FAQ for YEA Camp for Adults!
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Accommodations & Food
The lodgings are simple but modern, comfortable dorm-style rooms that are a perfect backdrop for connecting with our inner kid as well as the awesome other folks at YEA Camp. Each room has 2 twin beds, though we won't spend much time in our rooms unless you want some alone time. There is a ceiling fan in all rooms and air conditioning in the common areas and hot showers and toilets down the hall. One cabin will be all female and female-identified, while the other will be co-ed. There is good wifi and cell reception.
We will be sharing a packing list with you in our welcome packet as we get closer to camp. We won't be able to do laundry while at camp, though, so you should bring everything you'll need for a week.
We wish! Unfortunately, pets are not aloud.
Sure, no problem!
Just put a note when you register that you would like to be roomed with that person.
Please keep in mind that if you spend too much time with the person you came with, it can keep you in a bit of a bubble, with less motivation to go outside your comfort zone and meet other amazing people at YEA Camp, so we do encourage you to be aware and intentional to not spend too much time with any one person.
Unfortunately not -- unless your children are over 18 and want to become better activists too! We have very limited space, and we expect every bed to be accounted for. We also will not be able to provide child care and want you to be able to focus on and fully benefit from your own experience at YEA Camp.
YEA Camp is committed to modeling our commitment to social justice in every way we can, and our food is one way we do this. Our food at YEA Camp is delicious, nutritious, filling, vegan, fair-trade, and organic and local where possible. We focus on international cuisines, so you might expect Mexican, Italian, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Middle Eastern, as well as YEA Camp classics like pancakes, veggie burgers, and vegan pizza. Fresh fruit or salad will be available at all meals. We will be offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, along with 2 snacks and dessert each day, so expect to never get hungry.
Our chefs are accustomed to accommodating common allergies. If you have a life-threatening allergy, please contact us before you register so we can ensure a safe environment for you. We will ask you about any allergies you may have when you register.
Our food is amazing and gets rave reviews from campers (meat-eating and vegan alike) of all ages! YEA Camp is a camp for those of us who care about social justice and want to bring about a more peaceful and sustainable world. The more we have learned about modern animal agriculture, the more we see these values compromised. (Visit ChooseVeg.com for more info on this.) While we are not seeking to “convert” anyone to a particular way of eating, we feel it would be hypocritical to serve a standard diet at a camp with such a big mission to move our world in a more peaceful and sustainable direction.
Meanwhile, our food is delicious! Our cooks are typically personal vegan chefs who pamper us with their creativity.
We highlight a variety of meals from around the world to be as accessible as possible, with options ranging from health salads to decadent desserts.
Possible menu items could be pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, or tofu scramble for breakfasts, burritos and veggie burgers for lunch, pasta and stir-fries for dinner, chocolate chip cookies or brownies for dessert. Yum, we’re making ourselves hungry over here! Check out more information about our food here.
We do not serve alcohol at YEA Camp and ask that you do not bring or consume any alcohol or non-medically needed drugs at YEA Camp. We will have participants in our community who are under the legal drinking age, making having alcohol at camp difficult for us to manage. We feel a sober environment will best serve what we are up to in spending our week together trying to make a bigger difference in the world, as well as to commit to self care and build strong relationships.
There is a designated area at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary where cigarette smoke is permitted. Otherwise, smoking is not permitted at YEA Camp.
Yes! Our venue describes itself as handicap accessible, but if you have any specific questions or concerns, please let us know!
There is good wifi and 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 be available to attend to.
We offer 2-4 hours during the day of personal time that you can use however you need, and of course you can step away whenever necessary. Having said that, we encourage you to set yourself up as much as possible 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.
You have a very unique question! 🙂
We’re happy to answer any questions you have! Please contact us through our web form, at info at yeacamp.org, or at 415-710-7351.
Getting to YEA Camp
We aren't offering group transportation with people coming from so many different places, though we are happy to help advise you and connect you with others who might want to carpool with you or take the same bus you are on. There is public transportation that will take just 2-1/2hours from New York City's Port Authority that will take you just a few minute walk to our home for the week.
YEA Camp is conveniently located in Lanoka Harbor, NJ, less than 2 hours from New York City and Philadelphia. There is public transportation that will take just 2-1/2hours from New York City's Port Authority that will take you just a few-minute walk to our home for the week. We will send you directions in our welcome packet once you're registered.
YEA Camp gets started right away working to lay the ground work for our transformational week together, and everything we do builds up to a culmination when we end our week together. As a result, we strongly encourage and request that you be with us the whole time. If that’s not possible, please check in with us before you register.
You have a very unique question! 🙂
We’re happy to answer any questions you have! Please contact us through our web form, at info at yeacamp.org, or at 415-710-7351.
Program
YEA Camp defines activism inclusively as “taking intentional action to help others, with an eye for the big picture.” By this definition, we say you qualify as an activist if you have recycled a can, rescued a stray dog, signed an online petition, donated to a charity, spoken up against a bully, or countless other things to make life better for others.
We want each person to choose the issue of importance (IOI) they're most passionate about and ways to make a difference that most inspire them.
Some people wonder if activism can include violence. Unfortunately, the mainstream media often only shows activists who have done something resulting in arrest (which the activists probably did because they knew that was the only way the media would cover the issue), which has colored many people’s views of activism.
While nonviolent civil disobedience has played an important role in movements around the world, there are countless amazing things we can all do every day to make our world a better place without risking our freedom to do more amazing things in the future.
If someone cares about the environment, yes, they could chain themselves to a building, but we think they’d be more effective by advocating for progressive candidates, raising awareness on social media, greening their work or school, fundraising for environmental organizations, and countless other things to make a difference that don’t risk arrest.
YEA Camp’s curriculum follows a “popular education” style, meaning that rather than try to formally impart our views or knowledge on those less informed (the way school is typically set up), we have dialogue, ask questions, and encourage people to think critically and share their views. About halfway through camp, each camper chooses for themselves an Issue of Importance they want to primarily focus on.
Of course we can care about and work for more than one cause, but focusing on one can help us gain momentum and find our niche, especially when we're first getting started.
YEA Camp gives campers opportunities to “share about what they care about” so that everyone can learn from one another. Everyone doesn’t always agree with one another on every issue, and that’s ok. We teach nonviolent communication and have an Honor Code our campers and staff hold the group to so that everyone is treated with respect, even if people disagree.
Having said this, our camp would be considered “progressive” in valuing human rights, environmental sustainability, and animal protection. Of course this looks different to different people, but we are not trying to force views onto anyone. Our core staff have worked professionally or volunteered on causes such as climate change, women’s rights, animal protection, racism and environmental justice, gay rights, immigrant rights, gun control, funding of education, and diplomatic means of resolving conflict. While nobody needs to agree on everything, youth whose views are totally out of alignment with these values would be a better fit at another camp.
There is decent wifi and 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 be available to attend to. We offer 2 hours during the day of personal time that you can use however you need. 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.
Yes! We are hiring staff and would love for you to apply. We don’t hire staff or accept volunteers for just a small portion of YEA Camp (like a guest presentation), but if you’re able to be with us for the whole week, as well as for the 4 days that precede it for our staff training, please apply! We also definitely need volunteers to help with different projects in the leadup to YEA Camp. You can find out more here, and please apply here if you’re interested! One of the biggest things you can do right now is just spread the word. We really appreciate it!
YEA Camp was started and is directed by longtime social justice advocate Nora Kramer. Our staff is composed of a diverse group of changemakers with experience working on issues from racism to animal rights, climate change to indigenous rights, feminism to homelessness. We hire staff for their activist experience, positive attitude, good judgment, respect for and knowledge of many social justice issues, and their all-around willingness to have a good time while working to change the world.
You have a very unique question! 🙂
We’re happy to answer any questions you have! Please contact us through our web form, at info at yeacamp.org, or at 415-710-7351.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Your tuition at YEA Camp includes all of our workshops and activities, all of our meals, your lodging, and any basic treatment you may need from our camp health supervisor, who will be available to support you with concerns and provide over the counter meds or toiletries you may need. There will be no need for you to have any money while at YEA Camp, as everything is included.
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 express any questions or concerns about your attendance, please contact us at info @ yeacamp.org.
Yes! It is important to us to make YEA Camp for Adults accessible for people of low income. We offer four tiers of sliding scale assistance: $1200; $800; $400, and a pay-what-you-can for those who cannot afford the higher levels. The sliding scale and financial aid process is explained here. We do ask that if you apply for financial aid that you also create and share a fundraising page that we can also share in order to raise additional funds.
You have a very unique question! 🙂
We’re happy to answer any questions you have! Please contact us through our web form, at info at yeacamp.org, or at 415-710-7351.