LEAD
Leadership Empowerment & Development
Growth-focused leadership opportunities for today’s youth
Growing Up Today Looks Different
Change is tough, but Fraser Lake Camp’s new Leadership Empowerment and Development (LEAD) program was created to provide a transitional launch pad for youth navigating the change of growing up, aging out of regular camp programs, and looking towards employment.
LEAD provides growth-focused leadership opportunities for today’s youth. Through fun team-building activities LEADers build confidence, learning to trust their own instincts, practising in-person communication, and providing a great balance of learning valuable life-skills and having fun at camp.
By taking on small - but important - camp responsibilities, LEADers complete essential roles within Willowgrove’s larger charitable work, learning the impact that small contributions can make within a community. After completing this program, LEADers will feel ready to take on more responsibilities and be motivated to enter the workforce.
Applications Open January 15, 2024
Each week is a unique learning experience for our LEADers!
Click here to jump to the Sample Weekly Schedule.
LEAD Program Details
Program Pillars
Mentorship
In order to have confident youth they need safe, supportive places to practise making real life decisions, having responsibilities, and honing their instincts.
Part of Fraser Lake Camp’s role in the community is to provide young people with their first jobs.
Many youth have not had the opportunity to develop life skills which can make stepping into a job feel massive! So before becoming a staff member, campers first need to become LEADers.
The LEAD program was developed by an Ontario Certified Teacher, and is led and coordinated by engaging, supportive young adults.
These young adults are uniquely positioned to provide modern mentorship and leadership training. Who better to walk our youth through what it is like to grow up in today’s climate?
Belonging & Engagement
In order to have social and involved youth, they need engaged communities to play a role in - a village!
Fraser Lake Camp provides youth with first-hand experiences that prove they matter, and shows how their actions have impact.
The reality is that many youth live with increased social isolation, aware of the world’s many problems, but overwhelmed by how huge, and unsolvable these issues seem. Growing up in this context can feel helpless when so much feels outside of their control.
By being in nature, and contributing to a tight-knit community, LEAD provides youth with the chance to witness the impacts of their involvement, and offers the reward of being a part of something greater than oneself. This alone can increase our desire for engagement and social involvement.
Growth & Resilience
If youth are to believe that they can do hard things, they need to practice having responsibilities in supportive environments.
Simply put, Fraser Lake Camp’s supportive community empowers youth by providing them with a safe space to fail.
Resiliency only comes from first falling down, and then getting back up again. Which means that without access to learning opportunities, and larger responsibilities, youth cannot learn resiliency.
LEAD puts youth in nature, and assigns simple, safe, but necessary tasks around camp for youth to challenge themselves with.
Under the patient care and supervision of their leaders, LEADers learn how to seek and provide peer-support, and find the perseverance that comes alongside rising to life’s necessary challeneges.
LEAD’s Dates and Rates
For youth going into Grade 10 and 11
LEAD1
Sunday, June 30 - Saturday, July 13, 2024
$1247 + HST
14 Day program. LEADers receive 20 hours of community service.
LEAD2
Sunday, July 14 - Saturday July 27, 2024
$1247 + HST
14 Day program. LEADers receive 20 hours of community service.
LEAD3
Tuesday, August 6 - Saturday, August 17, 2024
$1056 + HST
12 Day program. LEADers receive 17 hours of community service.
Application Process
Parents/guardians complete the online application (Linked below)
Create an account or log in with your existing account
Select Fraser Lake Camp 2024 season
Select the LEADer you are registering (and any other campers coming to camp)
Add the LEAD Youth Program sessions of interest to the cart
Complete the required parent/guardian forms including the LEAD Parent/Guardian Program Application form
Pay deposit and submit application
Youth complete the LEADer Program Application form. A link to the form is included in the application and should be completed within a few days
Both parent/guardian and youth forms will be reviewed by our Camp Operations Manager who will contact families within a few weeks
Note: Once an application has been submitted, the LEADer’s spot will be held while the application is reviewed.
If the participant is not accepted into the program, all fees paid will be fully refunded.
Applications open January 15, 2024
LEAD Scholarships
Applicants who require financial assistance to participate in the LEAD program can apply for a scholarship. Funds are limited and are provided on a first come first serve basis. To apply, please complete the form below.
Sample Program Schedule
Week 1 of LEAD
Day 1
Arrival day! Settle in to the cabins, meet the other participants, and join in with first day festivities like wellness checks, opening campfire, and more!
Day 2 to 5*
Mornings will be spent diving into seminars covering various topics with the rest of the LEADers. Afternoons will be spent getting hands-on-experience participating in camp activities like classic program areas, campfires, and wide games.
Day 6
Friday’s are for Special Event! LEADers will assist with leading the Special Events, learning from, and shaddowing, our talented program staff.
Day 7
While some of our camper will be heading home, LEADers will put their leadership skills into action with assisting with programming for campers during changeover, ending with a special overnight to the Tree House!
Week 2 of LEAD
Day 8
For week 2, LEADers will be assigned a cabin for a placement. LEADers will assist cabins at various parts of the day, including eating times, cabin activities, and more. On the first day of the second week, LEADers will spend it with their cabins, helping campers get settled and ready for the week ahead.
Day 9 to 12
LEADers will spend their days with their cabins, putting the skills learnt in week 1 into action. During activity periods, LEADers will spend the morning continueing to dive into seminar topics and co-leading activities in the afternoons.
Day 13
For the second Special Event, LEADers will take a bigger lead in planning and executing one of the legendary special event areas.
Day 14
Departure and travel home.
*LEAD3 will have a condensed schedule due to the Civic Holiday.
Seminar Topics
Leadership - topics include leadership qualities and styles, effective communication, goal setting, conflict resolution, and working as a team.
Working with Children - topics include child behaviour management, leading activities, and relationship building to name a few!
Diversity and Inclusion - topics include mental health, creating a welcoming community and supporting campers where they are.
“Not only is your camp tons of fun, but it is well organized and extremely well run. I also appreciate the kind and compassionate religious context of the camp.”