Sometimes, a few days in the woods is all that’s needed to change one’s trajectory
At the age of 11, Yasmine had never left her neighbourhood. Last summer, she spent a week at a summer camp in the heart of the Laurentians. When she returned home, her mother hardly recognized her: “She was talking loudly, she was laughing, she was telling me about her days at camp with an enthusiasm I had never seen. She seemed to have really grown up.”
Every summer. hundreds of youngsters like Yasmine, from disadvantaged backgrounds, leave the city for a few days and head to summer camps. Far from simply being a summer break, the camp outings are, for many, a pivotal moment in their life. The camp trips enable them to form bonds, develop skills, reinforce self-confidence and, most of all, broaden their horizons.
And yet, being able to go to summer camp isn’t a sure thing. Places are scarce and the needs are always growing. Despite having to cope with sometimes limited resources, community organizations and the respective camps expend considerable efforts to provide these outings to as many children as possible.
A strategic investment
For the last few years, Centraide of Greater Montréal has made summer camps a priority in its social investments. In 2025-26, $1.2 million will be invested to support 11 camps around the Montréal area, enabling the organization of 99 camp outings in collaboration with 65 community organizations.
Through partnerships with the Ministry of Education and the Association des camps du Québec, Centraide aims to expand access to these much-needed outings. Its contribution, which ranges from $41 to $53 per night, makes it possible to offer a reduced rate – invaluable support for many families. By pooling our efforts, we are able to offer discounts ranging from 25% to 95%.
Tangible effects that extend beyond the camp experience
The positive effect of these camp stays is increasingly well documented. A survey conducted by Centraide among camp management shows that “these experiences can really change the course of some young people’s lives. They return home with more confidence, more open to others and sometimes even more motivated at school.”
The family camps provide parents with some rest time while tightening the parent-child bond in a safe and hospitable setting. They produce enriching family time, enabling parents to participate in activities specially designed for them while the children do their own activities, under the supervision of a qualified animation staff.
And the effects of the camp outings are far-reaching: a greater autonomy, a deepened sense of belonging, better academic and professional outlooks. So many levers to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion.
“Every summer, youngsters come back a changed person from their stay at summer camp. What they have experienced helps them to see things in a different light, to believe in their abilities and, often, to dream a bit bigger.”
— Drawn from a survey conducted by Centraide among camp management
Understand the impact …while having fun
What type of camper would you be? Take the test.
A fun questionnaire to provide a better understanding of what the camps can really offer youngsters who, too often, don’t get the chance to leave their neighbourhood.
1. It’s your first day at camp. You feel…
a) Curious but a bit stressed.
b) Excited, ready to try anything!
c) Shy…you don’t know anyone yet.
d) Just happy to get out of the house.
2. Evenings around the campfire, you are…
a) Listening in silence.
b) Telling jokes and enlivening the group.
c) Writing what you have experienced in your notebook.
d) Singing for the first time, without being shy about it.
3. What you will remember from camp is…
a) The sense of belonging to a group.
b) The wild laughter and the breathtaking games.
c) The calm, the nature, the pressure-free existence.
d) The desire to return…or to work there some day.
4. Back home, you are…
a) More confident. You have dared to come out of your shell.
b) Tired but happy — you have found your place.
c) Inspired. You want to continue to learn.
d) Transformed. You know that something has changed.
Results
Mostly As: The thoughtful one
The camp has provided you with a space to get out of your comfort zone, at your own pace. You have found respect and recognition there.
Mostly Bs: The natural leader
You need a space to freely express yourself. The camp was a place where you were able to blossom.
Mostly Cs: Silent creativity
Away from the noise and being judged, you were able to reconnect with yourself. You come back a stronger, more grounded person.
Mostly Ds: The changed one
The camp showed you there are other pathways out there. You now have a different outlook on the future…and you believe in it.
An experience to do again and again.
While many families in the Greater Montréal area are in a situation of poverty, being able to go to summer camps shouldn’t be a matter of luck, it should be a right. These are simple, accessible experiences…but they are so powerful and transformational.
Did you recognize someone in this question-and-answer game? Maybe yourself, or a young person you would like to see grow up in another way. Let’s band together so that more youngsters can enjoy this unique experience – and come back from it feeling a bit freer.
Would you like to help in bringing about this change? Find out how to donate to Centraide.
1 out of 5 people receives our help.
5 out of 5 people benefit from it.
Let’s all lend a hand
Supporting a network of over 375 community agencies also means promoting an inclusive, poverty-free society.