Do you know of any outward bound camps for the Easter or summer holiday?

[uiopw]

Does anybody know about an outward bound camp for the Easter or summer holiday? It could also be French camp or survival skills but not really sports stuff.

For my DS 15.

[Bumpinthenight]

Camp Beaumont.

[DreamWeaver9]

Busy Buttons Creative Studio has a Creative Easter Camp. Here is the link for it www.busybuttons.org/creativecamps

[uiopw]

thanks
I was wondering if anybody had experience with sending their teens to camp beaumont. What's it like?

[VegasIsBest]

Lots of experience with PGL. Really good well organised camps with a good mix of activities. Really enjoyed by my sons.

[goinggetstough]

Outward Bound - a number of centres in the UK

Plas y Brenin has a teen camp in the summer. It is a multi activity camp.
My DS loved both camps and attended them when he was 14/15 years old.

Plas menai - water based activities

PGL is great too but do check the number of campers who would be your DS's age especially if he is at the top of the age group. I think the age group is 13 to 16 and I expect the majority of campers are at the younger end. They also do PGL holidays in Europe which are for slightlyolder campers.

[StabInTheDark]

Is he in year 10 or year 11? If it's year 11, NCS (National Citizen Service) is brilliant, two of my DDs had a fantastic three weeks with them. The first week is outward bound, the second week is community activities and the third week is helping out in the community in some way. Really fun and worthwhile!

[StabInTheDark]

Also, it's free in my area and from what I know about the scheme in other areas it is very, very cheap as it's all subsidised by the government.

[redkindof]

TakeFlight Im looking/interested in NCS for my DD who is 16 she mentioned it to me but it seems too good to be true and there isn't a great deal of info online. Would you be able to shed light, do you think your girls enjoyed it due to being together ? when do you have to sign up by ? How do you find out info ?

[truelymadlysleepy]

I 2nd NCS, my DS did it last year. He's now got a PT job and it was the main topic of conversation at his interview.
He had a ball and did something useful in the long summer after GCSEs

[starfishmummy]

Just give them a tent and leave them somewhere

[Eastpoint]

If you book before the end of March I think it's under £30 for nearly 3 weeks activity with 8-10 days residential broken into 2 4-5 night stays away. One week is in university residential halls, the other more rugged. I'm trying to persuade dd1 to sign up.

[truelymadlysleepy]

Mine was free! £30 returnable deposit.
DS was a bit reluctant but he had the best time. He'd do it again this summer if he could.

[Claybury]

NCS or the Challenge seems to be very badly publicised. They have been in to my DC's school but they didn't make much impact as far as I can see. When I phoned them they were more informative, I found the website very vague and agree with poster who says it seems too good to be true. I think their PR needs attention. Especially as it's the sort of thing that teenagers maybe need a push from parents to do. It is so cheap (£35) for us as they came into school) that I have signed up DS but have not found a suitable moment to tell him yet as he hated the idea.

[redkindof]

Do I just phone them up and ask for information in my area as I've researched and can't find anything ?

[StabInTheDark]

That's a real shame about how badly publicised it is! I seem to recall that it was fairly well advertised where I am- but we are quite a deprived, small, rural area and nobody would have signed up had it not been pushed in our faces.

I'm pretty sure that youth groups were commissioned to run the scheme- do you have a Connexions where you are? Might be worth asking them. Facebook is always a good one to try- the scheme in my area was publicised through its own page and had full details of how to apply.

I had a look on google and I think your DC can register their interest here and they will get back re how to take part in your area!

Can confirm that it is not too good to be true!! Redkindof my girls didn't actually go together, they both went when they were 16 (they are two years apart). DD1 enjoyed it so much she went for two consecutive years and volunteered as a group leader on the third. If anyone has quite shy DC, encourage them to sign up with a few friends- as far as I know, they are willing to accommodate this. Both of my DDs went with a friend or two, but by the end, it didn't matter much as the whole group had become friends.

Honestly can't recommend it enough. Kept my girls occupied for free for three weeks of the holidays that otherwise would have been spent moping around bored. They both came back more confident and more aware of their own community- I saw a real change in them!

[uiopw]

the challenge is only for 16 year olds once the GCSE is over, right?

[Weegiemum]

I like starfish's idea.

Tent optional, I'd say

[JugglingChaotically]

No info on the Challenge so will be monitoring this thread.
But can thoroughly recommend PGL.
Camp Beaumont was not a hit at all with my 2..........

[Leeds2]

The Challenge is open to students at the end of Years 11 and 12.

DD has registered this year, as they came into school and gave out the forms. I had a couple of queries, and they were dealt with quickly and with follow up emails to make sure I was happy! I have so far been thoroughly impressed.

[redkindof]

Leeds2 you don't happen to be from leeds I'm looking for a ncs programme around west York's but only find north Yorkshire

[Lifestooshorttosleep]

Not sure where you live but there is an organisation called Ocean Youth trust which provides week long sailing voyages for young people (15-18 year olds I think. They operation in various parts of the UK and give excellent opportunities. No sailing experience is necessary.

[Leeds2]

Sorry, no redkindof - I am based in Surrey! I believe that last year, DD's school went by coach to the lake District so you don't need to be close by for one of the weeks. Can see it would be tricky for the bit where they live at home and go every day though. Good Luck in finding something.

[giraffegiraffe]

I also massively recommend NCS - I work as a team leader and the amount that the young people get out of the program is incredible. The organisation that I work for is future creative (www.future-creative.org/ncs/) and is really well run, tailored to individual needs etc. The program was new last year so not hugely publicised, but getting more wide-spread and popular :) It runs in Feb, Easter, Summer and October half term. Feel free to message me for any more info :) NCS is also especially good for young people with special needs/social difficulties/behavioural problems/mental health problems.