A positive community is not a mystical unicorn!
At Ouareau, our goal is to create a positive culture for girls and gender minorities so that campers not only feel like they can be themselves, but also thrive as themselves. We help campers feel comfortable, make new friends, try new activities and go home feeling more confident.
Sometimes friendships needs a helping hand.
Here are some of the ways a positive and powerful community is created at Ouareau.
Returning campers come early
To create a welcoming environment, returning campers arrive earlier to work with our staff on how to make new campers feel welcome. Many families have noticed the positive impact this small act has on the start of our camp sessions.
Creating shared experiences from the start
Laughing and having fun starts almost immediately at Camp Ouareau. We foster team building experiences from the get-go so that campers feel comfortable and friendships develop early on.
Speaking up doesn’t have to be scary
Girls are often afraid to share their opinions. It is imperative to us that we support campers to speak their minds. We do this by setting up community agreements with the campers which allow them to learn simple communication techniques that help with self expression such as the DARE program (see below).
Disconnect to reconnect
We ask campers to leave all electronics at home. Without their headphones, cell phones, and the Internet, campers develop a true sense of independence and form strong connections with other campers and staff which contributes to a positive and powerful community. Though there may be an initial adjustment period, campers quickly discover the freedom of disconnecting!
“"The environment is set up really well, and I've never been afraid I wasn't good enough at Ouareau."
— Nadine S, 2nd year camper
DARE Program
The DARE program gives campers a navigational tool to guide their interactions with peers. With the help of their counsellors, campers learn to use the following four questions when making decisions:
“Is this action accepting the DIVERSITY of others?”
“Is this action conserving Ouareau’s environmental ATMOSPHERE?”
“Does this action RESPECT the emotional and physical well-being of myself and others?”
“Is this action promoting positive self-ESTEEM?”
These questions are more than words on a page. Since the implementation of the DARE program, we have found that campers contribute to creating a physically and emotionally safe camp environment, and learn to better trust their own judgement.
Diversity & privilege at Ouareau
When Camp Ouareau was founded in 1922 by Mabel Jamieson and Ferna Halliday, voting for women in Québec was still more than 20 years away and girls going away to camp was almost unheard of. While their endeavor is extremely impressive, it is important to acknowledge and consider that Women (and Men) of Colour were not afforded these same rights until much later.
Historically, Camp Ouareau was not a welcoming space for all girls. While we have worked, and continue to work to change these parts of Ouareau that have stopped us from being the inclusive and safe space we strive to be, we still have a ways to go. Today, Ouareau is incredibly proud to both celebrate, and help empower the young Women of Colour who make up an essential part of the community.
Land acknowledgment
We would like to acknowledge that Camp Ouareau was founded and currently resides upon the unceded traditional territories of the Atikamekw and Anishinaabe peoples. We wish to express gratitude to nature and for the resources we are using, and honour all the First Nation, Métis and Inuit people who have been living on the land since time immemorial. We recognize that colonialism impacts access to mental wellness and resources of care for indigenous peoples.
Our secret, great staff!
We know we have the best staff... so how do we hire and keep such wonderful people? We select our candidates for their enthusiasm, leadership qualities, maturity, and commitment to the values of Camp Ouareau. All staff members are able to carry on a conversation in either French or English, but are also dedicated to improving their language skills at camp, so that they can role model making mistakes for our campers.
All staff members go through an extensive training period at camp before we open for the season. They'll go over routines and procedures, learn about camper care, and prepare their activities for the summer.
The training period also gives our staff a chance to work together as a team before the campers arrive, so that they will be at their very best when taking care of your campers! We continue staff training throughout the summer, with workshops and skill refreshers on a weekly basis.
To allow staff to be able to coach their campers in using DARE and other communication tools, staff learn to become more aware of their feelings and needs and more comfortable communicating those to their peers and supervisors.
Our staff have a solid support system throughout the summer with frequent scheduled times where counsellors reflect on their campers' experience. This support system has aided them to not only do a wonderful job with their campers, but also to accomplish goals of their own.