CAMP RULES & POLICIES

If a camp participant has difficulty following our camp rules, staff and administrators will utilize escalating responses, which are intended to be consistent, preventative, fair, and restorative. These responses include:

• Staff will coach participants by using redirection, positive reinforcement, reminders of camp rules, etc.

• Staff will collaborate with or ask for suggestions from parents/caregivers.

• The participant may be asked to complete a Behaviour Reflection, in which they will be asked to reflect on how they can respond differently in the future. Staff will share this reflection with parents/caregivers.

• The participant will collaborate with staff to create a Behaviour Contract, in which logical, fair, and agreed upon consequences will be listed in response to behaviour that breaks camp rules. Staff will share this contract with parents/caregivers and ask for feedback.

• If a participant is unable to correct or change their behaviour and show fair, safe, and kind actions, Camp Administrators may suggest that the participants be removed from the program, including future programs. In this case, a conference may be called between Camp Administrators and parents/caregivers to discuss the next steps that will be taken.

Bullying is any type of unwanted physical, verbal, social or psychological behaviour that results in humiliation or intimidation, while cyberbullying is bullying electronically. In order to be considered bullying, the behaviour must include an imbalance of power and be repeated over time¹. Some common examples of bullying include²:

• Physical Bullying: Hitting, poking, pinching, chasing, shoving, destroying or stealing belongings, etc.

• Verbal Bullying: Name calling, spreading rumours, threatening, making negative references about someone, etc.

• Social Bullying: Scapegoating, excluding others, humiliating others, etc.

• Cyber Bullying: Using the internet, apps, or text messages to intimidate, put down, spread rumours, or make fun of someone, etc.

At SFU Camps, bullying is inexcusable. All camp participants, staff, and volunteers are expected to treat one another with respect. When an incident of bullying is reported:

• The participant displaying unacceptable behaviour will be asked to genuinely apologize, as appropriate to the participant's age and level of understanding.

• SFU Camps will provide participants and staff with problem solving and anti-bullying strategies, and facilitate ongoing support to ensure participant safety.

• Staff will monitor and document ongoing behaviour. Staff will provide feedback to parents / caregivers and camp administrators.

• Parents / Caregivers will be notified about bullying situations in which their child has been involved as the target, witness, or bully.

• SFU Camps values our partnership with parents / caregivers. As such, SFU Camps may ask parents / caregivers for support or suggestions if a participant is continually demonstrating unacceptable behaviour towards others.

• In serious cases, Camp Administrators may suggest that the participants be removed from the program, including future programs. In this case, a conference may be called between Camp Administrators and parents / caregivers to discuss the next steps that will be taken.

¹ Stop Bullying. (2017) Bullying Definition.
² Bullying Canada. (2017). What is Bullying?

At SFU Camps, we are aware that many camp participants have food and nut allergies. We are committed to providing a safe environment that is inclusive for all children and youth, which is why our programs are nut aware. We do not describe our programs as being nut free as we cannot guarantee that other camp participants or the public have brought nuts or traces of nuts into our facilities.

To ensure participants' safety:

• SFU Camps asks that parents and caregivers exercise care when preparing their child(ren)'s lunches and snacks and to carefully check labels to avoid sending products that contain nuts or traces of nuts.

• SFU Camps has a no sharing policy, which means that participants are strongly discouraged from sharing or trading snacks and lunches with other participants, volunteers, or staff.

• SFU Camps staff members are trained in Standard First Aid and CPR-C and are trained to recognize the symptoms of an allergic reaction, and if necessary, administer EpiPens.

Should you have any questions or concerns, or your child has food allergies and you wish to speak with us, please contact us at camps@sfu.ca or call (778) 782-4965.

A refund may be considered based on the following: 

1. Receipt of written medical recommendation from a doctor (minus 15% administration fee per program)
2. Receipt of written recommendation from the Camps Manager detailing why the program is unsuitable for the participant.

Refund will be calculated based on the number of days the participant attended camps (minus 15% admin fee). 

Other details:

• We will consider program transfers, depending on course registration.
  
• If participant withdraws one or more weeks prior to start date, a full refund (minus the 15% admin fee), will be issued. 
• If participant withdraws less than 5 business days prior to start date, no refunds will be issued. 
• SFU Camps reserves the right to cancel a program up to one week prior to start week, or if the program cannot be run safely. In this case, fees will refunded in full. 

If a program is full, you have the opportunity to add your child to the waitlist. In the event that a space opens up, the waitlist will be contacted and registration is first come first serve.

Sometimes it's not all blue skies and fresh air atop Burnaby Mountain! When an air quality advisory is in effect, SFU Camps is guided by the Government of Canada's Air Quality Recommendations and will make adjustments, changes, or cancellations to activities, facilities, and programs. As the air quality changes, so does our policy:

• Low Risk (Air Quality Index of 1-3): This is the ideal air quality for outdoor and physical activities. All outdoor camps and activities will take place as usual.
• Moderate Risk (Air Quality Index of 4-6): SFU Camps will closely monitor the air quality and begin to move camps participating in high-exertion physical activities indoors when possible. Outdoor activities and voluntary high-exertion physical activities will be reduced or post-poned. 
  
• High Risk or Very High Risk (Air Quality of 7+): SFU Camps will do its best to move all outdoor programming indoors, beginning with camps participating in activities with the most physical exertion. Outdoor activities and voluntary high-exertion physical activities will be reduced or post-poned. 

Should your child's camp be affected by air quality, we will do our best to inform you of changes to facilities, activities, or field trips. If your child has asthma, a respiratory or other medical condition that may affect their health and well-being while at camp, please inform our staff.

Over the summer, we anticipate to face some days with extreme heat conditions. At SFU Camps we have a number of proactive steps we follow to keep our staff, volunteers, and campers safe in the sun. 

These include:

• Providing pop-up tents for shelter when on the fields
• Have ice buckets available to add to water bottles or to use as a cooling strategy 
• Scheduled breaks/times to fill up water bottles and reapply sunscreen
• Whenever possible, move camps to shaded or indoor locations on campus 

Please note that active camps (e.g. Outdoor Sports) may reduce amount of physical activity and movement on very hot days to maintain safe conditions for campers. If you know your child/camp participant is easily impacted by the heat, please notify our staff so we can create a safety plan. 

In the event of an Extreme Heat Emergency is declared by the province, SFU Camps may post-pone outdoor and activity-based camps due to high level of health risk. All participants would be contacted as soon as that decision is made. 

Government of BC: Be Prepared for Extreme Heat