FAQs
What is Ichthus?
Ichthus is a camping ministry that was started in Southern Queensland in 2002 and is run by AYCF alongside a dedicated team of volunteer leaders, cooks, and support crew including clergy and formation students.
Our residential camps are run during the school holidays and vary in length from four to five days long. Each camp program is unique in regards to what theme it will cover, however every camp has a morning program of worship, talks, reflection time, and small groups and an afternoon/evening program of fun activities and games.
What is the Ichthus mission?
The Ichthus Ministry exists to strengthen and expand our faith community and provide a safe and welcoming environment where children and young people can grow in their faith. While this is something we may not be able to measure quantifiably, helping young people to know and understand their relationship with their faith is something we are passionate about. The part that AYCF plays in this may be small or it may be profound, and we may never know which.
Who runs these camps?
Each camp has a dedicated team of volunteers who craft the theme, plan the program, and make it happen. This team consists of camp directors, second in charges, spiritual directors, camp cooks and a team of dorm leaders. It is our dorm leaders who have the greatest responsibility of ensuring the overall wellbeing, safety, and enjoyment of camp for each of our campers.
Each team member goes through comprehensive screening and training before camp begins which includes child protection training, safe ministry screening and validation of their Blue Card (if over 18 years of age). We also have a number of first aider qualified leaders on camp to ensure the safety of all those attending.
All camps are overseen by the Ministry Education Commission of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland. Elissa Cotroneo is the Director of AYCF (Anglican Youth, Children and Families Ministry), and provides direct oversight and logistical support to each team of volunteer leaders.
Learn more about our safety policies and safeguarding procedures here.
What isn’t allowed on camp?
We love to have fun on camp but we are only interested in the kind that invites everyone to participate. So please note - alcohol, recreational drugs, smoking, vapes, weapons and violence of any kind is prohibited on camp. This applies to everyone on camp from campers, to cooks, to the camp coordinator.
For Campers & Parents
I was wondering what to pack for camp. Will I get a packing list?
Our welcome letter and packing list is usually sent out one week before camp. It contains all the information you need. There won’t be anything too out of the ordinary from school camp besides a party outfit for the final night (details will be in the packing letter), Bibles, and some clothes that your camper can get messy in (a cheap or old shirt is ideal).
I forgot to include an important detail such as dietary needs/dorm group allocation request on the registration form. what can i do?
That’s okay! If you haven’t already – simply outline the details in an email to the Camp Coordinator who will update the records.
My child needs a little extra support to come on camp. Is this possible?
We value each and every child who comes on camp and always endeavor to create an environment where every child can be part of the camp community. Please contact Elissa to discuss what this support might look like and how we can make it happen.
Our leaders are trained to provide safe, engaging, and welcoming spaces; however, they are not trained to provide support for medium to high levels of needs. We have had campers come along with a support person in the past, which is an option that can be happily discussed with the Camp Coordinator to ensure that your child has the best possible camping experience.
What happens if my child gets hurt or sick?
All care is taken to prevent injuries and illness on camp, but sometimes accidents happen. For all activities on and off site, there will be a designated first aid officer accompanying each group. Should anything happen, we will apply first aid and/or travel to the doctor, emergency department, or call an ambulance if required. We will make every effort to speak to parents or emergency contacts as soon as possible.
All medications including pain killers such as Panadol and Nurofen must be handed into the care of the Camp Coordinator upon arrival at the campsite. Dosages and times taken are recorded to ensure that medication is handed out and taken on time.
I would like to register my child for camp but I can’t afford the payment straight up. Can you help?
Not a problem at all, simply get in touch with the Camp Coordinator via email or phone who will talk you through a tailored payment plan that works for you.
What about sponsorship – are there options?
Yes there are! Get in touch with Camp Coordinator Elissa and she will talk with you about what options are available, as we often we can provide up to a 50% sponsorship. Also, get in touch with your local Anglican parish, as many of them are more than happy to help sponsor their young people to come to camp.
HELP! I MISSED THE Registration DEADLINE AND I’M HOPING TO STILL REGISTER MY Child FOR CAMP.
Contact the Camp Coordinator directly on 0498 387 435 or email elissa.cotroneo@ministryeducation.org.au.
I am having issues with Trybooking – Help!
If you find that TryBooking suddenly times out when trying to move to the payment page, try the follow before getting in touch.
Close down your window/tab/browser screen.
Bring up a fresh page using the same browser as before, go directly to trybooking.com
Select Buy Tickets and search for the relevant camp/event that you are registering for.
Select the event and then select Book Now.
Go through the initial questions again and select Next.
Look up at the right hand corner and see if there is a cart symbol with a number in it. If there is - select the cart and it should bring up your previous booking.
Select Checkout.
still have questions? just get in touch!
For all other questions, inquiries, and/or concerns contact the Camp Coordinator directly.
For Camp Leaders
How do I become a camp leader?
Firstly, you must be at least 15 years old to lead with AYCF. Take some time to read through the dorm leader role description and other information provided on the Camp Leadership page.
Once you have read through all the information, make sure you can attend the training dates outlined, then submit your application. We will only contact those who have put in their application, so make sure you do this.
What is expected of a leader?
Please read the Leader Expectations information here.
How do you choose leaders?
A number of factors are considered when selecting camp leadership teams. These factors include but are not limited to, the gender balance of the leadership team, the balance of leadership experience, camper/leader ratios and the ability of the applicant to be a Christian role model.
How do I know if I have been successful?
If you have been successful, you will receive a formal email from AYCF advising that you have been Appointed to the role of camp leader. This email will detail which camp/s you have been appointed to and the dates and times of your team training days. If you receive an email indicating you have been Shortlisted, this means that we would love to have you lead on a camp but our current camp leader positions have been filled. However, we may still need to call on you if we need to recruit more leaders closer to the beginning of camp. If you have been unsuccessful in your application to lead on camps, you will be contacted to discuss this further.
What kind of training and support will I receive?
Before camp you will be expected to participate in compulsory training days delivered by AYCF or another external training provider. These sessions are designed to prepare you for your role as an effective camp leader. In addition to this, leaders are expected to participate in personal pre-camp preparation as directed by the camp’s Spiritual Director. Spiritual Directors also prepare the study materials that our campers will engage with. It is expected that all leaders have a good understanding of this material prior to camp. During camp, you can expect that the Camp Directors and 2ICs will support, mentor, guide and coach you throughout camp to ensure the best possible experience for you and the campers.
Is there anything else I should know?
Our camps are drug and alcohol free events (including cigarettes and vapes). If you think this is going to be an issue, please contact the Camp Coordinator ASAP to discuss.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Contact the AYCF Camp Coordinator Elissa Cotroneo.