Y Camp

New Zealanders are known around the world for our resilience, our ‘can do’ attitude and our skills in outdoor environments. The YMCA 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 a YMCA camp!

Y Camp is a very popular six-day residential school holiday camp. From the age of 7 years, children can come and participate in the vast array of fun activities led by our outstanding experienced and qualified instructors.

A strong focus is on social interaction and as the children grow into teenagers, leadership development and goal setting is incorporated into the programmes. Regular camps run through the school holidays.