Everyone at camp ensures if we take photos during camp, we:
- have permission of every one in the picture before we take it
- are only using them for personal memories and are not sharing them on social media or online in any way.
Everyone at camp follow the rules of our host camps, YMCA Camp Elphinstone (summer) and Evans Lake (winter).
When we hear or see situations where these agreements are not being followed, we will commit to speaking with campers as soon as possible. Campers are encouraged to talk to a group leader in these situations as well, and we can work together to address any concerns. During these conversations, we will make a plan to help all of us follow our community agreements and contribute to a fun and safe experience at camp for everyone!