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New Families (Foundation) Camp

This introductory foundation program is a 2-day camp for children aged 5-17 (and the adults who support them) who have experienced the death of a sibling, parent or primary caregiver. Lionheart offers this program free of charge in the Perth Metro area and regionally, several times a year.

Registrations are now open for the following camp dates:

Perth Metro – 27th & 28th April 2024 - this program is FULL (registrations closed)

Regional (Geraldton) – 6th & 7th July 2024

Perth Metro - 26th & 27th October 2024

Apply for Perth Metro
Apply for Geraldton

Our New Family Camp provides a safe, fun-filled space for children to explore and understand their grief through a series of group activities. While the age range of attendees is 5-17 years, children are organised into smaller groups of similar ages to complete activities such art & crafts, question-and-answer style discussions, games, problem-solving, experiments and yoga. For teens there are opportunities to utilise peer support and engage in conversation about the difficulties associated with grieving while also navigating adolescence.

BUILDING LIONHEARTS

"A lionheart is a person of exceptional courage and bravery” - The Collins Dictionary.

At camp, our focus is always on building lionhearts and we aim to do this in the following ways:

  • Helping children and their supporting adults understand the process of grief.
  • Normalising the grief process for children and increase their awareness of loss as a natural part of living.
  • Helping children to identify with the spectrum of emotions associated with the death of a parent or sibling; and to share or express emotions in a healthy, constructive way.
  • Providing the opportunity to connect with other children experiencing the death of a sibling or parent.
  • Strengthening parents’ and caregivers’ knowledge and skills in how to support their grieving children, while also managing their own emotions following the death of a partner or child
  • Minimising the negative impacts of childhood bereavement on longer-term physical and mental health, education, employment and lifestyle.
  • Ensuring that no child grieves alone.

EDUCATION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Strengthening the whole family is how significant and sustainable change happens in the home, which is why adults are invited to attend camp for the full 2 days along with their children.

We walk our adults through the information that is being shared with the children so all family members are equipped with the same skills needed to have difficult conversations, express their grief and understand what grief looks like.

Adults are also supported to understand and navigate their own grief while simultaneously supporting their child with theirs.

Lionheart relies on the generosity of community donations, corporate sponsorships and grants so that we can offer this foundational program to grieving families free of charge. It costs our organisation approximately $1000 per child to facilitate this program so if you are in a position to support a child on their grief journey by making a donation, you can trust your contribution is helping to build little lionhearts.