Schools urged to not let Covid cancel traditional camps

The Y thinks there is no better time for a school camp than now. Photo / Lewis Gardner

The Y is asking schools and parents to not let Covid-19 be the excuse to not send students and children to school camps this year.

In an open letter sent to parents across New Zealand, the Y (formerly known as The YMCA) talks about the invaluable experience of a school camp and why it is a crucial event in everyone's school journey.

Responsible for the country's biggest outdoor camps and the largest number of
young participants learning outside in New Zealand every year, The Y think the benefits of a school camp far outweigh the potential difficulties that come with organising one during the Covid-19 era.

Y Central chief Brendan Owens said besides the various lockdowns over the last two years, bookings had been pretty steady year-round over that time period.

But since the country moved into the red light setting in late January, around 60 per cent of schools have cancelled their planned camps in the next two to three months.

Owens said some of the reasons schools cancelled were due to the logistics.

But he believed that was not a good enough reason to not experience the rite of passage that is the school camp.

Y Central (formerly YMCA) CEO Brendan Owens. Photo / Bevan Conley

"It's hard to know the exact reasons as every school is different. However, our question is; are we putting our kids at the centre of these decisions'?

"In fact, there is no better time for our tamariki to experience the outdoors, be away from mum and dad for a few nights, cook a meal around the campfire and abseil off a 10m tower.

"Our kids are missing out on a lot, and I don't think we understand nor are prepared for the implications in future years."

Churton School principal Andrew Spence said the camp experience was "imperative" to students.

"As much we like to think writing, reading and maths are really important, if you ask children what they remember it's those [camp] experiences. I think they are invaluable."

With the health and safety protocols required, expectations on teachers and parents to run the camp, police vetting and more, Spence said it had become more difficult for schools to organise yearly camps.

"I understand why we need it, and rightly so, but sometimes those things curtail what could be potentially a very positive experience for children. That is also tempered with me understanding why we need to have those."

Churton School goes to Raukawa Falls once every two years, a facility which The Y runs, then chooses a location in Whanganui during alternating years for school camps.

Historically, it has held school camps in Term 1, but due to the current Covid situation and a number of students studying from home, Spence said they would look to have something later in the year when the opportunity is open to all students.

"We still think it is important for our senior students to be doing things together in the those sort of situations. It just brings everyone together and develops those relationships, which is really important for our senior students."

Durie Hill School principal Geoff Simes said they traditionally had a Year 6 camp.

"Our plan is that our Year 6 camp continues, and while we are all learning to live with Covid, we also can't ignore it. Decisions regarding the if, when and how of camps need to take into account the Covid-related predictions and circumstances at the time."

He said the additional health and safety implications of Covid and the continuously changing environment it had created meant an extra layer of time and resources to make decisions for things like camps and events.

"All in all, though, we won't put a blanket stop on outdoor camps, but where things are at with Covid will play a part."