WELCOME TO YEA CAMP!
Yes, it's true! YEA Camp, the premier social justice leadership camp for teens, is launching a special session for adults!
As we approach our 10th year of training teens to become more effective changemakers, and hearing countless adults tell us that they wish they could experience YEA* Camp, we are thrilled to launch our first ever camp for the over-18 set!
If they can do it, so can you!
(We're still holding our youth camps too!)
In this unforgettable week, we will blend all of the elements of a silly and heartwarming summer camp, a rejuvenating retreat, and a transformational activist training to help you on your change-making path for years to come.
*BTW, like voting "yea or nay," we pronounce "YEA" to rhyme with "hey"!
“I am a proud supporter of YEA Camp! I know that YEA Camp is an incredibly powerful and supportive environment for people of all ages who care about their world and want to be informed and empowered in making a difference! With all that is going wrong in the world, it is so uplifting to be able to learn about solutions and how best to make a positive difference with the gift of our lives!”
-Julia Butterfly Hill, world-renowned activist and best-selling author of "The Legacy of Luna" and "One Makes the Difference."
OUR WORLD NEEDS HELP
Racism.
Climate change.
Police brutality.
Gun violence.
Sexism.
Animal cruelty.
Literally whatever "45" did today.
The problems are too long to list and too big to ignore.
On the bright side, lots of folks who have never considered themselves activists are now paying attention and even marching in the streets.
But a lot of big-hearted people don't really know how to get more involved.
It can be hard when you're just getting started. Or if you've been signing petitions and donating, but now you want to do more.
That's why we started YEA Camp. Because we need all the changemakers we can get.
“YEA Camp is not only one of the most fun events ever created – it just might shift the course of history. The more people who participate in YEA Camp, the more hope we will have for our future.”
-Ocean Robbins, Founder, Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!), and CEO, The Food Revolution
YOU WILL LEAVE YEA CAMP CONFIDENT AND PREPARED
Nobody has simple solutions to our world's massive problems, but our YEA Camp team has learned a lot in our many years of activism, and we have spent the last decade training new and aspiring changemakers to make a bigger difference on the causes they care about.
YEA Camp will help you:
- Build your self-confidence to speak up for what you believe in.
- Learn skills you can apply right away, including how to creatively use the talents, experience, and network you already have
- Become more savvy and strategic to have a bigger impact.
- See a pathway to get more involved in politics, grassroots activism, philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, or other forms of change-making that feel right for you.
- Develop a plan to have a bigger impact with the time you have.
- Manage negative emotions and feel more optimistic about the movement for social justice and the important role you can play in it.
- Feel restored by spending a week in nature at an animal sanctuary with supportive, like-minded people (and animals!).
- Develop a practice of self-care to sustain a healthy, change-making life.
- Become part of a stellar community to cheer you on.
- Have one of the best weeks of your life, which is how so many of our campers describe it.
If you could use help advocating for social justice, there is no place like YEA Camp.
“I've seen from personal experience the huge difference YEA Camp makes, and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a boost to get active making a bigger difference. Our communities need more people to go to YEA Camp.”
-Lisa Hall, Founder and Director of Rays of Hope
HERE'S HOW YEA CAMP WORKS
YEA Camp is progressive and committed to social justice, but it's not about any single cause.
It's about preparing you to make a bigger difference for your cause -- what we call your Issue of Importance, or IOI. (It's fine if you don't know what issue to choose yet!)
Our proven curriculum has been developed and refined by experienced activists over for more than a decade. It is based on developing four core areas that are critical for effective advocates:
KNOWLEDGE about problems in the world and solutions to effectively address them
SKILLS to be more effective, like with your communication, social media, campaigning, political engagement, and more
CONFIDENCE to expand your comfort zone and ability to make an increasingly bigger difference
COMMUNITY so you know you're not alone, and to collaborate with supportive peers and organizations
Strategically cultivating these four synergistic areas will set you up to make a much bigger difference as an activist and will enhance every aspect of your life.
Want to know more about our approach? Learn about our values, philosophy, influences, and heroes here.
“YEA Camp is unique in its ability to nurture people with an activist or community vision and help them prepare for lives of purpose, effectiveness, and joy.”
-Hillary Rettig, author of "The Lifelong Activist"
WHAT TO EXPECT + SAMPLE SCHEDULE
This is not some boring conference!
Serious question: Why do people stop going to camp once they grow up? We are not too old to have this much fun!
No matter our age, camp is an invitation to adventure and a permission slip to dream bigger and live larger. It's an opportunity to get away from "real life," make new friends, try new things, pursue our passions, and reflect on what really matters to us.
Expect the sweet rejuvenating camp silliness of playing hilarious games, singing songs (off key is fine!), roasting (vegan) marshmallows at the campfire, staying up late telling stories in our PJs, and generally having a lot more fun than you probably have at home. And can you even have a camp without a talent show or a dance party? We don't want to find out!
You will have daily time to visit with animals at the sanctuary, be in nature, do yoga and meditation, and surround yourself with positive people who care just as much as you do.
Changing the world will take a while. We need powerful self-care practices so we can keep going, stay positive, and enjoy our lives along the way.
Add this to our activism training -- packed with interactive workshops, skillshares, and experiential activities -- and YEA Camp will help you get the training you need to focus your activism and sustain it for the long term.
“I love being able to recommend YEA Camp for those who feel the call to change the world, be of service, and create a better life for all of Earth’s inhabitants. At Farm Sanctuary, we have long observed the powerful change that occurs when caring people join together and explore pathways to turn their compassion into action, and I’m thrilled this program exists to support people in doing just that.”
-Gene Baur, President and Co-Founder of Farm Sanctuary
LOCATION & DATES
Woodstock Farm Sanctuary - High Falls, NY
Sunday, July 1 - Saturday, July 7, 2018
We couldn't think of a better location for this special session of YEA Camp than Woodstock Farm Sanctuary which provides a lifelong home to hundreds of rescued animals -- and also happens to be the grounds of a former summer camp, complete with dining hall, cabins, and campfire.
High Falls is located about 90 minutes from New York City, outside the town of New Paltz, and easily reached by bus or car from Manhattan.
This unforgettable week will be packed with so much fun, inspiration, relaxation, and transformational training that it will be a valuable and restorative respite from life and work at home, and a valuable catalyst for the next level of activism you embark on.
Note: We've strategically planned our dates for the week of July 4th so you'll likely miss fewer days of a quieter week at work. Camp starts on Sunday at noon and ends on Saturday at noon to give plenty of time for travel, even if you're coming from far away.
“This week has truly boosted my spirits and given me all that I need to make the world a better place. I’m not sure what I’d do if there weren’t people like you guys to support people like me and to restore my faith in humanity. Thanks so much — this week is one of the most valuable in my life.”
-Jasmine Caruk, camper from Connecticut
IS YEA CAMP FOR ADULTS RIGHT FOR YOU?
If you're a progressive-minded adult who wants to have a more significant impact on the world, then, in a word, YES!
Because YEA Camp is not about any one cause or issue, we attract people passionate about social justice causes like racism, sexism, LGBTQ rights, the environment, animal protection, and more.
Our curriculum is designed for anyone to make a bigger difference, no matter their IOI (issue of importance) or experience.
Please note, YEA Camp is NOT the right fit for you if:
- You do NOT support progressive causes including human rights (such as addressing racism, sexism, and LGBT rights), environmental conservation, and animal welfare.
- You feel you're already on track in your activism and don't need any further support or training. (GO YOU!!)
- You insist on being angry, negative, closed to others' points of view, or set in your ways.
- You're unwilling to help create an environment at YEA Camp that pulls for everyone's success.
If you want to make quite sure that YEA Camp for Adults is right for you, please contact us for help in making an informed choice.
“YEA was amazing... I know I’ve said it over and over again, but this camp has truly changed my life. You have inspired me to do so much with my life and to make the world a truly better place... Because of you, I have been able to actually make a difference, even within only a few months.”
-Bianca, Camper from California
TUITION + SCHOLARSHIPS
Tuition for our week together is $1,600.
Monthly payment plans are available when you register.
This includes your weeklong overnight stay, all meals, and everything we do together at YEA Camp. Aside from buying a camp t-shirt, you will not need any money while at YEA Camp.
There are only 40 spots available, and we expect to sell out, so register early to reserve your spot.
As part of our mission and commitment to make YEA Camp accessible, we reserve a certain number of places at all of our sessions for those on scholarship and want to be sure that income level doesn't prevent someone from attending if they'd really like to be part of YEA Camp.
To apply for financial aid to attend, click here.
YEA Camp is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations to fund our scholarship programs. Your tax-deductible contribution makes YEA Camp more accessible for all.
“YEA Camp keeps me hopeful and inspired! Whenever I need a break from the news, which is often depressing and toxic, I check out YEA Camp [social media] to watch videos and read stories about young people working to make the world a better place for all.... We need YEA Camps in every state across the country!”
–Rose Aguilar, journalist and host of Your Call radio show on KALW, San Francisco NPR affiliate, and author of "Red Highways: A Liberal’s Journal Into the Heartland"; YEA Camp Advisory Board member
YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
What about the food?
YEA Camp is proud to provide food truly fit for changemakers.
To highlight activism we can do in our daily lives, all of the food at YEA Camp is vegan, fair-trade, and organic and local where possible.
Thankfully, we don't need to sacrifice our taste buds for our ethics.We have a personal vegan chef along with a skilled team dedicated to serving delicious, nutritious, foods to keep us fueled for change.
We strive to include meals from different cultures so you might expect meals featuring Indian, Mexican, Thai, or Mediterranean dishes, as well as YEA Camp classics like French toast and pancakes (mmm), veggie burgers, freshly baked vegan pizza, and chocolate chip cookies for a treat. We also offer fresh fruit or salad at each meal. Between breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2 snacks, and dessert, you will be well fed!
Food allergies?
No problem! Just let us know what you need.
For more info about specific meals, click here to see an example of what we offer for our teen camps. Keep in mind that our menu for the adult camp will be a bit healthier than at our "kid-friendly" youth camps.
A: Our lodgings for the week are simple but modern, comfortable camp cabins that are a perfect backdrop for connecting with our inner kid as well as the awesome other folks at YEA Camp. Each cabin has 4 rooms with sets of bunk beds to accommodate 6-8 people, along with a living room in the front room to hang out in before bed.
There are modern indoor bathrooms with showers in the cabins. One cabin will be all female and female-identified, while the other will be co-ed, with rooms and bathrooms separated.
If you went to summer camp as a kid, this will be like that except probably a lot nicer.
There is decent wifi and perfect cell reception at YEA Camp, and yes you can bring and use your electronics. We understand that, over the course of a week, many people will have family or professional responsibilities to attend to. We offer 2 hours during the day of personal time that you can use however you want, and you can step away from any activity we are doing if needed.
Having said that, we encourage you to set yourself up to be fully present at YEA Camp and not to plan to do significant work while with us. The more you are on your phone or computer, the less you will be connecting with people or participating at YEA Camp. Remember that we will be together during the week of 4th of July, so hopefully this will be a quieter work week for most people.
YEA Camp for Adults, held at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, is conveniently located in High Falls, NY, just about 1-½ hours from Manhattan. High Falls is just outside the bigger town of New Paltz, where there are regular buses leaving from Port Authority bus terminal in New York City every 1-2 hours. Click here to see the bus information and to buy a ticket to New Paltz. Tickets cost $22.75 each way. Depending on the demand, we may be able to offer shuttles from the bus station in New Paltz, though if not you can easily catch a cab for the 15-minute ride to Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. We'll be in touch!
If you plan to drive, there is plenty of parking at the sanctuary.
If you are able to offer a ride or would like to be connected to someone driving or taking the same bus as you are, please let us know so we can connect you.
The closest airport is Stewart International Airport, about an hour away, but there's not public transit from there to New Paltz so you would need to rent a car or get a cab. If you'd prefer to take public transit or spend time in New York City, you can fly in to JFK or LaGuardia, which are not much further away. From either airport, you can easily catch the NYC Airporter shuttle bus for less than $20 to Manhattan, right to Port Authority, the bus station where you can catch the bus to camp.
YEA Camp provides a full refund minus $100 until April 1. After April 1, we provide refunds minus $100 only if YEA Camp fills up and we are able to fill your spot with another participant. Your registration is transferable to another qualified participant, so if you cannot attend, someone else can attend in your place for no additional fee. Your registration is also transferable to a future session of YEA Camp, though we cannot guarantee any specific sessions or locations will be offered next summer. To cancel or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
We've got lots more answers!
CLICK HERE to book your spot at YEA Camp!
It wouldn't be the same without you.
KNOW YOU WANT TO JOIN US?
Great! We can't wait to meet you!
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Let's chat about any questions you may have.