The Huntington’s Disease Youth Organization (HDYO), together with all the HD Associations across Australia and New Zealand, are excited to host the first Australia and New Zealand HD Youth Camp! The goal of camp is to offer young people the chance to meet other young people impacted by HD, to learn about HD through educational workshops, to share experiences and receive support through sharing sessions in camp groups and to have plenty of fun participating in the many on-site activities, such as swimming, stand up paddle boarding, archery and much more. We hope young people attending camp will benefit by feeling less isolated, more supported, as well coming away from camp with an improved understanding of HD and strong peer connections with other young people in similar situations. There will be an experienced HD team of professionals and volunteers on-site to support young people at all times.

Who can attend: Young people ages 15-25 that live in Australia or New Zealand and are impacted by HD (if you are just above or below this age range but are interest in attending, contact monica@hdyo.org to discuss further as we are somewhat flexible with this)

How many spaces are available: We have capacity for about 25 young people to attend the camp.

When will it be: Arriving Friday 13th of January– Leaving Monday the 16th of January 2017

Where will it be: Sunshine Coast recreation Centre, 80 Currimundi Road, Currimundi, Queensland, Australia

Cost: Free!!!! The camp, accommodation, food and travel costs are all covered. Campers will be responsible for any cost associated with baggage fees and campers should have some money for airport snacks and incidentals.

How to apply

Simply fill in the online application form here

Not sure if camp is right for you? See highlights from our North American HD Youth Camp last year:

Application Process

Applications can be submitted from August 1st until November 10th 2016. If there are more applicants than places we will prioritize those young people who may not have a lot of support in their local community. Notifications of application acceptance will go out no later than November 11th 2016. If you are selected to attend camp, a staff member will reach out to you and your family with details about moving forward and details about planning travel.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How will I/my child get to Queensland?

If you are selected to attend camp, we will arrange travel for you. If you are within driving distance, we ask for your assistance in driving your child to camp or the Brisbane area where all campers will fly in to.

Who is running the camp?

HDYO is organizing the camp, with the support of Monica, the HD Youth Worker for Huntington’s Western Australia (HWA). There will be staff from HDYO and Australian & New Zealand HD organizations supervising the camp, HD professionals from around the country, and a trained and trusted group of young adult volunteers from the HD community from Australia and New Zealand will form the volunteer support team. All camp activities are supervised by certified staff that are employees of the Sunshine Coast Recreation Centre.

• Insurance: All campers are required to have travel insurance. You should check your policy for travel coverage. The camp is fully insured and there will be extra event coverage organized by HDYO as well.
• All families will be required to sign a release alleviating HDYO and our partners of responsibility in the case of an accident or injury.
• Medical Treatment: Qualified first aiders and trained medical professionals will be on-site as part of the camp team. Also a list of medical facilities in the area will be included in a packet sent to families prior to arrival and discussed on the pre-camp call.

What experience do the staff have with supporting young people and camps?

HDYO staff will be attending to help run the camp, HDYO has a wealth of experience providing successful youth camps in Europe and North America, and other events for young people impacted by HD around the world. Monica, the HD Youth Worker for HWA has many years of experience working with young people and running camps. Our staff team will have plenty of experience working with young people in the HD community, but we will also be bringing other HD professionals such as social workers and genetic counsellors from the region to help with educational sessions. We will also have a trained and trusted volunteer team of young adults from the HD community in Australia & New Zealand who will be with the young participants at all times.

What will each day look like?

Each day will consist of a good balance of recreational activities, educational sessions and sharing/support sessions. Our camp schedule has been adapted over the years based on feedback from young people, we also look at what each applicant wants from camp and try to accommodate that into our sessions. A full agenda will be provided to each family prior to the start of camp.

What support is available to my child before and after camp?

The HWA youth worker, Monica Cazzolli, will be scheduling at least one call prior to camp to discuss the family’s situations, get a sense of any concerns and begin to build a relationship with the young person. The youth worker will be holding calls with the family post-camp as well to check in and make sure you are feeling ok. Also, there will be a contact person provided for your local HD Association who will provide you with support options in your region. If an issue is raised by the young person at any time (before, during or after camp), Monica and HDYO will work with you to ensure you get the best support available in your region.

Who is funding the camp project?

The Australia and New Zealand HD Youth Camp is supported by a significant grant to HDYO from Teva. Some Australian and New Zealand Associations are also kindly offering support if required.

Have a question/query about the camp that isn’t answered above? Contact HWA’s Youth Worker, Monica Cazzolli on monica@hdyo.org

This camp is supported by:

• HDYO
• Huntington's Victoria
• Huntington's New South Wales
• Huntington's Western Australia
• Hungtingtons Queensland
• HDA Wellington
• HDA Christchurch
• HDA Auckland

A special thank you to Teva for providing significant funding in support of the camp