With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, 4-H Ontario has made the difficult decision to transition Youth Adventure Camp to an online connection event. Although some summer camps running overnight programming for youth this summer, the following concerns to ensuring a safe experience for all participants were reviewed:
- 4-H Ontario rents the facility that YAC is held at, we are not the only group hosted at the facility at that time, and spaces used are shared (i.e. dining hall, lodging).
- Equitable engagement: 4-H Ontario provides chartered bussing services to assist with getting participants to camp from across the province. We have heard time and again that the opportunity to take the charted bussing option is the reason families are able to send participants to camp.
- YAC participants travel from across the province, some bussing, some flying and some driving to attend adding risks associated with gathering people from different regions and health units at an in person event.
With that in mind, we want to be back at camp in person as much as you do and we are researching industry best practices, investigating different safety measures and developing processes and procedures that will support our return to in person experiences in 2022.
We appreciate your patience and understanding in this continually changing pandemic. Our priority is the health and safety of our participants, and we want to be ready to welcome you all with open arms and big smiles next year!
Stay tuned next week for some virtual activities you can join in with us! Social connection has been the message we have heard throughout the last year and that’s where we have focused. Exciting activities to come!