At Pickering Rouge Canoe Club we are excited to offer an exciting volunteer program that is available for teens aged 14-16. This program will run Monday – Friday from 9:00 am -4:00 pm (excluding holidays) for 2 weeks. The Leaders in Training (LIT) is an awesome opportunity and is excellent preparation for teens hoping to work as camp counselors, coaches or with children in the future. Pickering Rouge Canoe and Kayak Camp is a fun, and active day camp full of games, crafts, and on-water activities. The Camp is located at Glen Rouge Campground in Scarborough, on the shores of the Rouge River and the trails of Rouge National Park, Canada’s largest urban park.

The goal of the LIT program is to teach you how to work with children in a camp setting while having the support and supervision of experienced camp staff. Our Leadership Training Program is designed to empower teenagers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to become effective leaders both on and off the water. You will shadow our staff in both our camp and bantam programs to gain experience working with participants of different ages and experience across multiple programs. LITs must possess a positive attitude and genuine interest in working with campers ages 6-13. Respect, cooperation, and a high level of energy are all valued attributes that will be expected and will lead to a successful completion of the program. You will develop skills in leadership, teamwork, water safety, problem-solving and positive, effective communication. To successfully complete the program, you will be required to demonstrate appropriate levels of maturity, responsibility, competence, and enthusiasm. Participants will fill out a self-evaluation questionnaire and will receive a formal evaluation from PRCC camp staff. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. We are happy to provide reference letters for future employment or volunteer positions upon request to successful participants.

Throughout the two weeks in this program, you will get to experience many different things. One week you will join the summer camp program where you will be introduced to the camp side of things. Here, you will learn what a day of camp is like! You will work alongside camp staff in the different daily activities, such as exploring different types of canoes and kayaks, games, crafts, and nature exploration. A second week will be spent joining the Bantam Paddling Camp! Here you will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the Bantam side of things. You will learn about the different boats involved in Bantam paddling and learn about the different training that takes place within the program. You will learn about a range of activities, including team and individual boat training, balance drills, aerobic and speed training, and competitive regattas scheduled throughout the summer.

This year, we are changing the program to a volunteer position where you will be able to earn 80 hours of volunteer work to go towards your highschool hours and experience. There will be a small fee to cover registration costs of $25.00. This will include an LIT T Shirt as well. You will also need to fill out a small questionnaire when registering. Participants will arrive 30 mins before and after campers to help organize the day and take equipment in and out.

Each week there will be a unique theme of the week (for example Water, SuperHero, Olympic, and Sports), so there is always something new and exciting to look forward to! As members of our Leadership Training Program, participants will not only enhance their own leadership abilities but also serve as role models and mentors for their peers. They will play an integral role in shaping the camp experience for themselves and their fellow campers, helping to create a positive and inclusive community where everyone can thrive. Come join us and have an amazing summer!