Mini Camp is hosted by the Junior Branch Board – our youth leaders plan and run the entire weekend. Our chapter holds two mini-camps per year: one in the Fall and one in the Spring. The camp is open to all youth ages 10 and over.
Mini Camp is a great way to experience CISV – we invite newcomers to join us. We also invite parent volunteers to help chaperone. It’s an opportunity for parents to see what their kids are doing in CISV.
An 11-year-old mini camper said the following about participating in her 4th mini-camp: “You get to meet new, awesome people. You get to learn new fun and challenging games. I love it!”
Here is a sample of the daily schedule at a mini-camp:
- Breakfast
- Group activities
- Lunch
- Group activities
- Break/free time
- Group activities
- Dinner
- Campfire
- Bedtime
Group activities lead to reflection on various topics within the CISV framework (centered around peaceful conflict resolution, human rights, diversity, and sustainability).
FAQ
- How do I sign up for a mini-camp?
Mini camp sign-up forms are posted on the CISV NY website once available. Please check the Events page to see if there’s a mini-camp coming up. You can click the mini-camp event to find out more information.
To receive updates about the mini-camp and all CISV events, scroll all the way down this page and click the “Sign Up Today” button to receive our newsletters.
- Where is mini mini-camp held?
CISV NY usually rents a campsite in Upstate NY.
- What are the requirements to sign up for mini-camp?
Your child must be at least 10 years old and your family must be a member of CISV NY.
If mini-camp is your family’s very first CISV activity, then your child(ren) may attend without a membership to see if they like it.
If your family has already participated in a CISV activity in the past, then you must become a member (if you are not one yet). Membership information can be found HERE.
If your child is under the age of 18, choose the “Family” membership option.
If the participant is between 18 and 21 years old, they may attend as a junior counselor (and you would still pay for the “Family” membership option).
If the participant is 21 years old or older, then they should pay for the “Individual” membership.
There are also other membership options to help our chapter become better and stronger. Please consider making an additional donation to CISV NY. Thank you!
- How do CISV mini-camp fees compare to other weekend camps in our area?
Let’s put CISV mini-camp fees in perspective. CISV is a mission-driven nonprofit organization. We aim to educate and inspire action for a more just and peaceful world. We maintain our good standing within a network of CISV chapters in over 200 cities around the world by hosting international summer camps, when we welcome children and teenagers from different countries into our area and run a global peace education camp that instills in participants the values of global citizenship, friendship, and cooperation. CISV New York is fully responsible for the cost of all camps that we host, whether local, regional, national, or international. CISV New York raises funds from program fees, membership fees, and fundraising efforts.
Our weekend mini camps offer children in the NY tri-state region a chance to experience a shortened version of a CISV summer or winter camp.
As of 2024, other mission-driven nonprofit organizations that offer weekend camps in our area are charging between $540 and $670 for two-night mini camps; and in some of those organizations, at least one parent is required to travel with the child (doubling the cost of attendance, e.g. $540.00 * 2 participants = $1,080.00).
CISV New York charges $185 for a family membership that gives families access to two mini-camps a year and local events. If you have one child that attends both mini-camps and pay the highest rate (Tier 1) in both (plus the family membership), your cost will be approximately $185 + $315 * 2 = $407.50 per mini camp, which is still lower than the cost of other weekend camps in our area.