Accreditation is a process that allows your camp to verify that it meets or exceeds a set of standards that cover all the various aspects of camp operation. It allows you to advertise that you are an Accredited Camp and it allows you to participate in the National Insurance Policy that is coordinated by CCA (the Canadian Camping Association). By meeting these standards you will probably update all of your camp policies and procedures. This is a good base from which to work but you must remember that conditions change. You must be diligent in hiring and monitoring staff, in observing changes in site and buildings, in maintaining and enforcing you risk management policies, and any other details that are involved in this high risk business of running children’s camps. An accredited camp has been visited by senior staff from other camps and the NBCA and has been found to be consistent in their application of these standards and practices. They are revisited every three years and make a commitment to maintain these standards between visits.

The Process: The camp requests an accreditation visit by contacting our Director of Communications Rheal Williams at [email protected] The accreditation visitor will contact you to set up a mutually convenient date and time for the visit during a camp session. The camp director will go through the manual before the visit filling out all the questions as explained on the following page. The director will have available all the various manuals, forms, policies, licenses, and permits for the visitor to view. The visitor will need at least ½ day with the camp director or his/her designate to make a complete camp tour and observe the program(s). The visitor and camp director will review all the answers in the Accreditation Standards Manual. After the visit a report will be generated that either recommends Accreditation or list the objectives that must still be met in order to gain Accreditation. If all is in order the camp receives their letter verifying Accreditation after the fall meeting of the Standards Committee.