Who is eligible to participate in camps/activities?

Children and young people aged 7 to 16 and who are’ at risk’ or experiencing some form of disadvantage are eligible to participate in ERCKWA camps and recreational activities. The family/child may be experiencing emotional, financial, social, cultural or other types of pressure.

How do I get my child onto a camp?

For a child to be placed on a camp, they need to be recommended by a non-relative who holds a position of responsibility or professional qualification. Examples include a case worker, social worker, teacher, principle, priest or minister. It is expected that this person knows the applicant well enough to comment on their suitability for a camp by filling out a referral form. Referral agencies are asked to pay $200 per child that they refer to ERCKWA. A cheque or Customer Purchase Order must be sent with the recommendation forms.

Upon receiving the referral and payment, children are added to our database and receive invitations for upcoming events for their age group, until they are 17.  

Once you have received an invitation, please contact us to register your interest for a particular camp/event.

How will I know if my child has been accepted for a camp?

After registering your interest, you will be sent a letter to inform you whether or not you have been accepted. Our camps fill up very fast and we take several factors into consideration when selecting participants. These include but are not limited to: having an even ratio of boys and girls and whether the child has participated in several camps/activities or hasn’t had an opportunity to attend a camp. Unfortunately this means that we cannot fit every child into the spaces we have available. We hope that you understand the difficult task we have when arranging camps.

My child has been accepted for a camp. What now?

The acceptance letter outlines what to bring/what not to bring and drop off and pick up points. Included with the acceptance letter is a medical form which needs to be filled out and returned to ERCKWA before the camp.

What type of camps and recreational activities do you run and how often?

We run a number of Mega Camps each school holidays which are 4 days in duration. We run several 3 day Mini Camps that start Friday evening and finish Sunday.

We also hold Fun Fest days throughout the year. Please check What’s On for upcoming events and Programmes to find out about specific programmes and activities.

Where are the camps located?

The January Camps are usually held at a seaside location such as Moore River, while the winter camps are held at other appropriate locations such as Dwellingup. For Mini Camps we use campsites that are in close proximity to Perth such as Ern Halliday in Hillarys and Hills Forrest in Mundaring. Accommodation at most campsites will be a dorm room but on occasions tenting camps will be offered. 

Where do I to drop off and pick up my child/children?

The central drop off and pick up point for campers is at a College in East Perth. You will be given the pick up and drop off times and location with your acceptance letter.  For Mini Camps the drop off time is usually 5:30pm on Friday evening and 12:00pm on Sunday. For Mega Camps the drop off time for the first day of camp is usually 10:30am and the pick up time is 12:00pm on the last day.

What level of supervision do you provide?

One of the keys to the success of the camps is the ratio of leaders to children. We aim for a one to one ratio of leaders to children. This ensures that the children are given a superior level of attention and care.

Leaders are made up of young adult volunteers who are primarily sourced through a number of Catholic Schools. Most of the leaders are in the 17-24 age range. All leaders on Edmund Rice camps have Working with Children Checks and undergo a number of training sessions.

What other children will be on camp?

The other children on camp are kids who are ‘at risk’ or who are experiencing some form of disadvantage. The child/family may be experiencing emotional, financial, social, cultural or other types of pressure.  While it is acknowledged that ‘at risk’ is a broad category and we do not encourage labelling children, kids on camp may include:  children with ADHD, children living with their grandparents, children who have a sibling with a disability and children with learning difficulties, among many others. Please contact Carly Mercadante to discuss your child’s suitability for a camp.

What does my child need to bring for a camp?

Each child must bring:

-        Enough clothes for the duration of camp. All clothes should be marked clearly with your name. Please bring a pair of thongs and sneakers/enclosed shoes.

-        Bathers (in case it is warm enough to swim).

-        Bedding (sheet, sleeping bag/doona, pillow and pillow slip.

-        Toiletries (towel, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb/brush and soap.

-        A hat.

-        Any medication you require in a resealable container clearly marked with your name. Please also include instructions on dosage and frequency.

-        Your camp contribution. The Mega camp contribution is from $20 to $50. For other camps and activities we will inform you if there is a fee. Please contact the agency that referred you to ERCKWA if you need support with this donation.

What not to bring

-        Cameras

-        Musical instruments

-        Mobile Phones

-        IPods/games i.e. DS

-        Radios

-        Pocket money

-        Any other valuables

-        Food and drinks