Camp Today

The Power of Camp Shawnigan

We endeavor to accommodate and welcome any participant, whether they have a physical challenge that impacts their mobility, a developmental disability, or both.

For more than 40 years, Camp Shawnigan’s transformational summer experiences for campers and vital respite for families and caregivers has enriched tens of thousands of lives on Vancouver Island.

We provide the safest and most rewarding experience possible.

On average Easter Seals employs one counsellor for every three campers (3:1 ratio), significantly exceeding the BC Camping Association standard of one counsellor for eight campers (8:1 ratio).
Medical staff are available on site 24-7 to ensure the safety, well-being, and full participation of all campers.
Counsellors receive best-in-class training to meet the diverse physical and emotional needs of each camper. They help campers with special diets, medication, and personal care, and assist in setting and accomplishing goals and developing new skills during their stay.

Campers experience long-lasting impacts.

They face their day-to-day lives with greater self-confidence, joy, and higher self-esteem.
They are more willing to try new things.
They become more physically active and socially connected.
They develop a stronger sense of independence.

Families become stronger and more resilient.

Camp gives families access to long-term, 24-hour-a-day respite at a price they can afford.
Parents and caregivers can turn their attention to taking care of themselves, their partners, and other dependents, replenishing their own reserves of energy, spirit, and resolve–so they can continue to advocate and care for their loved one.

“These camps need to continue. They are life-changing for our children. It teaches them kindness, compassion, support of one another, and not to be afraid to go out in the world and be themselves… that’s what helps make them shine. It’s those experiences that shape them, giving them the tools to help them face their day-to-day life challenges.”

GINA, MOTHER OF CASSIDY, A CAMP ATTENDEE OF NEARLY 20 YEARS

We acknowledge that Camp Shawnigan is situated on the ancestral and traditional territories of the MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) First Nation. We are grateful for this land in improving the health and well-being of the people we serve, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.

The Power of Camp Shawnigan

We endeavor to accommodate and welcome any participant, whether they have a physical challenge that impacts their mobility, a developmental disability, or both.

Life-Changing, by Design.