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Spring Mini-Camp is On in Squamish!

Registration Deadline:  Wednesday, April 22nd – 5:00 pm

Mini-Camp Dates/Times:
    Drop Off:  Friday, April 24th – 6:00 pm
    Pick Up:  Sunday, April 26th – approximately 1:00 pm
    Meeting Location:  Vancouver Mount Pleasant Community Centre parking lot
                                        1 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC, V5T 0A1

We will provide transportation to and from the camp site in Squamish via chartered, insured bus.  The meeting point for drop-off and pick-up will be the parking lot of the Mount Pleasant Community Centre in Vancouver.  We leave Squamish by 11:00am on Sunday and the bus should arrive by approximately 1:00pm at the pick-up location.

Camp Location:
Squamish Outdoor Leadership and Education Centre (SOLE Centre)
41015 Goverment Rd. Building A, Brackendale, BC, V0N 3G0

What is CISV? 
CISV is a global organization dedicated to educating and inspiring for peace through building inter-cultural friendship, cooperation and understanding.  CISV provides children and young people the opportunity to build lasting friendships through international and local educational programs.  CISV’s innovative, fun, non-formal “learning by doing” programs include an exciting blend of international camp-based, exchange and local community programs.  CISV aims to help participants develop the skills they need to become informed, responsible, and active global citizens and make a difference in their communities and the world. 

What is a CISV Mini-Camp? 
Local and Regional Mini-Camps are held at various times during the year to spread awareness of CISV values and principles among its current and future members.  The camps are designed to be similar to a two day experience at one of CISV’s programs.  The purpose is to give young people, who have and those who might be interested in applying for one of CISV’s international programs, a glimpse into what the international experience might be like. 

What activities happen at Mini-Camp? 
Participants will take part in a variety of educational, cultural, and fun activities that have been planned by the youth from the chapter’s Junior Branch.  The activities will revolve around a common theme and CISV’s peace education content areas, which are: diversity, human rights, conflict and resolution, and sustainable development.  On occasion some educational activities may engage participants at an intensive level bringing out deep feelings, thoughts, and emotions.  This is done to help explore, but not judge, different views and perspectives on issues relevant to CISV educational goals. 

Who can attend Mini-Camp?  
2026 Spring Mini-Camp will be open to those 10 to 17.  Those 18 years or older can join as junior leaders.  Please contact the Leadership Coordinator to find out how to join as a junior leader.  

The camps are especially important for those wishing to apply for one of CISV’s national or international programs.  They help young people develop an understanding of CISV and its culture.  Applicants for these programs must have attended at least one local Mini-Camp in the 12 months prior in order to be eligible for a travel delegate position.  CISV Vancouver hosts two Mini-Camps each year; the next one is likely to be held in Fall 2026.  Mini-Camps are open to CISV members and non-members.  Youth may attend one Mini-Camp as a non-member.  Further participation in CISV programs will require a membership with CISV Vancouver. 

Who plans and leads activities at a Mini-Camp? 
In line with CISV’s “learning by doing” approach, activities at Mini-Camp are planned and lead by youth of various ages from the chapter’s Junior Branch (JB).  The JB organizes several meetings leading up to the camp when youth members develop and organize the activities for the camp.  To support the youth and to ensure that appropriate safety and risk management measures are met, trained adult leaders, supported by CISV Vancouver’s Risk Manager, will guide the camp activities and ensure overall accountability of the program.  CISV’s adult leaders receive training through CISV Canada / International, complete a criminal record check and are supervised by program coordinators from the CISV Vancouver board.  We maintain an adult leader to participant ratio of 1:10. 

Does my child have to attend the entire Mini-Camp? 
Participants are to arrive on Friday by 6:00 pm at the meeting point in Vancouver.  We have arranged school bus transportation to take us to the camp site in Squamish.  Pick-up will be at the same meeting point on Sunday.  Your child’s experience and the experience of others is impacted if participants come and leave at different times.  The disruption of having a participant leave the camp also creates safety and logistical concerns for leaders and takes them away from activities with the other participants.  However, if you have a situation that requires a different arrival or departure, please contact the Leadership Coordinator.

How can parents find out more about CISV? 
CISV Vancouver’s website’s “ABOUT” page contains lots of information about our local chapter as well as links to CISV Canada and CISV International: https://www.cisvvancouver.ca/aboutus/ 

To receive regular updates from our chapter about events and programs, please sign up for our newsletter! 

How much does Weekend Mini-Camp cost? 
Members: $175 per participant ($100 for junior leaders upon approval)
Victoria CISV Members: $175 per participant
Non-members: $190 per participant

Non-Members may only attend one Mini-Camp before an annual membership is required.  If you have already attended one Mini-Camp but have not yet joined CISV Vancouver, an annual membership is required.  Please consult www.cisvvancouver.ca for information regarding memberships. 

A membership is also required for all international program participants. 

What is included in the Mini-Camp Fee? 
Transportation,  four meals (all meals on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday and some snacks), accommodation, all CISV programming, and lots of fun!  In order to get right into programming after arrival, there is no dinner provided on Friday evening.  Please make sure that your camper has eaten dinner prior to drop-off.

All meals will have vegetarian-friendly options; please note allergies, medical alerts and other important information on registration form and ePact.  The Camp caters all guest meals and is able to accommodate dietary requirements (e.g., celiac, nut allergy, etc).

We ask that each participant bring five servings of fruit to contribute to a pool of snacks for the weekend.  These will be used between meals to tide campers over. 

What is the Mini-Camp refund/cancellation policy? 
A full refund of camp fees is provided if the Camp Registrar is notified of the cancellation at least 5 days before the start of the camp.  We are not able to provide refunds for cancellations within 5 days other than as set out below. 

In consideration of other campers and our staff, please refrain from sending your child to camp if they are feeling unwell or have any respiratory or other contagious sickness with related symptoms (runny nose, fever, sore throat, upset stomach, etc.).  Please contact the Mini-Camp Coordinator at chair.cisvvancouver[at]gmail.com  if you need to cancel because of sickness.  If a participant shows any of these symptoms, in light of the safety of all other campers, CISV Vancouver reserves the right to deny participation at the camp, or to request that the participant be picked up as soon as possible for any of these. 

Mini-Camp registration will also require that families create or update an account with ePACT, a well-recognized and secure emergency record and support network that our Chapter has teamed up with to facilitate the collection and confidential management of your child’s emergency contact and medical information.  If you already have an ePact account, please make sure it has been updated within the last 12 months.  If you are new to CISV, you will receive an invitation to share your ePact information with CISV before Mini-Camp.  

Registrations will be processed in the order in which they are received and will not be considered complete until payment is received and processed.  Registrations received after the posted deadline may be placed on a waitlist or may not be accepted, depending on catering and other site constraints.  If you have questions or concerns regarding your registration, please contact: chair.cisvvancouver[at]gmail.com  

What if I am late for drop off or pick-up? 
Parents are expected to make arrangements to drop off and pick up their child on time: that is 6:00 pm on Friday and 1:00pm on Sunday.  Arriving late impacts programming, puts undue strain and stress on our volunteer parents and leaders and is not acceptable. Please notify our Mini-Camp Coordinator or the Camp Director at the phone numbers provided in the confirmation email.  If you know that someone else will be picking up your child, please note that they have the authority to do so in your ePACT account and when checking in on Friday. 

How else can we help? 
In recognition of the valuable service provided by leaders in donating their time and supervising participants throughout the weekend, we don’t charge for their participation.  If you would like to make a donation towards the cost of their meals, you can do this on Karelo when you register.  If you have already completed your registration or want to make an additional donation, please contact vancisv.treasurer[at]gmail.com

What should participants bring to MiniCamp? 

A. Personal Items 
❏ Sleeping bag, pillow & fitted sheet for the provided mattress
❏ Two full changes of clothes
❏ Suitable outdoor clothes and footwear including rain jacket, boots, hat and gloves if it’s cold 
❏ Toiletries including a toothbrush 
❏ Slippers or indoor shoes 
❏ Pyjamas and a bedtime buddy/stuffy! 
❏ Flashlight with charged batteries - please test it before camp! 
❏ Any personal medications required. Please place in a clearly labelled zipper plastic bag with the camper’s name, medication name(s) and administration instructions listed on the outside 
❏ Musical instrument (if you want to jam!) 
❏ Tons of CISV spirit! 
** Please be sure to clearly label all of your belongings** 

B. Shared Snack Contribution:
Please bring 5 servings of ripe, washed and ready to eat FRUIT ​for sharing. 
Note: All of these snacks are to be handed in upon arrival; no snacks are to go to the sleeping cabins! 

Do NOT ​Bring:
❏ Valuables, money or expensive clothes 
❏ Phones, iPods, computers, or other electronics (Please contact the Camp Director if a device is needed for exceptional circumstances.  Failure to adhere to these rules will result in the device being confiscated for the duration of the camp.  We do our best to safeguard items but are not equipped to provide locked and safe storage and take no responsibility for any loss or damage to said devices.)
❏ Candy, nuts or personal snacks

Who do I contact for more information?
For information: Minicamp Coordinator, Alex, at chair.cisvvancouver[at]gmail.com  

In case of an emergency during the camp: 
Camp Director / Leadership Coordinator Janine, at leadership.cisv.vancouver[at]gmail.com

See you in there!