Free Church Youth Camps (FCYC) are week-long, fun-packed, residential holidays for young people in P5 to S6. The Free Church of Scotland has been running camps since 1960, and through camp thousands of lives have been positively impacted by the Word of God.

All of our camps are led by highly motivated, servant-hearted teams of leaders and cooks who want to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with young people in a relaxed, informal way. There’s a strong focus on the Bible and on its importance for our lives threaded throughout each camp.

Campers will enjoy a week full of great food, friends and fun. They’ll have the opportunity to take part in various activities, games and challenges, as well as to learn more about the Bible and its relevance to their lives through informal daily talks and times for questions and discussion. Campers are encouraged to make the most of this informal setting to ask questions and to explore the Christian faith for themselves. It’s usual to attend a local church on the Sunday of camp.

Free Church Youth Camps are great for making new friends, doing new and exciting things, having fun and learning about Jesus and His love.

Find out more here.

The camps are staffed by volunteers who have been chosen for their gifts, talents and skills. Our leaders and cooks are all Christians, and have all submitted application forms and had references checked. They all have up-to-date membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, and must have undergone Free Church Safeguarding Training, according to the Free Church Safeguarding Policy. They are also given specific FCYC Training to make sure that campers can all get the most out of camp!

Camps are for those who are in Primary 5 to Secondary 6. Camps are split into school year groups. For example, campers who want to go to a P5-P7 camp must be in P5, P6 or P7 in the January prior to camp. Those who are in S6 in the January prior to camp should apply for a senior camp.

After discussing with campers, parents/guardians can register their child/children for their preferred camp using the online registration form. Please ensure that the parent/guardian’s email address, rather than the young person’s email address, is the email address entered in this form.

In order to have the best chance of getting a place, please make sure to register before the allocation date. Registrations will still be accepted after this date and names will be added to a waiting list if the preferred camp is full. Once a registration form has been submitted, an automatic email confirmation should be received.

Please note that registering for camp does not mean that a place at camp has been confirmed. There is very high demand for some camps, and when camps are oversubscribed there is a draw of the registration forms which have been submitted by the allocation date. Places are allocated according to this draw, and remaining registration forms are transferred to a waiting list for that camp, or campers are allocated a place on their second choice of camp, where possible.

The start of the year is a very busy time so, once registration forms have been submitted online, please be patient and wait for the FCYC Coordinator to get in contact via email. This may take a few weeks.

All accommodation, meals, activities and travel during camp are covered by the camp fee. Occasionally there are optional, extra activities offered at an additional cost, but plenty of notice will be given prior to camp if this is the case. Campers who are travelling a long distance may also be required to bring extra money for buying food on the way home.

At most camps there will be a book stall, tuck shop, and some days out with the opportunity to shop. It is suggested that campers take a small amount of spending money for these occasions, and campers are encouraged to deposit their money in the camp bank. Again, FCYC will endeavour to let parents know when there are extra, optional costs such as these.

Once a camp place has been confirmed by the FCYC Coordinator, an invoice will be emailed along with all of the details of how and when to pay. Camp fees must be paid in full at least eight weeks prior to the start of camp.

For families sending more than one child to camp, £30 discount is available on the camp fees for each additional child.

The Camps Support Fund is in place to assist families who would financially struggle to send their child/children to camp. Requests for assistance can be sent directly to the FCYC Coordinator, or can be sent by a Deacon or Elder on behalf of the applicant.

FCYC aims to offer chaperoned travel from Stornoway, Ullapool, Inverness, Perth, Glasgow and Edinburgh. This is not always possible and, particularly where there are low numbers, parents/guardians may be required to make their own travel arrangements. Parents are also welcome to drop their child/children off at camp and pick them up again afterwards. Travel requirements should be indicated when registering for camp, and must be confirmed in March when filling in the required consent and information forms. Please note that travel costs are in addition to camp fees.

Any cancellation of camp places after 31st March will be subject to a charge of 20% of the camp fee. No refunds will be issued for camp places cancelled within four weeks of the start of camp, except in emergency situations. No refunds will be issued for travel changes after 30th April, and extra charges may apply, as costs will already have been incurred.

The Free Church of Scotland maintains Public Liability cover to include the work of FCYC. All of the venues being used have their own Public Liability Insurance. If personal insurance cover is required, this should be arranged separately by parents/guardians.

While FCYC want to keep camp rules to a minimum, some rules are necessary for the safe and smooth running of a camp. A list of rules will be sent to every camper prior to camp. In the event of a serious or continued breach of camp rules, FCYC reserves the right to ask parents/guardians to come and collect their child from camp.

Parents/guardians are required to complete a medical questionnaire for their child/children prior to camp. All medical, social and behavioural issues affecting their child, and potentially other children, must be detailed. FCYC staff will maintain confidentiality regarding any issues which are disclosed. Campers can retain their own inhalers, but other medication will be held by the camp Medical Officer and will be issued according to prescriptions/instructions.

FCYC are keen to be as inclusive as possible whilst noting that camps are run by volunteers, and a variety of venues are used. Each camp is different, and different camps may suit different campers’ needs. Parents/guardians of a young person with Additional Support Needs are encouraged to discuss with the FCYC Coordinator the suitability of the different camps for their child, and whether any support or adjustments needed to help ensure a positive camp experience for their child are an option at the relevant camp. 

To discuss your requirements, please contact the FCYC Coordinator.

Each camp has a qualified First Aider who will carry out First Aid in the event of an illness or injury. This will be followed by professional medical assistance as necessary. In the event of a serious illness or injury, the parent/guardian will be contacted immediately and, in some circumstances, it may be necessary for the camper to return home.

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