Vacation camps

As a child, you should be able to enjoy, play and romp during the big vacations. But for socially vulnerable children, this is not always the case. Often they not only have a harder time financially, they are also left on the sidelines socially. For example, they cannot participate in activities because such activities cost money. Especially for them, we organize vacations in Flanders and the Netherlands. This way, vulnerable children can also go back to school with a nice vacation story.

Positive attention

During the vacation camps, the children receive a lot of individual and positive attention. For every two children, there is one counselor at our camps. We provide everything: free transportation, healthy food, as well as practical items such as a sleeping bag and plenty of spare clothes.

Enjoy to the fullest

Our personalized approach works well. The children are thoroughly enjoying themselves. One of our volunteers testifies with a nice anecdote:

After a fun camp, we drive back home. Jana, a ten-year-old girl, keeps her eyes closed during the entire drive back. As long as she does, the vacation is still going on, she says.

Minimum cost

Our Holiday Camps are open to socially vulnerable children and youth ages 7 to 14. We cover the main cost of the camp. To the parents we ask a small contribution: 35 euros per registration. If this is not possible, the OCMW, a social organization or a Red Cross branch will help out.

Custom vacation camps

Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has 25 years of experience in organizing Holiday Camps for socially vulnerable children. These children, for social and/or financial reasons, usually do not have the opportunity to experience vacations like their peers.

In addition, the Adapted Vacations of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders adults who find it difficult to go on vacation because of a disability, chronic illness or old age offer a carefree vacation week. There is a great deal of expertise at Belgian Red Cross-Flanders to organize vacations/camps for these target groups.

At camp with a disability?

For several years there have been requests from children outside our target group to join us on vacation. A special group are socially vulnerable children with disabilities. Because of the higher demand for care and the need for an adapted environment, these children cannot be included in the vacation camps on offer.

Therefore Belgian Red Cross-Flanders will combine its expertise from the organization of the Holiday Camps and the Adapted Holidays within Adapted Holiday Camps. Care volunteers, monitors and logistics staff complement each other to give these children an optimal framework.

The Adapted Holiday Camps are for socially vulnerable children ages 7 through 14 with disabilities.
In this start-up phase, the following children are eligible to participate:

• Children with intellectual disabilities (type 2 special education)
• Children with motor and/or multiple disabilities (type 4 special education)
• Children with visual impairment (type 6 special education)

The determination of the target population was done by an expert panel.