Our JFF camp programmes and activities are coordinated by a dedicated facilitation team supported by our carefully screened, vetted (as required the by Child Care Act of South Africa) and trained young adult volunteer camp crew. The camp programme is set in motion with waking up the campers at 6am, a 7am game drive or beach excursion, and/or ‘wake up – shake up’ exercise session set to music. Then, a full day of various intentional learning and play activities which include a reflective component aimed at helping campers discover, understand and generalise their learning. After dinner, there are camp-fire stories, cabin chat and lights out at 9:30pm. Creative art and drama, drumming and dance, water sports and games, cultural and educational excursions are included in the Camp Footprints experience and allows the campers to forget about their illness, the hospital bed, doctors, nurses and needles. Our camp crew stay with the children in the bungalows and are on call during the night.
Camp Crew Training
Before each camp, JFF facilitates training workshops for our selected camp crew who generally are unemployed young adults with post-matric qualifications. As our campers have serious health challenges, their medical needs and safety are our primary concern, so the crew workshops cover various aspects of the camp, such as medical, risk, programme, facilities and hospitality. As a member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network – Partnership Programme, founded by Paul Newman in the United States, we are guided by their policies and procedures to ensure the safety and protection of every camper, crew and staff member. One of the SPP requirements is that we have a ratio of one camp crew member to two campers. So, if we have 50 campers, we need a trained camp crew of 25. The purpose of training different crew for every camp is that we want to give as many unemployed young people the opportunity to learn new skills and open up possible career opportunities for them. The crew training covers necessary skills such as leadership, team building and how to handle different cultural, language and age groups.
Benefits of Camp
At Camp Footprints, our camps and outreach programmes offer far more than a break from routine, they create transformative experiences that uplift children and families navigating serious health challenges.
For Children and Teen Campers
- Freedom Beyond Illness: Camp offers children the chance to step outside the limitations of their conditions and rediscover the joy of simply being kids. No hospital beds, no white coats, just laughter, adventure and belonging.
- Resilience and Connection: Through shared experiences and meaningful friendships, campers build emotional strength and a renewed sense of possibility. Hope is restored, spirits are lifted, and healing begins.
For Families
- Respite for Parents and Primary Caregivers: While children thrive at camp, parents and primary caregivers get a rare respite to rest, recharge and reconnect with themselves and their families. For every 500 children who attend, an estimated 800 parents, caregivers and 1,450 siblings and extended family members benefit from this vital pause.
- Rebalancing Family Dynamics: At-home siblings, known as the “Silent Sufferers’ receive more attention from parents and caregivers during camp, while parents and caregivers themselves enjoy letting their hair down knowing their child is safe, supported, and happy at camp.
For Siblings
- Safe Spaces for Silent Sufferers: Sibling camps offer a nurturing environment for brothers and sisters of children with serious illnesses, often called the “Silent Sufferers.” With psychosocial and medical support, they can ask questions, allay their fears and feel seen and heard.
- Support Through Grief: For siblings coping with loss, the camp provides a safe and compassionate space to process emotions, share memories, and begin healing, free from judgment or pressure.Our specialised camp experiences provide these siblings with a community of peers who truly understand their journey, a safe space to share, laugh, and rediscover their own sense of joy and resilience.
Impact of Camp
Camp Footprints camps create an extraordinary space where children facing serious illnesses step beyond the limitations imposed by their diagnoses and rediscover the magic of childhood, sparking moments of connection and confidence. Research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) shows that these outcomes can profoundly shape the lives of children with serious medical diagnoses, positively impacting their well-being even years later, into adulthood. For many, this is the first time they have been able to play, laugh and explore freely without hospitals and treatments or medical routines overshadowing their joy. Through our positive camp experiences, children gain lasting benefits. In just a few days, they evolve into confident, empowered young beings, realising that their illness does not define them. Through adventure, friendship and encouragement, they shed burdens, embrace new possibilities and learn that nothing is impossible.
Through our camp experiences, children gain lasting benefits:
- Adherence to medication
- Courage to try new activities
- Appreciation for diversity
- Stronger self-identity
- Empathy, compassion, and perseverance
- Confidence and community-building skills
- Deep and meaningful friendships
After camp, families and hospital and beneficiary organisation staff also report improved health-related outcomes and an enhanced overall well-being – a testament to the transformative power of camp. The impact of camp stretches far beyond its duration—it leaves children stronger, braver and filled with hope, proving that even in the face of adversity every child deserves a chance to dream, belong and thrive.
