FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. WHAT IS EDMUND RICE CAMPS FOR KIDS WA?

Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA Inc. is a community based organisation that serves the needs of young kids (aged 8-16) and their families that are often overlooked by other services. Edmund Rice Camps for Kids provides holiday camps and other recreational activities for kids who would not otherwise have such opportunities, supporting kids ‘at risk’ or ‘in need’. These children are referred to ERCKWA from a variety of agencies that have recognised that they come from situation’s that are experiencing some sort of pressure, this pressure may be financial, cultural, social or emotional. Given the nature of the service provided, the kids that attending the programmes come from all areas of Perth and Western Australia, a wide variety of cultural and religious backgrounds and whose life experiences differ greatly.

Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA also promotes the development of young adult volunteers. A typical camp sees about 30 kids living, working and playing alongside about 30 volunteers. The role of a leader on these camps is more than purely recreation; leaders need to serve as a friend and mentor to the young people.

2. WHAT TYPE OF CAMPS DO YOU RUN?

Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA runs 8 ‘full length’ camps throughout the year: 4 x January, 1 x April, 2 x July, 1 x October. These ‘full length’ camps include the first day for the volunteers to get to know onew another and prepare, the kids then spend the next 4 days on camp, followed by an extensive debrief and reflection process for all camp volunteers.

In addition Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA also runs several Mini Camps throughout the year. These Mini Camps are run over a weekend, from Friday afternoon to a Sunday afternoon, working with much smaller numbers of kids.

All camps run by Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA are intended to have a 1:1 ratio of kids to leaders, this is because we believe that each child is special and each deserves the same amount of attention on camp. A 1:1 ratio or similar helps both children and leaders to develop friendships and assures that each child will receive a similar amount of attention, care and love from our volunteer leaders. The 1:1 ratio we try to maintain is also very important from a supervision point of view. The more volunteer leaders available, the safer the environment for the children.

3. WHERE DO THE KIDS COME FROM?

The kids involved in Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA come from all parts of the Perth Metropolitan area and all parts of Western Australia (Broome, Port Headland, Karratha, Albany, Kalgoorlie, Esperance etc). All kids are referred to camps through our Referral Process. See ‘REFERRALS’

4. HOW ARE THE CAMPS FUNDED?

Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA is a charity that relies heavily on donations, fundraising and support from the community. All funds raised and donated go directly towards the cost of running camps and activities for kids in need. Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA receives financial support from the Christian Brothers that helps covers the costs of non-camp related expenses.

We receive donations from all parts of the community, individuals, companies, schools etc. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. See ‘DONATE’

We also ask the families of the kids attending to contribute $20 (if they can) as well as asking $20 from the volunteers on camp.

5. HOW DO I BECOME INVOLVED IN EDMUND RICE CAMPS FOR KIDS WA?

Becoming involved in Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA is easy! To become involved all you need to do is download the registration form from the ‘Volunteers’ section of the website, and submit it to the ERCKWA Office. Then you will be contacted about your interest and availability. Alternatively you could call the office and speak to Ash or Kellie about how you can help out.

To become a volunteer you will also need to complete Recommendation Forms and a Working with Children Check as required by West Australian law.

6. HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO BE A VOLUNTEER?

Generally most of our volunteers are post high school age. However Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA does have a School Volunteer Programme that allows school students to get involved in camps as a volunteer during Year 12.

There is no restriction on the age above 17 years; we pride ourselves on being open to all people from any age, race, religion etc. We do not discriminate against any person, our volunteer leader base is very diverse and we welcome everyone who has finished high school or is of equivalent age.
See ‘Volunteers’

7. CAN I VOLUNTEER WITHOUT DOING A CAMP?

YES!! Historically most volunteers’ introduction into Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA is through camps; however there are a number of other volunteering opportunities and support roles available. The work done by volunteers outside of camp is just as vital to the organisation as the work done on camp. There are several Action Groups or Committees that you can be involved in, as well as a variety of Volunteer Administration roles including Website Development, Grant Funding, and Graphic Design.
See ‘How to Volunteer’
 
Another way of supporting Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA is to make a donation or attend some of our Fundraising events such as Quiz Nights, movie nights etc.
See ‘Calendar’

8. WHAT TRAINING IS REQUIRED? DO I NEED CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS?

Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA provides extensive training to all volunteers. Prior to going on camp you will be involved in a variety of training that looks at your role as a camp leader, important policies and procedures, and issues of Child Protection.

You don’t need any specific qualifications in order to become a volunteer, just an open mind and a willingness to have fun. Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA also provides you with opportunities to gain skills in First Aid, Bronze Medallion and Behaviour Management.

9. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A NEW LEADER ON CAMP?
 
The number one focus on camp for a leader is to be there for the kids, ensure that everything they are doing on camp is making it more fun for the kids! The role of a leader on camp is to interact with kids, that is why we have a 1:1 ratio. There are a number of other roles that leaders can take on during camp including craft stalls, organising sports and games, giving out awards etc.

10. WHEN/WHERE ARE THE CAMPS HELD?

We run camps right throughout the year, although mainly in the School Holiday times. Currently we run 4 camps in January, 1 in April, 2 in July and 1 in October. We also run a number of Mini Camps (run over a weekend) at different times throughout the year.
See Calendar.

11. HOW DO I REFER A CHILD TO CAMPS?
 
Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA has a detailed Referral Process for agencies, schools and community groups. For more information go to the ‘Referrals’ section of the website (you can also download forms) or contact the office.

LATEST NEWS Hooray!!!!  At long last our website is finally here! Have a good look around and drop us a line through the Contact Us menu to tell us what you think!  We love hearing from you!  Check out our colourful calendar to see what's happening with ERCKWA in the coming months!