Make the island your classroom
Designed to make lasting change in the lives of students, our Outdoor Education Program teaches students about the importance of a healthy, holistic life perspective, including physical pursuits and personal growth leading to self-confidence and life management.
Getting out of the city and into the stunning beauty of Keats Island is foundational to this learning process; students spend time engaging with one another and in personal reflection, all the while gaining a new appreciation of the natural environment. Students are provided opportunities to experience adventure based activities that will challenge and grow them in all aspects of life: socially, cognitively, physically, and emotionally.
Through the use of adventure activities, individuals are asked to put aside preconceived notions of their abilities and develop new competencies and confidences. At Keats Camps we seek to empower students to believe in themselves, to belong to the team, and to become the best they can be.
Why Outdoor School matters
The Outdoor School Program is focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle. It is based on the idea of displacement from the students’ regular surroundings in order to incite personal growth and spend time engaging in the natural environment around them alongside their peers. With an increasing cultural focus on health, a major component of the camp experience is to offer students an experience that instills a love and excitement for physical activity.
The activities we offer in our Outdoor School Program are open to students of all abilities—our facilitators encourage everyone to achieve personal bests within a safe environment. With the variety of activities we offer, every student has the opportunity to succeed in ways they may not have anticipated, instilling self-confidence and providing inspiration.
By bringing your group to Keats Camps, you are offering them the opportunity to experience growth in ways they may not at home. Our activities are team-based and draw individuals together as they are asked to solve problems and engage challenges together. In addition, the activities themselves are distinctive from what most experience in everyday life; rock climbing, orienteering, canoeing, and archery draw on different skills, present new challenges, and enable growth unique to the Keats setting.
As they learn about the environment and enjoy the beauty around them, we are also able to teach lasting lessons about environmental stewardship, sustainability and responsibility. At Keats Camps, your students will learn by doing.
During our Outdoor School Program, we will ask students to participate in activities that have the potential to make lasting changes in their lives. Part of the process of maturation is a realization that we each have areas requiring growth. This is where a different experience, like the one offered at Keats, comes into play: as students are involved in problem solving, team initiatives, and personal challenges, they are faced with realizations about who they are and where they need to change. Although coming to Keats Camps’ Outdoor School Program promises to be a fun and exciting time, it also serves as an invaluable teaching experience.
As valuable as classroom learning is for young people, being involved in experiential education and adventure programming creates opportunities for milestone moments of personal victories and lifestyle changes that they can look back on for years to come.
What We Offer
We offer an outstanding Outdoor School Program, designed to make lasting change in the lives of students. Students will learn about the importance of a healthy, holistic life perspective, including physical pursuits and personal growth leading to self-confidence and life management. Getting out of the city and into the stunning beauty of Keats Island is foundational to this learning process; students spend time engaging with one another and in personal reflection, all the while gaining a new appreciation of the natural environment.
Getting here is easy – we take care of the details for you! We will arrange your direct transport from Horseshoe Bay (or Coal Harbour for larger groups of 125 guests or more) straight to Keats Island. Transport from Horseshoe Bay is is via a 45 minute private water taxi, while transport from Coal Harbour is a 2 – 2.5 hour privately chartered boat (Harbour Cruises). Talk to us about the options that can be provided and we will arrange it all for you.
Once we have finalized the details, we will send you a contract, with a payment schedule included. A non-refundable first deposit (20% of the total fee) is required within 30 days of the date of contract in order to secure your rental. A second deposit (50% of the total fee) must be paid no later than 60 days before the rental. And the final payment (remaining 30% of the total fee, with any adjustments for additional participants) will be required 10 days after receiving the final invoice, after your rental.
Cancellation policy: Any cancellations between 31 to 60 days of the arrival date will forfeit the non-refundable deposit and 50% of the second deposit. Any cancellations within 30 days of the arrival date will forfeit the non-refundable deposit and 100% of the second deposit. Any cancellations within 14 days of the arrival date will forfeit 100% of the minimum fee quoted. All cancellations must be received in writing.
All activities offered in the Outdoor Recreation programs are designed to encourage team and individual challenge. We focus on participation, encouraging a healthy active lifestyle and “Challenge by Choice”
– the idea that every child can choose their personal level of challenge and involvement. Participation is compulsory, but the level of personal challenge is an individual choice. Our staff work to create an atmosphere of positive encouragement, where students can try a new activity in a safe, caring environment.
Land:
Archery, Climbing, Eco Walk, High Ropes, Low Ropes, Team Building
Water:
Canoeing, Kayaking, Paddleboarding Our sport shoppe also has a variety of sports equipment available for use.
Note: All activities are weather dependant.
Guests stay in bunk style cabins of 12 – 14 beds, each containing their own bathroom facilities (sinks, showers, and toilets); some of the cabins have accessible bathrooms. Keats can hold up to 250 guests in total. Guests are required to bring their own bedding.
At Keats Camps, we believe in high quality, comfort food. Our Red Seal Chef and her team pride themselves on making almost every element of your meals from scratch, and when you take that first bite, you will know that makes all the difference. All of our meals are served buffet style, which means you can come back for seconds of your favourites. Our kitchen is willing and able to accomodate all manner of dietary restrictions and have considerable experience creating healthy, tasty vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and gluten free options. Keats cannot 100% guarantee against cross-contamination in the kitchen.
Please note that there is a $15 per person surcharge for special diets. This is per booking, not per meal.
Banned Items: We agree not to bring any of the following onto Keats Camps property: alcoholic beverages, illicit drugs, marijuana, firearms, fireworks or explosives. We understand that smoking is permitted by adults only and in designated outdoor locations.
First Aid: Keats Camps does not provide First Aid, and all rental groups are required to provide a qualified First Aid provider (recommended OFA level 3 with first aid kit). Any groups exceeding 100 guests require a First Aid Attendant with Advanced First Aid (or equivalent) with first aid kit. Please note that the Keats Camps facility is located on Keats Island, accessible by boat only, and that the nearest hospital is 30 minutes away by boat and vehicle. In an emergency, BC Air Ambulance will attend if necessary, but that they are at least 30 minutes away. While Keats Camps will assist if an emergency requires removal from the island, the rental group will be responsible for the expenses incurred.
Noise Restrictions: Noise restrictions are in place daily from 11:00pm to 8:00am (we want to be respectful of the cottagers on Island as noise carries to their cabins).
Supervision: Rental groups are expected to supply adequate adult supervision for campers under 18 years of age. A minimum ratio of 1 adult to 10 children is required.
