Kids Camps New Zealand

Here at Kids Camps New Zealand (KCNZ) we are passionate about giving ‘at-risk’ children lasting hope for their future. Our organisation creates a safe and nurturing space for children aged between 7 – 11 who have experienced abuse, abandonment or neglect in their lives. These special children, who are referred to us through agencies, join us for a five day camp where they are given the chance to just be children for a week. Please donate and help us build happy and positive memories for at-risk children in our communities.

Our five-day camp program is carefully designed to help these amazing children build self-esteem, feel a sense of achievement and learn important life skills. To do this, we have a team of incredible volunteers who work very hard to provide a safe, non-threatening and positive environment for these kids. All of our campers get one adult buddy - their best friend or older brother/sister for the week. We have activities such as the flying fox, mudslide, swimming, a campfire, a carnival day, a birthday party for all of our children, a girls tea-party and a boys day bonding building tree huts, and so much more!

A lot of these children have missed out on the opportunity to attend their own school camps as they are deemed “too difficult”. We believe every child should be given the chance to laugh and play. But most importantly they must be shown that they are worthy of these memories and that they are loved!

Your donation will help KCNZ bring fun and laughter into the lives of these amazing children. Every child deserves to have a safe childhood where they can explore being kids!

"Kids camps NZ changed my life. It opened my eyes to how other children's up bringing can be very different from my own childhood. My favourite day from camp is probably the girls tea party, to see girls who might not get told often how beautiful they are, become confident young ladies is amazing to see and experience. The hardest part is definitely leaving the child who you have made such a strong connection with, but it is also rewarding knowing you have made a difference in their lives." Brittany McKendry KCNZ Volunteer.

"The Open Home Foundation is a Christian Social Work Organisation. We work with many children from many backgrounds. Some of these children have experienced trauma and this can result in some very challenging behaviours. For some of these children it means that they cannot attend a regular camp as they require some extra support to stay focused or keep themselves safe. Over the years Open Home Foundation have had the fantastic opportunity to send these children to Kids Camps NZ. This camp is special as each child is matched with a buddy who mentors and supports the campers on a daily basis. The mentors work closely to ensure every child’s needs are met, with a unique focus on building up the child’s self-esteem.

Each year we see children who would not be accepted at other camps prosper, engage and return with a new found sense of self-worth. It is a true blessing to each of the children and a testament to the buddies at the camp at what they can achieve.

Open Home Foundation would like to take this opportunity to say thanks Kids Camp NZ for making a difference in each of our children’s lives." Social Worker from Open Home Foundation.

"It's easier to be ignorant and say I don't know about the problem. But once you know, once you've seen it in their eyes, then you have a responsibility to do something. There is strength in numbers, and if we all work together as a team, we can be unstoppable." -Craig Kielburger, Canadian Children's Rights Advocate, founder of Free The Children

Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, or would like to know more about becoming a volunteer, please get in touch. You can visit our website here:

www.kidscamps.co.nz

or email me at wellington@kidscamps.co.nz