Pearse says that the camp experience can be divided into the hard skills – for example, learning how to paddle a canoe, tie a knot, identify an edible plant and play a team sport – and accompanying soft skills such as perseverance, creativity, responsibility, and courage. "At camp, every child has an opportunity to succeed," he says.
This translates into increased self-confidence and, in many cases, an improved school experience. "I've had parents come to me and say, 'My child is doing so much better in math class this year because of the confidence boost he got from camp,'" Pearse says.
At camp, obstacles can be seen as challenges that kids can overcome. About four years ago, Samuel travelled from Montreal to Vancouver to join his cousins at Pedalheads camp in hopes of learning how to ride a bike. Then six years old, Samuel was born with only three fingers on one hand and didn’t have the confidence to ride a two-wheeler for the first time.
"On the third day of camp, his training wheels came off - he was extremely proud," says Jacqueline Fefer, Samuel's aunt who lives in Vancouver. "His father told me that for the rest of the summer, all he wanted to do was ride his bike."With video games, Facebook and smartphones all vying for a young person's attention, the national epidemic of obesity and inactivity won't be easy to overcome.
A recent Statistics Canada study found that only seven per cent of youth aged six to 19 got the recommended hour a day of exercise they need.
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