STRUGGLING TEEN JOURNEY CAMPS
MINIMUM LENGTH: 32 DAYS
Research
indicates that progress achieved in wilderness adventure
struggling teen camps increases proportionately with the
length of the wilderness adventure camp (Russell, K.C.;
2001). As a result, CanAdventure Education recommends
the 32-day Struggling Teen Journey Camps for families
who are seeking a more extensive intervention for issues
with struggling teen-agers. While no program should be
considered a cure-all, our experience supports scientific
findings that a longer stay will contribute greatly to
the permanency of progress made while in a wilderness
adventure camp. As such, we are also able to customize
extended stays in appropriate circumstances.
Our
Struggling Teen Journey Camps use a unique
wilderness adventure camp format to not
only teach outdoor skills and academic curriculum, but
to also provide in-depth personal growth work in the areas
of self-esteem, interpersonal relations, and the development
of positive behaviour patterns for the long-term.
32-day
Struggling Teen Journey Camps: At CanAdventure Education,
each struggling teen is unique and thus requires a customized
approach. A 32-day wilderness adventure camp allows sufficient
time for groups to gel and for each individual to find
a positive role that they can incorporate into their persona
on a long-term basis. We strongly encourage families to
choose Struggling Teen Journey Camps for youth who will
be returning to their usual environment following the
wilderness adventure camp experience. Shorter struggling
teen camps can create short-lived changes that will be
overcome by pressures that await them upon return to home,
school, or peer group environments. Maintaining progress
is a challenging task for most struggling teen participants.
The 32-day Struggling Teen Journey Camp helps with that
task.
Struggling
Teen Camps Curriculum:
CanAdventure Education's Struggling Teen Journey Camps
begin with a similar curriculum to the 20-day Struggling
Teen First Steps camps, but use the longer duration to
pursue more ambitious and challenging journeys, both in
wilderness adventure and in personal growth. Our instructors
guide individuals and the group as a whole through the
experience, enabling each struggling teen to achieve heights
that may not have been thought possible prior to arrival.
Struggling Teen Journey participants, as a result, return
home more confident, self-reliant, and focused.
Throughout
the 32-day program, Struggling Teen Journey participants
maintain constant focus on personal growth and group cohesion,
repeatedly reinforcing lessons learned through wilderness
adventure. Through primary attention to personal and interpersonal
issues over a 32-day wilderness adventure camp, Struggling
Teen Journey Camps develop the team environment required
to tackle some of the most challenging and inspirational
destinations on Vancouver Island. In preparation for these
outings, struggling teens participants receive basic training
in backpacking, navigation, sea kayaking, emergency response,
and wilderness survival.
Furthermore,
our experiential learning curriculum highlights unique
natural and historical features of the local area, and
taps into the rich cultural heritage of the land. Depending
on struggling teen camp destinations, this may include
studies of local flora and fauna, intertidal and marine-based
life, river and forest eco-systems, local-area history,
or European exploration and First Nations culture. CanAdventure
Education's experiential curriculum meets learning outcomes
for many high school level courses including: Physical
Education, Social Studies, Environmental Studies, Ecology,
Earth Science, Language Arts, Art, and Career and Personal
Planning courses.
Mouse Phase:
As with our 20-Day Struggling Teen First Steps
camp, the Mouse Phase symbolizes childhood, innocence
and trust, blind emotions, and survival instincts.
Upon arrival, struggling teens are introduced to
camping skills and a group contract is developed.
Promoting self-esteem, trust, and acceptance of
challenge are the focus of early activities, followed
by the development of teamwork and values clarification
to prepare struggling teen participants for their
first real steps into wilderness adventure and personal
growth. Clinical counsellors participate to develop
relationships and assess individual and group therapeutic
needs. Experiential learning games bring fun and
challenge to this phase, building a keen appreciation
for the importance of self-reliance, teamwork, and
environmental stewardship. Struggling teen participants
are also out-fitted during this phase with the equipment
required for camp expeditions. Group meals are prepared
and served by camp staff, and accommodation is in
canvas wall tents or cabins.
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Deer
Phase:
Deer
are known for their desire to explore and their keen intuition.
Just as the deer sheds his antlers every year, this phase
symbolizes the shedding old habits for new ones. Struggling
teen participants learn to accept responsibility for their
actions and demonstrate a desire for personal growth.
They learn to apply positive strategies for improving
their communication skills and behaviour patterns. Wilderness
adventure expeditions of increasing length and difficulty
occur in this phase. Struggling teen participants’
newfound skills are put to the test, challenges are faced
and surmounted, and group dynamics evolve naturally. In
this phase, wilderness adventure expeditions also initiate
struggling teen participants to the responsibility of
preparing their own meals and tent sites, as well as caring
for their clothing and gear. Instructors guide struggling
teen participants through this process to a point, but
do not interfere with appropriate experiential learning
opportunities.
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Bear
Phase:
The
Bear phase is the preparation phase for the solo
and the return home. This phase focuses on looking
inward in search of balance and harmony. Struggling
teen participants find strength in solitude and
in the wholeness of self. They are encouraged to
take care of themselves and learn strategies in
this regard. They also learn to care for those close
at hand so that their strength is shared. The Bear
phase culminates with a 24 - 48 hour solo in which
struggling teen participants are encouraged to take
the time to rest, reflect, and prepare for their
journey home. When struggling teen participants
return from their solos, they graduate into the
Eagle Phase. |
Eagle
Phase and Aftercare:
The
eagle symbolizes rebirth, strength, courage, and grace.
The eagle has incredible vision and perspective as it
soars high above. The Eagle Phase honours all of the qualities
and lessons of the previous phases while moving ahead
with a new found sense of perspective, personal freedom
and energy. As part of graduation from our wilderness
adventure camp, family members arrive at the CanAdventure
Education base camp and participate in an honouring ceremony
for the returning soloists. A final council fire session,
facilitated by instructor staff, is held with the struggling
teen participant and their guests, enabling healing and
growth to begin within the family unit. CanAdventure Education
is devoted to the growth of the struggling teen graudates
and their families even after they have left our direct
care. Through our standard Aftercare Program, a regular
schedule of communication offers continued support for
a full year following graduation and includes follow up
activities that struggling teen participants are encouraged
to complete as part of their progress toward continued
success.
CanAdventure Education Struggling Teen Journey camps provide
a highly personalized approach, guaranteeing a 1:2 instructor
to struggling teen ratio and a maximum group size of six
youth. All struggling teen campers are provided with a
full written report on their camp experience, including
areas of achievement, focuses for continued growth, and
suggestions for next steps on their path to a happy and
fulfilling lifestyle.
School-based
Academics:
While priority during our struggling teens programs focuses
on each participant's areas of challenge and personal
growth, we do understand that staying caught up with school-based
academics is an important issue. CanAdventure staff is
comprised of certified teachers and instructors that are
able to provide tutorial time and support for participants
who are working through homework or distance education
packages. The amount of time that is dedicated to these
depends on each participant's progression through CanAdventure's
Struggling Teen camps curriculum.
While
CanAdventure Education is not a credit-granting institution,
many graduates have also had success in requesting credit
from their home schools for the learning outcomes that
they have completed during their stay with us. We are
happy to communicate with your child's teachers to facilitate
this process.
Click
here for Rates & Dates of 32-day Struggling Teen
Journey Camps...
Click
here to download an application package and schedule
of fees...
