Camp fYrefly comes to Calgary!
Our third and newest location opens giving Calgary LGBT youth support and a safe space. With your donations, we can bring Camp fYrefly across Canada. Read more here.
Apply for Camp fYrefly Saskatchewan
Applications for Camp fYrefly in Edmonton and Calgary are now closed. The response was overwhelming and we look forward to an amazing summer with all of our campers, youth leaders, and adult volunteers!
Applications for Camp fYrefly-Saskatchewan are still open. To apply, please visit: http://www.usask.ca/education/fyrefly
Welcome to Camp fYrefly!
Camp fYrefly is Canada's only national leadership retreat for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirited, intersexed, queer, questioning, and allied youth. The Camp, which was founded in 2004 by Dr. André P. Grace and Dr. Kristopher Wells, is designed to help youth develop the leadership skills and personal resiliency necessary for them to become agents for positive change in their schools, families, and communities.
Camp fYrefly exists because caring adults believe that all youth are entitled to a world that embraces diversity rather than fearing it. For four days each year, we create that world, a world that lives out the fYrefly acronym, which stands for: fostering, Youth, resiliency, energy, fun, leadership, yeah! Camp fYrefly’s philosophy and programming emphasize a by-youth-for-youth approach where older youth and adult facilitators mentor and help to support younger youth.
All of our Camp programming is guided by input from youth and facilitated by trained educators and youth workers in collaboration with a team of artists, dramatists, and community and youth leaders. The Camp, guided by an arts-based educational philosophy, is jam-packed with dance, drama, music, writing, visual art, empowerment and reflection exercises, anti-oppression work, personal growth opportunities, healthy socialization, and in-depth learning activities about specific youth topics and social issues. In sum, Camp fYrefly's programming focuses on four key areas: leadership, individual development, socialization, and resiliency.
fYrefly in Schools
Based on Camp fYrefly, fYrefly in Schools aims to increase awareness of the impact of homophobic/transphobic bullying and equip students with the tools they need to challenge prejudice and discrimination and to become effective allies for diversity, equity, and human rights within their schools and communities. Read more here.
