Vancouver Island Youth Wilderness Camp

After another incredibly successful trip last summer, we are so excited to be offering our Wilderness overnight again. This camp will be a chance for Fianna kids, and their friends, to test some of the skills they’ve been cultivating throughout the year. We will go deeper into firemaking, tracking and stalking, shelter-building, plant knowledge, hand crafts and bird language. We’ll also be learning some new skills, including how to set up a camp and how to cook together.

We’ll be a mini-village for 5 days and 4 nights, immersed in our core routines of play, gratitude, circle sharing, singing, storytelling, connecting with each other and the land. There will be epic games, wild explorations, quiet sit spots, and a few challenges to remind us of what we’ve learned from the woods. 

This camp will be about having fun, but we’ll also be guiding kids into a sense of autonomy on the land – being able to take care of themselves, feeling confident, comfortable and aware in the forests of our home. 

This camp will be staffed by our experienced wilderness guides:

Kester Reid, Stephanie MacKay, and Allie Livesey.

This is a chance for Fianna teens and their friends to set their leadership and wilderness skills to the test with a backcountry expedition in Strathcona Provincial Park.

Over four days and three nights the group will navigate the lush old growth valley of the Elk River and ascend into the uplands to  Landslide Lake and Berg Lake. 

The youth will plan, navigate, and direct the expedition together, sharing various duties whilst experimenting with governance and leadership. Fianna instructors will provide guidance as necessary to support a safe and memorable learning experience for the group. 

Our goal will be to connect as a group and support each other in the challenges of wilderness journeying. We will learn of Strathcona’s diverse ecology and cultural significance, and reflect on our relationship to these lands as protected, even sacred, areas of great beauty. 

Participants must be prepared mentally and physically for this trip. Days 1 and 4 will involve hiking for 4+ hours with all of their gear. There will be plenty of time for breaks along the way, but every youth must be responsible for their own gear. Please consider this before registering, and reach out to us with any queries. We expect it to be a challenging but greatly rewarding expedition.

Participants must provide all sleeping/camping gear (we recommend sharing a tent with other participants) and their own lunches/snacks.

Breakfast and dinner will be provided, and participants will help with camp duties such as cooking, dishes, and packing in/out supplies. 

This camp will be staffed by Fianna directors Kester Reid, and Stephanie MacKay.