Vancouver has a reputation for environmental awareness, so it’s not surprising it’s the locale for summer camps full of building and racing mini solar powered cars, baking brownies in solar ovens, creating a mini eco-city using recycled materials, and planning social and environmental change projects.
The Friends Uniting for Nature (FUN) Society was created to promote environmental education, leadership and collaborative skills to young Canadians. Their FUN Camps are summer day camps for 6 to 16 year olds, taking place this year from July 5 to August 27.
Camp themes include energy conservation, eco-footprint, water conservation, food, sustainable transportation, nature and community. Other activities include gardening, exploring nature, outdoor games, sports, swimming, art, drama and hiking, and bike maintenance workshops.
“We are at a time of crisis when it comes to the environment and I believe that education plays a huge role as part of the solution,” said FUN Society founder Maia Green, who holds a Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies and worked as an environmental consultant and an after-school leader for elementary school children. “Summer camps are a great way for kids to not only spend more time outside in nature, but also to learn how to be more sustainable in a fun, interactive and experiential way.”
“Our programs also provide leadership training, as it is important to empower the next generation, not simply educate them,” she continued. “At a time when kids are spending less time outside, becoming more sedentary and losing their connection to nature and our relationship to it, it seemed absolutely necessary to start a fun summer camp that could address some of these issues.”
The award-winning FUN Society also conducts a peer leader program, scholarship program, social change projects, and the FUN Ambassadors Youth Board. The Society hopes to inspire young Canadians into action by:
- Focusing on sustainable and healthy living through a re-connection to nature that is fun, educational, experiential and hands-on.
- Using a collaborative approach, fostering cooperation between camp participants.
- Nurturing leadership by providing skills and resources as well as mentorship opportunities.
“We hire leaders who are very passionate about working with young people and who have experience in this field as well as the field of sustainability,” said Green. “The people who work for us do so because they believe in our mission and are dedicated to our values and vision.”
The FUN details
What: FUN Camps run by Friends Uniting for Nature (FUN) Society, a charitable non-profit organization
When: July 5 to August 27, Monday to Friday, 9 am – 4 pm
How much: $195 per week (except Aug 3-6 — a 4 day week — for $160). The schedule and fees can be found on their website.
For more information:
www.funcamps.ca
info@funcamps.ca
Twitter @FUNSocietyBC
Facebook FUN Society
