Welcome to the information page for VCC Summer Camps.
Summer Camp 2023 took place in south Wales in late July and early August, where cadets enjoyed a wide range of field and adventurous training and activities with the focus on challenge, achievement and fun! Planning for Summer Camps in 2024 has already started and details will appear here in due course.
Latest Camp News
20 Sep 2023
The camp website has been refreshed ready for information on camps in 2024 in due course. The 2023 Summer Camp group on Facebook will soon be archived. If you have any feedback on camp please contact us via training@volunteercadetcorps.org.
Camp Facilities
Details to be provided in due course…
Finance
Please note the following financial details:
a. Camp Fees. Fees for camp 2024 will be advised in due course.
b. Pocket Money. A maximum of £20 pocket money can be taken to camp by cadets. The money (which can be a mixture of coins and notes) will be the responsibility of the cadets to look after (each cadet will have access to a lockable locker in their accommodation). Cadets are not permitted to take more money than this so they do not have large sums of money in their accommodation. A small tuck shop will be available at camp for the purchase of soft drinks and snacks. Cadets may bring a debit card instead but this remains their responsibility and parents/carers are advised to put a spend limit on it.
c. Subscriptions. All subscriptions, up to and including July 2024, are to be fully paid to cadets’ unit Finance Officers by 25 July 2024. Cadets who have not paid their subscriptions up to July 2024 will not be allowed to attend camp and any camp fees paid to that date will not be refunded.
If any of the above conditions pose a problem, please contact your respective unit’s Finance Officer to discuss in confidence as we would rather discuss the matter than have a cadet excluded from attending camp.
When paying fees online please reference the cadets surname and ‘SC24’ (eg: “Bloggs/SC24”). If you are paying in cash then please pay this to your cadets’ respective unit Finance Officer.
Equipment
Please note the following important information:
a. Equipment List. A list of personal kit is shown in the camp Admin Instruction (see below). All items must be marked clearly, where possible, with the cadet’s surname, initial, unit code (eg: SUL) and number (ideally on the label or other appropriate discreet location). Please note some personal equipment might get damaged at camp (ie: trainers during water-based activities) and cadets are responsible for looking after their own kit.
b. Equipment Security. All reasonable precautions will be taken at camp to safeguard personal items of equipment. However, the VCC is unable to accept liability for the security of, loss of or damage to clothing, personal equipment, money or other personal items at camp. It is recommended that bags are capable of being secured. In the event that a spare key is not provided (see below), or subsequently lost by the cadet (they having already lost their primary key) the VCC reserves the right to force open that cadet’s luggage and/or locker (so they can access their clothing and equipment) with no liability on the VCC for any damage caused.
c. Luggage. All items of luggage (including field equipment) must have a luggage label securely attached showing the cadet’s surname, initial, unit code and number. Luggage will be taken to and from camp by coach or truck so may become dirty in transit; we advise therefore not to use expensive or high-end branded items but they must be robust enough to last the journey to camp, a week at camp, and the journey home. Plastic bags and bin liners are not suitable and therefore not permitted for use as luggage.
d. Daysack. Cadets may take a daysack to carry a packed lunch etc in for use both during the journeys to and from camp and also whilst at camp (eg: for days out).
e. Keys. Each cadet is to bring a small padlock for their locker. They are also to bring two keys for it and any lockable luggage. One key per padlock is to be kept by them and the other is to be given to a unit staff member upon arrival at camp. These spare keys, which will be kept secure, are to be on a split ring with a luggage label clearly showing the cadet’s surname, initial, unit code and number. Spare keys will be handed back before departure from camp.
The full kit list and detail of arrangements for summer camp will be in the Admin Instruction which will be distributed by your child’s unit before camp.
Accommodation
Details of accommodation will be advised in due course.
Where possible, we will group cadets together by units so they have friends or familiar faces around, although its possible some cadets will share with cadets from other units.
Each accommodation block or area/corridor will be supervised by at least one adult volunteer to whom cadets can go if they have any welfare, safeguarding or other issues. Male and female cadets will of course be accommodated separately, and there will be duty staff available throughout the night from the camp Duty Office with other staff making regular checks on cadets during periods of downtime. We are, of course, unable to have face to face supervision with cadets 24/7 when they are spread across their rooms so there will always be an element of trust. If any misbehaviour occurs cadets are briefed to let staff know and they will deal with it promptly and fully. There are several evening activities planned but we also know cadets value private time in their accommodation to relax, prepare kit, and chat with friends.
Cadets should have access to lockable lockers in their rooms, but must bring a small padlock in order to secure their locker (see above about keys). It is advisable that cadets keep any valuables (including money) in their locker when not on their person.
Activities
Cadets will undergo a range of fun and exciting activities including a skills & drills competition, field exercise and adventure training. Please note that any water activities will only be for those able to swim and/or who have passed the Cadet Force Water Safety Test. For those cadets who do not swim or have completed this test successfully we will endeavour to arrange an alternative land-based activity.
All activities are covered by risk assessments and where we use external third party adventure training centres we use HSE licensed providers whose safety and insurance documentation is checked. Separate consent forms are required for the adventure training; any cadet without an AT consent form will not be able to participate. Also, any cadet who has not passed the Cadet Water Safety Test or who is otherwise unsure about water-based activities will need to sit out that activity (see above).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the travel arrangements for camp?
A: Details to be provided in due course.
Q: Can my child take their mobile phone?
A: Yes, but they must hand to it staff on arrival who will hold it for safe keeping during the day. Cadets will be given their phones to use for an hour or two in the evenings before handing back in. This helps to ensure the security of these items and that there is no misuse in accommodation areas. Please ensure that phones are held in a sealable plastic bag labelled with your child’s name, unit and number (this was forgotten by many parents/carers last year and caused significant delay in handing out and collecting phones). Chargers may be retained by cadets.
Q: What happens if my child is homesick?
A: We will ask our welfare staff to speak to them and see where they can help. If the cadet wants to go home we will encourage them to stay as often the feeling of homesickness goes away after a day or two and we’d hate for them to miss camp activities. However, if the homesickness prevails then we will make contact with their next of kin and discuss next steps (which may include us asking parents/carers to come to camp to collect them). If you child calls home to say they are homesickness please contact us as it may be they haven’t told us yet.
Q: What happens if my child is injured, is in an accident or becomes ill at camp?
A: Our activities are covered by risk assessments etc but sometimes, given the challenging nature of some of them, accidents do happen. In that instance, or if a cadet feels ill, one of our first aid trained adult volunteers will attend and if necessary arrange transport to the local A&E or call an ambulance. We will then make contact with their next of kin to inform them and provide regular updates.
Q: What happens if my child is being bullied?
A: We have a zero tolerance of bullying in the VCC. All cadets will receive a safety and conduct brief on arrival at camp, outlining our expectations about their behaviour. Any cadet who feels they are being bullied is encouraged to report the matter to a member of staff and it will be dealt with immediately. If the matter is relatively minor we will endeavour to resolve with all parties as sometimes the alleged bully may not understand their actions or the impact they have (we will still inform parents/carers). If however the matter can not be resolved or the alleged bullying is more serious we will take further action, including asking the parents/carers of the alleged bully to collect their child from camp. In the unlikely event of any serious physical bullying we may consider contacting the police. We will keep cadets’ parents/carers informed (irrespective of the time of day).
Q: I can’t see my child in the photos on social media, where are they?
A: We will have a large number of cadets at camp and will endeavour to photo or video as many as possible for sharing on the VCC Summer Camp groups on Facebook. However, please bear with us as we will be more focused on looking after your children and some cadets may miss out on being shown. Please rest assured, they will still be enjoying camp!
Q: How do you keep our children safe?
A: We give all personnel a safety brief on arrival where we highlight any risks and set the expectations of behaviour and conduct throughout camp. We also have a sufficient ratio of adult-to-cadet supervision, in camp and when on activities. We have nominated staff looking after accommodation blocks and cadet groups, and two of our staff are the Designated Safeguarding Leads for camp. We have first aiders and a medical support officer on camp, and medication is kept secure ready for use by cadets. We undertake regular musters/headcounts of all cadets and have Duty Staff (male and female) available to be contacted throughout the day and night. Frequent checks are made of all cadet accommodation when cadets are not on training serials, but we are unable to have face-to-face supervision of cadets all the time as they also need privacy in their rooms and ablution facilities. Cadets are briefed to inform a member of staff if they witness or are subjected to any form of bullying or misconduct. Our activities are risk assessed (including externally provided ones) and staff who are qualified and/or experienced (as required) deliver our training. The adventure training companies we use are all AALA certified.
If you have another question please email us at training@volunteercadetcorps.org (please use “SC24” in the subject field).
