Summer of Service 2024!
Online registration goes live on Monday, April 15 at 8:00am.
YVCHR is offering summer camps for youth (ages 11-18)! Each session includes icebreakers, team-builders and service-learning lessons. Youth will spend their days being physically active, learning about the needs of their community, developing important career-readiness and life skills, and interacting with other service-minded individuals…all while making a positive impact!
All sessions are $120.*
Important: Location varies each day (with the exception of Peninsula Session 2). Detailed plans will be emailed to all camp participants one week in advance of the session for which they are registered. Sites below are TENTATIVE for each date.
Peninsula Session 1 (June 10-13 / 8:30am-1:30pm): Hampton/Newport News
Monday, June 10: Bluebird Gap Farm (Hampton)
Tuesday, June 11: TBD
Wednesday, June 12: Virginia Peninsula Foodbank (Hampton)
Thursday, June 13: The Gardens at Warwick Forest (Newport News)
Peninsula Session 2 (June 24-28 / 8:30am-1:30pm): C.H.A.T.S. Horse Therapy Camp in Yorktown
Our youth volunteers will be providing direct support to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at an equine therapy center; the ideal YVC volunteer for this camp session has strong interpersonal skills, is patient and attentive, and can handle being outside all day.
This opportunity requires a training session prior to the start of camp, which will be held at CHATS on 6/20 from 3:00-4:00pm.
Please note that the camp runs from Monday - Friday (5 days) for a total of 27 service hours.
The cost for this session is $140.*
Peninsula Session 3 (July 8-11 / 8:30am-1:30pm): Hampton/Newport News
Monday, July 8: So All May Eat (S.A.M.E.) at Hampton Baptist Church--Hampton
Tuesday, July 9: Bluebird Gap Farm--Hampton
Wednesday, July 10: Virginia Peninsula Foodbank--Hampton
Thursday, July 11: The Gardens at Warwick Forest--Newport News
Peninsula Session 4 (July 15-18 / 8:30am-1:30pm): Hampton/Newport News
Monday, July 15: So All May Eat (S.A.M.E.) at Hampton Baptist Church--Hampton
Tuesday, July 16: Mariners' Museum--Newport News
Wednesday, July 17: The Gardens at Warwick Forest--Newport News
Thursday, July 18: Virginia Peninsula Foodbank--Hampton
Peninsula Session 5 (July 29-August 1 / 8:30am-1:30pm): Hampton/Newport News
Monday, July 29: So All May Eat (S.A.M.E.) at Hampton Baptist Church--Hampton
Tuesday, July 30: The Mariners' Museum & Park--Newport News
Wednesday, July 31: Virginia Peninsula Foodbank--Hampton
Thursday, August 1: The Gardens at Warwick Forest--Newport News
Southside Session 1 (July 8-11 / 9:00am - 2:00pm): Chesapeake/Portsmouth/Norfolk/VB
Monday, July 8: Roc Solid Foundation--Chesapeake
Tuesday, July 9: Mercy Chefs--Portsmouth
Wednesday, July 10: Nauticus--Norfolk
Thursday, July 11: TBD
Southside Session 2 (July 15-18 / 9:00am - 2:00pm): Virginia Beach/Norfolk
Monday, July 15: Lasagna Love--Virginia Beach
Tuesday, July 16: Nimmo Community Garden--Virginia Beach
Wednesday, July 17: Nauticus--Norfolk
Thursday, July 18: First Landing State Park--Virginia Beach
Southside Session 3 (Aug 5-8 / 9:00am - 2:00pm): Virginia Beach/Norfolk
Monday, August 5: Maimonides Health Center--Virginia Beach
Tuesday, August 6: Lynnhaven River NOW--Virginia Beach
Wednesday, August 7: Nauticus--Norfolk
Thursday, August 8: First Landing State Park--Virginia Beach
Please only register for one week. Due to space limitations, we ask that youth participate in only one session.
Frequently Asked Questions:
IS THERE A COST TO PARTICIPATE?
YVC's summer programming is offered at a subsidized rate of $120/week with full and partial scholarships available to anyone demonstrating need (Peninsula Session #2 is $140). Meals and transportation are not provided.
WHAT IS THE ATTENDANCE POLICY?
We kindly ask that each registered youth participate in all scheduled days of their camp session for the entire scheduled time, unless there is a family emergency or special situation. We cannot issue refunds “per diem” if a participant has to miss a day of camp.
WHAT IS THE REFUND POLICY?
Should YVCHR have to cancel a project due to weather or other extenuating circumstances, YVCHR will issue a refund for the day(s) that were missed, minus the credit card fees associated with online registration. Should this situation arise, families will have the option to convert their registration fees into a tax-deductible donation to YVCHR (a receipt will be provided) or have their refund mailed in the form of a check.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO A PROJECT?
During summer projects, it is expected that youth wear their free YVC t-shirt each day (provided on first day of camp). Closed-toe tennis shoes are required, as are appropriate-length shorts. If there are other special requirements, these will be noted in project descriptions.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO A PROJECT?
Volunteers should bring a water bottle, as well as sunscreen and bug spray (for outdoor projects). Volunteers will need to bring a lunch each day. If there are other special requirements, these will be noted in project descriptions via email.
Please do NOT bring ear buds or headphones, as they are not permitted to be worn during camp sessions. YVCHR is not responsible for any personal belongings that are brought to project sites.
WHAT IF THERE IS BAD WEATHER?
We will keep with original plans if there is light rain. YVCHR will arrange for alternate indoor sites if thunderstorms are in the forecast for a particular day. On the rare occasion that a project must be cancelled due to inclement weather or extenuating circumstances, we will let you know with as much advance notice as possible. Cancellations will be communicated via email or text from the program director. If you prefer an alternate communication method, please email programdirector@yvchr.org.
WHAT IS A TYPICAL PROJECT LIKE?
Projects are factiliated and supervised by YVCHR staff members. Youth volunteers join a team of their peers--ages 11 to 18--to volunteer their time to help local nonprofits and learn about issues in the Hampton Roads community.
Youth volunteers are introduced to one another and the agency staff who will provide instructions to the team. In addition to the service projects(s), YVC staff members will lead volunteers in service-learning lessons, energizer games, team-builders and meaningful reflection activities. Our goal is to create service experiences that are rewarding, challenging, and educational.
We ask that youth refrain from any cell phone use, unless an activity requires online access for a specific purpose.
ARE LUNCH AND TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED?
Participants are responsible for lunches and transportation to and from the event. Project location details will be provided one week prior to the start of each session.
WHO WILL BE SUPERVISING THE YOUTH AT THE PROJECTS?
All projects are led by one or more YVCHR adult team leaders (staff members). All Team Leaders have passed full background checks. In addition, all Team Leaders are trained and equipped to lead successful, educational, and fun service projects.
I NEED VERIFICATION FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS I HAVE COMPLETED. HOW DO I GET THAT VERIFICATION FORM FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION?
We are happy to give you an official YVCHR letter stating the number of hours you have completed with us. We can also sign any forms that your school or organization requires. All camp participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of each session.
CAN PARENTS VOLUNTEER AT PROJECTS WITH THEIR CHILDREN?
Parents are not permitted to volunteer with their student(s) during summer projects. One of our goals is to encourage our Youth Volunteers to branch out, meet new people, take responsibility for certain tasks and learn the value of service as individuals and members of a team. In our experience, having parents around may discourage this type of growth.
Summer of Service 2023!
Summer of Service 2021 !
With the help of our amazing youth volunteers, Youth Volunteer Corps of Hampton Roads served 6 Agencies and organized 29 projects this past summer ! We accounted a total of 1,439 hours dedicated to different focus areas such as - Compassionate Communities, Education, Healthy Liefstyles, and STEM & Environment ! We look forward to future projects and community building opportunities that are upon us this upcoming Fall and Winter !
Summer of Service 2020 !
Despite COVID-19, we successfully offered five summer sessions for youth volunteers in 2020! With increased safety measures, youth volunteers collectively served 668 hours, with each community partner addressing specific needs in Hampton Roads. We are especially grateful to our host organizations, as well as to those who generously give in support of our ongoing programming efforts.
Masks on. Hearts open. Summer 2020.
Summer of Service 2019 !
