WHY OUR CAMPS ARE TECH FREE
A week without phones and devices can seem daunting nowadays. Continue reading to learn more about why CYC camps are tech-free!
One aspect of CYC camps is our commitment to being a device-free space. For some adults signing young people up for camp, the idea of getting them disconnected is a huge selling point! But we can also get a lot of questions about why we’ve made this choice.
We completely understand that it can be hard to send a young person away without being able to contact them directly. Part of our commitment is to encourage adults to contact their campers through their Camp Director as needed, and we likewise encourage campers to speak to their Director if they ever need to contact home.
Continue reading to learn more about the key reasons we love tech-free camping!
To learn more about our upcoming camp programs, visit our CYC Camps page here
Connecting Through Disconnection
Did you know that the average teen spends more than 7 hours a day staring at a screen? As technology becomes more and more integrated into our lives, children are starting to get used to having devices in their lives from a very young age. There are plenty of benefits to being connected, but sometimes getting a break can be a breath of fresh air!
By having no phones or devices on our camp, we find that we’re able to build much deeper connections, much faster. Without the distractions of the outside world or social media filling up hours, campers get the chance to step back and build new relationships. No phones means that time is instead spent playing games, trying new activities, getting to know fellow campers, and making lifelong memories. Campers and leaders alike have found it rejuvenating to get a break from the constant hours of screen time, instead getting to spend their school holidays getting out into nature and having fun!
Keeping Precious Items Safe
We do everything we can to keep personal belongings safe on camp. However, the nature of life at camp poses major risks for damage! Between sharing rooms with other campers and spending days out on canoes and flying foxes, it can be hard to ensure that precious items don’t get damaged or misplaced somewhere onsite. Keeping devices off camp entirely is the best precaution we can take to prevent breaking or losing something important.
Respecting Privacy
Our camps are filled with young people, and we care about respecting their privacy and boundaries. When devices are on camp, there is a natural risk that photos will be taken and posts will be shared. If campers are all at camp with their own cameras readily available, we aren’t able to monitor whether respectful content is being posted or whether campers may be in photos that they didn’t consent to being in.
By having any camp photos taken by our media team, we are able to ensure that our policies are met and that all photography is in line with the consent waiver we ask from guardians before camp.
Don’t Worry – We’ve Got the Photos Covered!
Is your camper concerned about capturing all their camp memories? Are they worried about missing out on photos to look back on from their time at camp? Don’t worry, we’re going to handle it all.
CYC Camps have a dedicated media team onsite, present throughout all of camp to capture all the fun. At the conclusion of camp, parents and guardians will be emailed a link to all the photos and videos taken throughout the week. This will include photos of games, activities, session times, cabin groups, and much more! Our exceptional media team will be sure to take more than enough pictures to reminisce over for years to come.
Sign Up for Camp Today to Secure a Spot
Ready to get out into the fresh air, make new friends, and connect with a welcoming community? Camps are coming up!
Sign up a teen or primary-aged camper for one of our CYC school holiday camps to give them a refreshing break. Our camps run every school holidays, and are specifically designed to engage different age groups in various recreational activities. Spots can fill up quickly, so be sure to pick a camp and sign your camper up as soon as possible.
MAKING CAMP MORE ACCESSIBLE
Financial support is available to help more Victorian students experience the life-changing impact of camp.
For many families, school camps and outdoor education experiences are incredibly valuable — but cost can sometimes be a barrier. At CYC Christian Youth Camps, we believe every young person should have the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong through camp experiences.
That’s why we want to highlight the Victorian Government’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF), which provides financial assistance to eligible families to help cover the cost of school camps and excursions.
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure all students can take part in important learning experiences beyond the classroom, including camps and outdoor education programs.
What Is the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund?
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is a Victorian Government initiative designed to support eligible families with the costs of school-related activities. This includes school camps, excursions, outdoor education programs, swimming programs, and school-organised sport.
The funding is paid directly to schools, ensuring it is used specifically to support students in accessing these valuable experiences.
How the Fund Supports Families
From 1 January 2026, eligible families can receive up to $400 per child to help cover the costs associated with camps and excursions. These funds can be used for activities such as:
- School camps and trips
- Outdoor education programs
- Excursions and incursions
- School-organised sporting activities
Schools may also pool CSEF funding for siblings attending the same school, helping families maximise the support available.
Who Is Eligible?
CSEF is available to students attending registered Victorian primary and secondary schools. Eligibility is generally linked to families holding a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card. Special consideration categories are also available in certain circumstances.
Applications are submitted through your child’s school, with funding applied directly to eligible activities.
What This Means for CYC school Camps
If your child is attending a school camp hosted at a CYC campsite, the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund may help make that experience more accessible. Camps play a powerful role in building confidence, resilience, friendships, and faith — and support like CSEF helps ensure more students can be part of these moments.
Planning a School Camp?
If you’re a school planning an upcoming camp or outdoor education experience, the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund can play a key role in supporting student participation. We encourage schools to consider CSEF eligibility early in the planning process to help ensure all students can be part of the camp experience. Our Sites are experienced in working alongside schools to support inclusive, well-planned camps.
Learn More
To check eligibility details, application timelines, and full program information, visit the Victorian Government website below.
Read More About CSEFExplore School Camps
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CAMP
Curious about what a day spent on a school holiday camp is like? Continue reading to get a sneak peek at our camp programs.
For campers and parents alike, that very first camp experience can be daunting. When you aren’t sure what to expect, it’s natural to be uncertain about whether going on camp is the right choice. That’s why we’ve put together a beginner’s guide to a day on camp!
While each of our camps is unique and may involve different activities throughout the day, all CYC Ministries holiday camps will include the same core elements. Continue reading to get a glimpse of what a typical day in the life of camp will look like.
To ask any other questions about holiday camps, contact CYC Ministries today.
Starting the Day Off Right
Depending on which CYC camp you attend, there are lots of differences in what the day might look like. However, regardless of which camp you’re attending, one thing will remain the same – we kick things off with breakfast!
Days on camp are long and busy. The best way we can prepare campers for programs full of wild games and recreational activities is to ensure they have plenty of fuel. On top of breakfast, each of our campsites has experienced kitchen teams to supply lunch, dinner, and morning/afternoon snacks in between. Food on camp is plentiful, with more than enough to fill up everyone as needed! Our kitchen staff teams can cater for a wide variety of dietary restrictions and needs, ensuring that everyone on camp gets plenty of delicious food throughout the day.
Daily Session Times
Among all the games and adventures of camp, all our sites have time set aside every day for sessions. Our faith is at the core of everything we do at CYC, so these sessions are designed to engage campers in age-appropriate Christian input. This will typically include some songs and a brief talk by our guest speaker, who will be involved in church and/or other ministry work. Campers will then get to split off into their cabin groups to participate in discussions about what was shared, asking and answering questions about life and faith as facilitated by their leaders.
Games and Activities
Most of your time on camp is spent participating in a broad variety of games and activities across the campsite. You never know what you’re going to get on camp! It could be anything from a game of Capture the Flag to racing across foam-filled slip ‘n slides… anything is possible on camp!
Outside of creative programming and games, campers will also get the chance to make the most of the facilities available at their campsite. Each CYC camp has different activities and excursions available, depending on their location. Campers may get the opportunities to sail down a flying fox, head out on the lake in a canoe, scale a rock wall, and much, much more! Check out each of our different camp options to learn about the activities that may be included in the camp program.
There will often be periods of structured free time. This allows campers to spend some of their afternoons either utilising site activities or relaxing with their friends playing board games.
Evening Activities
We like to pack as much fun into a day of camp as possible. After dinner, all our camps will have evening programming suited to the ages of the campers. Some nights may be a bit more relaxed, perhaps with a trivia competition or movie, while others may have a bit more action. Campers will get to jump in on some last team games and competitions before wrapping up for the night. Lights out time will depend on whether its a primary camp or a teen camp – but everyone is sure to be tired after a long day of fun, so some rest will be much needed!
Unique Programming
Some elements of camp are completely unique to the individual campsite. We have five different holiday camp programs running at CYC Ministries, each with its own site and available activities. Between Forest Edge, Turbo, Impact, Three Sixty, and City Camps, there is bound to be a camp best suited to each camper. Some are tucked away in the lush green of rural Victoria, while others are just a short walk from beautiful beach shores. Each camp has different site facilities, programming, and unique traditions.
Register Today to Secure a Spot on Camp
Do you think there’s a young person in your life who could benefit from the camp experience? Let’s sign them up!
CYC camps can fill up quickly, so it’s best to sign up nice and early to secure your camper’s spot. We have camps located in different areas across Victoria. You can browse our full catalogue of upcoming camps below to learn more about the different camp options available. If you have any questions about our programs or which camp may be best suited for you, feel free to contact our friendly staff team.
DISCOVERING MORE ABOUT FAITH ON HOLIDAY CAMPS
What role can a holiday camp play on your faith journey? Read some stories of how camp has helped young people learn about the Christian faith.
Growing up can be hard. Children and teenagers alike can deal with some big challenges as they get older, and navigating the different challenges and questions of life is no easy task. Coming on a holiday camp can be an amazing break from it all, a time to get out into the fresh air and have some crazy fun.
At the same time, however, camp can be a wonderful opportunity for young people to discover more about themselves and their place in the world. By running faith-based camps, we seek to help make this happen.
The power of camp is in the community. For five days, people of all backgrounds and different beliefs come together to build relationships. CYC camp programs are designed to engage young people in a variety of activities, and our Christian input is an important part of this. We aim to create a safe space for young people to explore life’s biggest questions about life and faith.
At the end of the day, I can only speak for my own camp journey and the countless campers I’ve gotten to spend time with during my time as a camp leader. If you would like to learn more about what to expect from a specific upcoming camp program, our CYC camp directors are always happy to help out.
To ask any questions about our upcoming camp programs, contact CYC Ministries today.
Asking the Big Questions
Camp serves many purposes. Fun, relationship building, personal development – the list could go on and on! One big aspect of what makes camp so impactful for young people is the opportunity to explore ‘big’ topics around life and faith. Regardless of your background or what you believe, camp is a safe space to ask questions about these topics.
Daily small group discussion times offer young people the chance to speak with both peers and leaders about the topics being brought up during session times. I can distinctly remember being twelve years old and writing down question after question for the Q and A box my camp leaders had set up for me. Getting the chance to step away from ‘regular life’ to explore different aspects of life and faith can be a major milestone for a young person.
Hearing From a Camp Speaker
On every single CYC Holiday Camp, there will be a guest speaker to present daily sessions. Our speakers come from church and/or ministry backgrounds, all well-equipped to create sessions that can engage young people in age-appropriate Christian input. This content is designed to be accessible to campers of all backgrounds, whether they’ve grown up in church and are looking to take the next step in their faith or whether they’ve never heard anything about Christianity in their lives.
I could probably name every single camp speaker I had when I was a camper… and there were quite a few! The intentional messages delivered throughout the week quickly became a central part of my faith development, especially as a young person who wasn’t attending church. Each camp became an opportunity to grow myself, and I hung on to every word from the amazing speakers we had on camp. On top of that, they were always so present throughout camp as a whole, always happy to have a chat or answer whatever burning questions I had as a young person.
Discovering Faith in Your Own Time
Maybe the most beautiful thing about camp is the fact that it can serve people in so many unique ways. For me, camp was where I got to make my faith my own – it was the place where I got to intentionally learn more and ask questions, and ultimately the key Christian input I got in my life as a teenager. As I’ve become a leader, however, I’ve gotten to see the different experiences every camper gets.
For some, camp is the only place where they can explore the idea of faith. Others may come from church backgrounds and be used to the Christian community, or others may have no interest whatsoever. Getting to lead young people on camp has shown me the power of simply giving opportunities. Some people may finish camp having taken very little away from the sessions – and that’s okay! Our job is to meet campers where they’re at, answer their questions, and model what living life in faith can look like.
Sharing Stories
Learning about faith on camp is tied closely to sharing stories. That’s part of what connected with me so much during my camper days. Having leaders willing to share their faith and life experiences with me provided a better understanding of the world. I got to share my experiences and challenges, hear from fellow campers who’d lived through similar things, and learn from all the different leaders throughout camp.
Having a team that each comes with their own church backgrounds, journeys, and lived experiences gives a unique opportunity to connect with young people in a way that best works for them.
Witnessing Camper Growth
Maybe the best part of moving from being a camper to being a leader is getting to expand my understanding of the impacts of camp. Seeing camper after camper grows in their faith and personal development over the years has encouraged me so much in my own faith. I’ve watched campers grow up from Primary Camps into Teen Camps, and seen how camp has gradually impacted their faiths over the years.
I’ve witnessed young people come on one camp and decide that faith is something for them. I’ve known others who have come every school holidays for years, who haven’t started to ask questions about Christianity until their tenth camp.
Long story short – I believe in the impact camp has on young people’s faith because I’ve seen it with my own eyes! Not only were camps foundational to my own beliefs, but I’ve gotten to watch countless campers learn more about faith and life with the support of a camp community.
Sign Up for Camp Today to Secure a Spot
Coming on camp can transform lives. If I hadn’t decided to spend my school holidays on camp, my life and faith would look completely different. If you have a young person in your life who could benefit from the power of camp, it’s time to sign them up! Click the link below to check out our upcoming camps, and sign up today to secure a spot.
