Camp Icthus Australia

Camp Icthus is a not-for-profit organisation provifing camps for young people over the summer holidays in Victoria, Australia. Operated by volunteers for more than 50 years, Camp Icthus creates opportunities for young people to meet new friends and participate in a diverse range of outdoor activities. Camp Icthus provides young people with an opportunity for personal, social and physical development in a caring and supported social environment. Based at a 10 acre bush site with beach frontage on Lake Victoria, our 10 day Summer Camp programs revolve around the activities of canoeing, sailing and bushwalking. Small groups, with a minimum of 1 leader for every 4 campers, go on overnight trips spending 2–3 days sailing the Gippsland Lakes, canoeing down one of the nearby rivers, or bushwalking in the scenic Mitchell River National Park. At night these small groups camp out, fully self-sufficient, under the stars. These trips provide an excellent opportunity to learn new things, improve physical skills, foster a cooperative community spirit and develop environmental awareness. Camp Icthus actively seeks participants from a wide range of cultural, religious and economic backgrounds. We encourage participants to develop friendships beyond the usual boundaries of their social groups. Our volunteer leaders tend to be as diverse a group as the campers. Many leaders have developed their skills and knowledge through participation as campers in previous camp programs. Some leaders have additional skills and qualifications in teaching, outdoor education and social welfare. All our leaders give their time to provide memorable camp experiences, acting as role models and helping to enhance the self-esteem of participants. Volunteers also manage every aspect of the organisation, from fundraising and finances to boat and building maintenance, and weed management on our bush site. There's something happening year-round for our volunteers, even when we're not running camps.