Helpful and Safety information for your stay
PLANNING TIPS
We are excited about your group coming to camp. Prior to arrival, there are a few things you can do to make your stay go smoothly. If you need any help or advice about any of the following:
Organising your cabin groups
Planning a detailed programme including activities and times
Organising your activity groups
Organising an activities rotation schedule
Organising a duties schedule
Please contact our Bookings team for any additional help.
COMMUNICATION
By providing us with all of the necessary information, we will be able to fully understand your requirements around catering, activities your programme and itinerary for your stay. We do from time to time have changes in staff who may not be familiar with your programme or expectations. We also make changes around camp, particularly regarding our activities and equipment. It is always prudent to check that activities are available in order to avoid disappointment.
COUNTDOWN TO CAMP
6 weeks prior to your arrival: Please arrange a site visit if desired. We will go through your itinerary and your activity programme whilst on camp. We will require approximate numbers of children and adults, as well as those opting for vegetarian, gluten free or dairy free meal choices. Also, please advise us of any specific audio/visual needs that you will have at camp. We will also start the Health and Safety consultation, cooperation and coordination safety commitment.
15 days prior to your arrival: Please confirm your final group numbers and an invoice will be emailed directly to you. Payment for camp is required five days prior to your arrival at camp.
ARRIVAL TO CAMP
Carey Park Christian Camp arrival and departure times are:
Check-in: Monday 10:00 am, Wednesday 2:00 pm or Friday 5:00 pm
Check-out: Wednesday 1:00 pm, Friday and Sunday 2:00 pm
Ferndale Lodge arrival and departure times are:
Check-in: 5:00pm
Check-out: 3:00pm
GROUP WELCOME
It is our preference that the host is able to introduce themselves to your camp organiser. So we would ask that the camp organiser contact the host as soon as they arrive on site. The host will then be able to show the organiser around camp, ensure that the safety information is available and also ensure that the organiser of the event is aware of the need for the appointment of a building warden, first aid officer, along with the duties and activity supervisor training where applicable. Once the whole group has arrived our host will present a welcome talk. This talk does not take long but does provide valuable information for your group. If for some reason it is not possible to give the welcome talk because your group are arriving late or over the course of an evening, the welcome talk will be presented at breakfast on the first morning of your stay.
ENVIRONMENT
We try to recycle as much as possible. Place all plastic, metal, glass, paper and card in the bins. All other rubbish should be placed in the other bins located around our buildings. Please respect the natural surroundings of our camps, please leave nothing behind and cause no damage, so that others can experience the same natural beauty. All of our facilities are smoke free; however, there are designated smoking areas at each camp.
NEIGHBOURS
Because our camps are set in natural valleys, noise (even small sounds) tends to be amplified down the valley and this is particularly true at night. There is a need to keep noise to an acceptable level. We would ask that there be no loud outside noise between 10pm and 8am in the morning. We would also ask that no PA systems, megaphones or stereo equipment be used outside.
FACILITIES, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Please play and use the equipment in a respectful way. For your safety we operate a traffic light system around the camp; you will notice Stop (red), Wait (orange) and Go (green) signs located around the activity equipment and buildings. These signs indicate:
Red means STOP. Do not go into this area it is out of bounds to guests.
Orange means WAIT. Because adult supervision is required.
Green means GO. Indicating that equipment can be used with no adult supervision.
The stream areas should not be accessed alone. There should always be at least one competent adult supervising. We recommend that a qualified lifeguard be used whenever possible. Please do not play with sport balls in the area immediately around the buildings. Cars should be kept in the car park area. If you are using tents, they can be pitched in the grassy area as advised by your host. At our facilities the use of candles, incense burners or any other type of naked flame is not allowed inside or around the buildings.
LAUNDRY
There are laundry machines at all of our facilities consisting of washing machines and tumble dryers. All machines require coins to operate. There are also outdoor areas to hang washing.
HEATERS
Bunk rooms cabins and rooms have heaters.
GEAR
Please bring suitable bedding for your stay; the cabins can get quite cold at night during winter. You will also need suitable clothing for being outdoors. Please note that areas of camp can be boggy and muddy so please bring suitable footwear. Also you should bring suitable bug and insect repellent. If you would prefer to not bring your own bedding or towels we can provide them for an additional charge.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
All of our activity staff are certified First Aiders. All kitchen staff have undergone training in good kitchen practice and are hygiene certified. All staff on our sites are police vetted. Our activity equipment is inspected annually by industry accredited auditors specific to the type of equipment being audited. We are registered with the Department of Labour as a provider in accordance with their regulations covering outdoor adventure activities. We are also an OSCAR approved provider undergoing regular audits to the relevant legislation.
FIRST AID
All of our activity staff hold suitable First Aid qualifications. However, you will need to provide your own First Aid Kit suitable for dealing with outdoor activities. You should also bring insect repellent for your group. If you are doing the bush walk, we suggest bringing a portable first aid kit to carry on the walk. At camp you will need to assign a First Aid officer to look after your first aid requirements. Should you have any accidents we would ask that you complete an accident report form. At Carey Park these are located in the first aid room. At Ferndale they are located to the right of the entry to the accommodation block. This information helps us to keep a track of incidents at our facilities, this helps us ensure both equipment and facilities are not going to cause accidents or incidents to camping groups.
EVACUATION
At the start of your camp your host will as part of the initial presentation, explain our emergency procedures for evacuating the buildings. All of our facilities have emergency evacuation alarms installed.
GROUP EVACUATION OFFICER/BUILDING WARDEN
Please note when you arrive at camp you will need to appoint a Building Warden. Between 8:00am to 5:00pm the One Big Adventure staff Building Warden is responsible for the group in the event of an evacuation of the buildings. The groups appointed person should liaise with the Building Warden in the event of an evacuation. The groups appointed person will assume the Building Warden role outside of normal working hours (8:00am to 5:00pm). The groups appointed Building Warden needs to ensure the completion of the Cabin bunk list. This list will act as additional information for the Building Warden and the Fire Department in the event of an evacuation from the building during your stay. Please indicate any persons within your group who may require assistance to leave the building in the event of an evacuation (examples may be people who are hard of hearing, partially sighted, physically or mentally disabled/imparted or infirm.) You should place this completed list as advised by your host. In the event of an evacuation the Building Warden will use this form to establish that all people have been accounted for and removed from the buildings. The Building Warden will pass this information onto the Fire Department upon their arrival. It will also help the Fire Department in the event of them having to rescue anyone, particularly those who require help, by giving the Fire Department a location for the person or persons who may require help or assistance.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/SPECIAL REQUESTS
Please let us know what your Audio Visual needs will be during your time at camp so we can ensure the proper set up is available upon your arrival.
DUTIES
Rather than doing duties while on camp, spend more of your time relaxing by selecting a no duties camp for an additional charge. Please see our ‘Pricing’ pages for a comparison of costs. An adult must be in charge of each daily duty.
CATERING
We are renowned for our healthy and delicious food. Our normal meal times are:
Breakfast: 8:00 am
Lunch: 12:30 pm
Dinner: 5:30 pm Fridays 6:00 pm
If you wish to change these to suit your needs have a chat with bookings. Please note that your first catered meal is dinner. Please ensure that if you are arriving before lunch that your group have a meal with them.
MENU
Our chefs will prepare healthy, balanced and nutritious meals for your stay. Because we cater in bulk for each group staying at our facilities, each lunch and dinner meal will have a meat and vegetarian option. We do provide certain food items at additional cost for those with gluten or dairy free dietary requirements. Please note that we are not able to cater for individual meals, special dietary issues, allergies, etc.
For catered camps only:
Refreshments: Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cordial and water is provided.
Snacks: We provide biscuits, fruit and/or fresh muffins/slice for morning and afternoon tea as well as supper.
Packed lunch: If your group is going out from camp, a packed lunch can be provided in place of your regular provided lunch.
Cooked breakfast: A delicious cooked breakfast is available for your group at an additional cost.
Banquet dinner: The option of a banquet meal is available at additional cost, please discuss with our chefs.
Day visitor meals: Meals are available for day visitors at an additional cost.
ALLERGIES
We only need to be aware of life threatening allergies, so that our kitchen staff can take the necessary steps to reduce the risks. We cannot absolutely guarantee that all traces of these allergy inducing items will be removed. If you are unsure of any meals being provided, you are more than welcome to provide your own meals for those guests who may have any medical anaphylactic shock risks associated with those foods. There are limited facilities for food preparation and cooking.
SAFETY
Our activities undergo an annual audit inspection to ensure that they are provided in the safest possible manner, thereby meeting the highest standards of safety and professionalism. Our certifying body is OutdoorsMark. They are a national outdoor safety audit programme provider tailored for the New Zealand outdoors community. This certification ensures that our equipment and activities management is independently assessed by experts in the field. Where required we are also audited and registered with WorkSafeNZ under the Adventure Activity Regulations 2016. We provide a safe, challenging and fun facility for all of your activities. You will receive all necessary training, highly maintained equipment, up to date RAMS, onsite training and pre-camp planning. All you need to do is turn up and be prepared to supervise and manage activities. Should you want to have your activities supervised by a trained instructor we can provide them for you at additional cost. A description of each activity is provided and staff will be available to train adults for all activities each morning. In addition, each of our activities staff are fully trained and certified in First Aid, with thorough procedures in place in the case of an incident. We are committed to providing your group with a safe and enjoyable experience.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
One Big Adventure creates experiences, challenges, risks and situations that stretch, build and grow people not just in the moment, but for life. We recognise that in providing these experiences through various activities, there are associated health and safety risks. We take steps to mitigate these risks, and work together with you to do so. In the following we outline, Information regarding activities, the risks associated with them, the steps we have taken and would like you to take to mitigate these risks.
RISK DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Acknowledgement of General Risks: Certain risks and hazards are inherent in outdoor activities and cannot be eliminated without destroying the unique character of the outdoors. However, Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge will identify foreseeable risks or hazards and implement correct management strategies along with the availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk. Our systems meet national guidelines. We encourage you to ask any questions about the activities you or your group members will be involved in, to gain a better understanding of the risks involved. You or your group members will/may participate in camp activities such as: low ropes course, team building, swimming, kayaking, archery, campfire, cooking, orienteering, games and sports, flying fox, bush exploration, climbing wall and crate stacking. The safety of each individual is of the utmost importance. We may alter the program at any time, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. Substituted programs will be more appropriate to the circumstances. Instructors and the camp Director have the discretion to stand down participants for repeated or severe misbehaviour during activities. Instructors may and will stop an activity when participant safety is compromised. Certain activities offered at Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge, after receiving training from camp instructors, are supervised by adults and parent helpers. Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge Instructors hold current first aid certification. There is no doctor on site. However, ambulance services have direct access to Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge activity locations, with Waitakere Hospital being located ten kilometres from Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge.
ACTIVITIES
Whilst on camp there are lots of activities to participate in. These are split into supervised lead and instructed activities. There are also a number of other activities located in the local area, and throughout the Auckland region. Supervised lead activities are ones where the nominated adults will lead the other people in the group in taking part in the activity. Our staff will give a briefing to the adults who will supervise the activity, pointing out the nature of the activity, the safety issues and the correct use of the equipment. Instructed activities are those activities which, due to their nature, require some level of competency and training in order to ensure safe outcomes for the participants. With instructed activities our staff will run and supervise the activity.
ACTIVITY PROGRAMME DETAILS
We recommend each activity session to be 1 hour in duration. Please ensure that time is allowed within your programme for duties (approx. 20 minutes before and after meals) and for parent training each morning (30-45 minutes).
ACTIVITY SAFETY
Our activities undergo an annual audit inspection to ensure that they are provided in the safest possible manner, thereby meeting the highest standards of safety and professionalism. Our certifying body is OutdoorsMark. They are a national outdoor safety audit programme provider tailored for the New Zealand outdoors community. This certification ensures that our equipment and activities management is independently assessed by experts in the field. Where required we are also audited and registered with WorkSafe New Zealand under the Adventure Activity Regulations 2016. We provide a safe, challenging and fun facility for all of your activities. You will receive all necessary training, highly maintained equipment, up to date RAMS, onsite training and pre-camp planning. All you need to do is turn up and be prepared to supervise and manage activities. Should you want to have your activities supervised by a trained instructor we can provide them for you at additional cost. A description of each activity is provided and staff will be available to train adults for all activities each morning. In addition, each of our activities staff are fully trained and certified in First Aid, with thorough procedures in place in the case of an incident. We are committed to providing your group with a safe and enjoyable experience.
STAFF TRAINING AND ONGOING COMPLIANCE
All of our activity hosting staff are trained in the supervision and instruction of our activities. Some of this training is based in house, some is provided by independent third party training providers. All training meets industry standards to ensure a safe delivery of activities to you, our guests. Activity and hosting staff all hold recognised first aid qualifications and all staff working at camp are police vetted to ensure your safety. All kitchen staff have undergone training in good kitchen practice and are basic hygiene certified. All staff working at camp “core workers” (i.e. activity staff) as well as “non-core workers” (i.e. administration, kitchen and maintenance staff) are subject to Children’s Worker safety checking, as specified under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014. Volunteers who work at camp are not subject to Children’s Worker safety checking, however they are subject to reference checks and subject to police vetting checks where volunteers are over seventeen years old. Our activity equipment is fully maintained and annually inspected by professional engineers and industry accredited auditors specific to the type of equipment being audited, to ensure that it meets industry safety standards. We are registered with WorkSafeNZ as a provider of adventure activities under the Adventure Activities Regulations 2016. We are also an OSCAR approved provider undergoing regular audits to the relevant legislation.
EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM (EOTC)
We strive to ensure that all school groups coming to camp meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education’s goal for achieving quality, educational outcomes based around education outside the classroom. We do this by using the Ministry of Education’s EOTC guidelines
ADULTS SUPERVISING ACTIVITIES
Where adults are supervising activities, it is important that these activities are provided in a safe manner. We want the ultimate outcome for the people using the activity to be one of experiencing challenge, risk and fun, along with any EOTC goals for school groups. In order for this to happen our staff will Train adults on the activity they will be leading for the day. Adults must remain with the same activity for the day for the safety of the participants. Please refer to the activities instruction sheet and RAMS document for the supervisor to people ratios. Supervisors must not use phones whilst supervising. This causes distraction and a lapse in concentration.
ACTIVITIES SUPERVISION INSTRUCTION SHEETS
All activities have supervision sheets, both for supervised adult lead and staff instructed activities. These sheets are a valuable resource and give details on effective supervision of the activity along with safety tips and an indication of the level of supervision required. You should use these sheets to ensure you have sufficient adults who are suitable to participate in and supervise the activity.
RISK ANALYSIS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM [RAMS]
Each activity has its own RAMS sheet. RAMS sheets give you information around the risks associated with the activity. They also provide management tools for those risks inherent with each of the activities. The risks around our activities are split between: The Environment, The Equipment, and The People. Also included are the generic risks and hazards associated with outdoor adventure activities. Please take time to familiarise yourself and group members coming to camp. These are a great resource to help you with supervising our activities.
WET WEATHER OPTIONS
We have full wet weather options available for you. For any information on wet weather options please contact the Hosting, Activities and Education Manager. Some activities at camp are weather dependant due to the environment in which they are carried out. Decisions to postpone or cancel an activity are made by either the Instructor or by the Hosting, Activities and Education Manager. The group host will be informed. The host will then inform the relevant supervisors of activities. Wet weather activities are allocated as backups in case conditions deem an activity unsafe. These are arranged prior to the group arriving and will be ready to go if needed. Parent training on activities is to include the wet weather alternatives where appropriate. The use of activities will be reviewed at least once a day with forecasts sought from Met-service. Information from this forecast will be shared between activities staff during the morning briefing and any relevant information passed on to the group leader. Postponing or calling off an activity will occur if the safety or wellbeing of the participants becomes questionable or imminent. This can be due to a direct change in weather conditions or by the group’s ability/inability to cope with the conditions, such as insufficient or inadequate clothing, lack of experience with an activity, age etc. This information will be passed on to the adult helpers who are running activities without a staff member. Conditions leading to cancellation of activities
RAIN: Moderate Rain: Rainfall of 2-6mm per hour: Confidence course and Poles and Planks will be cancelled as it becomes too slippery.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall of 6-25mm per hour: All water based activities including kayaking are to be postponed during heavy rain and will not be restarted until it ceases.
Torrential Rain: Rainfall of 25mm per hour or more: All outdoor activities will be cancelled during torrential rain.
THUNDER: Thunder will cause the postponement of some activities for a minimum 15 minute probationary period. If thunder is not heard again within the probationary period the activity may resume. Activities must not be continued within 15 minutes of the last heard thunder. If thunder is continuous the activity will be cancelled until safe to use again. Applicable activities will be advised during your morning supervision training for activities. If thunder occurs while students are on the bush walk, the activity is considered cancelled and the group must make their way back to camp immediately via the quickest and safest route available. This may mean turning around and heading back the way they have come from.
LIGHTENING: If lightning occurs, all outdoor activities are postponed and will not be allowed to resume until 30 minutes after the last lightning flash. All students are to make their way indoors until the probationary period has passed. If thunder continues after this time, follow the policy statement for that weather condition and the activity.
We are excited about your group coming to camp. Prior to arrival, there are a few things you can do to make your stay go smoothly. If you need any help or advice about any of the following:
Organising your cabin groups
Planning a detailed programme including activities and times
Organising your activity groups
Organising an activities rotation schedule
Organising a duties schedule
Please contact our Bookings team for any additional help.
COMMUNICATION
By providing us with all of the necessary information, we will be able to fully understand your requirements around catering, activities your programme and itinerary for your stay. We do from time to time have changes in staff who may not be familiar with your programme or expectations. We also make changes around camp, particularly regarding our activities and equipment. It is always prudent to check that activities are available in order to avoid disappointment.
COUNTDOWN TO CAMP
6 weeks prior to your arrival: Please arrange a site visit if desired. We will go through your itinerary and your activity programme whilst on camp. We will require approximate numbers of children and adults, as well as those opting for vegetarian, gluten free or dairy free meal choices. Also, please advise us of any specific audio/visual needs that you will have at camp. We will also start the Health and Safety consultation, cooperation and coordination safety commitment.
15 days prior to your arrival: Please confirm your final group numbers and an invoice will be emailed directly to you. Payment for camp is required five days prior to your arrival at camp.
ARRIVAL TO CAMP
Carey Park Christian Camp arrival and departure times are:
Check-in: Monday 10:00 am, Wednesday 2:00 pm or Friday 5:00 pm
Check-out: Wednesday 1:00 pm, Friday and Sunday 2:00 pm
Ferndale Lodge arrival and departure times are:
Check-in: 5:00pm
Check-out: 3:00pm
GROUP WELCOME
It is our preference that the host is able to introduce themselves to your camp organiser. So we would ask that the camp organiser contact the host as soon as they arrive on site. The host will then be able to show the organiser around camp, ensure that the safety information is available and also ensure that the organiser of the event is aware of the need for the appointment of a building warden, first aid officer, along with the duties and activity supervisor training where applicable. Once the whole group has arrived our host will present a welcome talk. This talk does not take long but does provide valuable information for your group. If for some reason it is not possible to give the welcome talk because your group are arriving late or over the course of an evening, the welcome talk will be presented at breakfast on the first morning of your stay.
ENVIRONMENT
We try to recycle as much as possible. Place all plastic, metal, glass, paper and card in the bins. All other rubbish should be placed in the other bins located around our buildings. Please respect the natural surroundings of our camps, please leave nothing behind and cause no damage, so that others can experience the same natural beauty. All of our facilities are smoke free; however, there are designated smoking areas at each camp.
NEIGHBOURS
Because our camps are set in natural valleys, noise (even small sounds) tends to be amplified down the valley and this is particularly true at night. There is a need to keep noise to an acceptable level. We would ask that there be no loud outside noise between 10pm and 8am in the morning. We would also ask that no PA systems, megaphones or stereo equipment be used outside.
FACILITIES, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Please play and use the equipment in a respectful way. For your safety we operate a traffic light system around the camp; you will notice Stop (red), Wait (orange) and Go (green) signs located around the activity equipment and buildings. These signs indicate:
Red means STOP. Do not go into this area it is out of bounds to guests.
Orange means WAIT. Because adult supervision is required.
Green means GO. Indicating that equipment can be used with no adult supervision.
The stream areas should not be accessed alone. There should always be at least one competent adult supervising. We recommend that a qualified lifeguard be used whenever possible. Please do not play with sport balls in the area immediately around the buildings. Cars should be kept in the car park area. If you are using tents, they can be pitched in the grassy area as advised by your host. At our facilities the use of candles, incense burners or any other type of naked flame is not allowed inside or around the buildings.
LAUNDRY
There are laundry machines at all of our facilities consisting of washing machines and tumble dryers. All machines require coins to operate. There are also outdoor areas to hang washing.
HEATERS
Bunk rooms cabins and rooms have heaters.
GEAR
Please bring suitable bedding for your stay; the cabins can get quite cold at night during winter. You will also need suitable clothing for being outdoors. Please note that areas of camp can be boggy and muddy so please bring suitable footwear. Also you should bring suitable bug and insect repellent. If you would prefer to not bring your own bedding or towels we can provide them for an additional charge.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
All of our activity staff are certified First Aiders. All kitchen staff have undergone training in good kitchen practice and are hygiene certified. All staff on our sites are police vetted. Our activity equipment is inspected annually by industry accredited auditors specific to the type of equipment being audited. We are registered with the Department of Labour as a provider in accordance with their regulations covering outdoor adventure activities. We are also an OSCAR approved provider undergoing regular audits to the relevant legislation.
FIRST AID
All of our activity staff hold suitable First Aid qualifications. However, you will need to provide your own First Aid Kit suitable for dealing with outdoor activities. You should also bring insect repellent for your group. If you are doing the bush walk, we suggest bringing a portable first aid kit to carry on the walk. At camp you will need to assign a First Aid officer to look after your first aid requirements. Should you have any accidents we would ask that you complete an accident report form. At Carey Park these are located in the first aid room. At Ferndale they are located to the right of the entry to the accommodation block. This information helps us to keep a track of incidents at our facilities, this helps us ensure both equipment and facilities are not going to cause accidents or incidents to camping groups.
EVACUATION
At the start of your camp your host will as part of the initial presentation, explain our emergency procedures for evacuating the buildings. All of our facilities have emergency evacuation alarms installed.
GROUP EVACUATION OFFICER/BUILDING WARDEN
Please note when you arrive at camp you will need to appoint a Building Warden. Between 8:00am to 5:00pm the One Big Adventure staff Building Warden is responsible for the group in the event of an evacuation of the buildings. The groups appointed person should liaise with the Building Warden in the event of an evacuation. The groups appointed person will assume the Building Warden role outside of normal working hours (8:00am to 5:00pm). The groups appointed Building Warden needs to ensure the completion of the Cabin bunk list. This list will act as additional information for the Building Warden and the Fire Department in the event of an evacuation from the building during your stay. Please indicate any persons within your group who may require assistance to leave the building in the event of an evacuation (examples may be people who are hard of hearing, partially sighted, physically or mentally disabled/imparted or infirm.) You should place this completed list as advised by your host. In the event of an evacuation the Building Warden will use this form to establish that all people have been accounted for and removed from the buildings. The Building Warden will pass this information onto the Fire Department upon their arrival. It will also help the Fire Department in the event of them having to rescue anyone, particularly those who require help, by giving the Fire Department a location for the person or persons who may require help or assistance.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/SPECIAL REQUESTS
Please let us know what your Audio Visual needs will be during your time at camp so we can ensure the proper set up is available upon your arrival.
DUTIES
Rather than doing duties while on camp, spend more of your time relaxing by selecting a no duties camp for an additional charge. Please see our ‘Pricing’ pages for a comparison of costs. An adult must be in charge of each daily duty.
CATERING
We are renowned for our healthy and delicious food. Our normal meal times are:
Breakfast: 8:00 am
Lunch: 12:30 pm
Dinner: 5:30 pm Fridays 6:00 pm
If you wish to change these to suit your needs have a chat with bookings. Please note that your first catered meal is dinner. Please ensure that if you are arriving before lunch that your group have a meal with them.
MENU
Our chefs will prepare healthy, balanced and nutritious meals for your stay. Because we cater in bulk for each group staying at our facilities, each lunch and dinner meal will have a meat and vegetarian option. We do provide certain food items at additional cost for those with gluten or dairy free dietary requirements. Please note that we are not able to cater for individual meals, special dietary issues, allergies, etc.
For catered camps only:
Refreshments: Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cordial and water is provided.
Snacks: We provide biscuits, fruit and/or fresh muffins/slice for morning and afternoon tea as well as supper.
Packed lunch: If your group is going out from camp, a packed lunch can be provided in place of your regular provided lunch.
Cooked breakfast: A delicious cooked breakfast is available for your group at an additional cost.
Banquet dinner: The option of a banquet meal is available at additional cost, please discuss with our chefs.
Day visitor meals: Meals are available for day visitors at an additional cost.
ALLERGIES
We only need to be aware of life threatening allergies, so that our kitchen staff can take the necessary steps to reduce the risks. We cannot absolutely guarantee that all traces of these allergy inducing items will be removed. If you are unsure of any meals being provided, you are more than welcome to provide your own meals for those guests who may have any medical anaphylactic shock risks associated with those foods. There are limited facilities for food preparation and cooking.
SAFETY
Our activities undergo an annual audit inspection to ensure that they are provided in the safest possible manner, thereby meeting the highest standards of safety and professionalism. Our certifying body is OutdoorsMark. They are a national outdoor safety audit programme provider tailored for the New Zealand outdoors community. This certification ensures that our equipment and activities management is independently assessed by experts in the field. Where required we are also audited and registered with WorkSafeNZ under the Adventure Activity Regulations 2016. We provide a safe, challenging and fun facility for all of your activities. You will receive all necessary training, highly maintained equipment, up to date RAMS, onsite training and pre-camp planning. All you need to do is turn up and be prepared to supervise and manage activities. Should you want to have your activities supervised by a trained instructor we can provide them for you at additional cost. A description of each activity is provided and staff will be available to train adults for all activities each morning. In addition, each of our activities staff are fully trained and certified in First Aid, with thorough procedures in place in the case of an incident. We are committed to providing your group with a safe and enjoyable experience.
FOR YOUR SAFETY
One Big Adventure creates experiences, challenges, risks and situations that stretch, build and grow people not just in the moment, but for life. We recognise that in providing these experiences through various activities, there are associated health and safety risks. We take steps to mitigate these risks, and work together with you to do so. In the following we outline, Information regarding activities, the risks associated with them, the steps we have taken and would like you to take to mitigate these risks.
RISK DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Acknowledgement of General Risks: Certain risks and hazards are inherent in outdoor activities and cannot be eliminated without destroying the unique character of the outdoors. However, Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge will identify foreseeable risks or hazards and implement correct management strategies along with the availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk. Our systems meet national guidelines. We encourage you to ask any questions about the activities you or your group members will be involved in, to gain a better understanding of the risks involved. You or your group members will/may participate in camp activities such as: low ropes course, team building, swimming, kayaking, archery, campfire, cooking, orienteering, games and sports, flying fox, bush exploration, climbing wall and crate stacking. The safety of each individual is of the utmost importance. We may alter the program at any time, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. Substituted programs will be more appropriate to the circumstances. Instructors and the camp Director have the discretion to stand down participants for repeated or severe misbehaviour during activities. Instructors may and will stop an activity when participant safety is compromised. Certain activities offered at Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge, after receiving training from camp instructors, are supervised by adults and parent helpers. Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge Instructors hold current first aid certification. There is no doctor on site. However, ambulance services have direct access to Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge activity locations, with Waitakere Hospital being located ten kilometres from Carey Park Christian Camp and Ferndale Lodge.
ACTIVITIES
Whilst on camp there are lots of activities to participate in. These are split into supervised lead and instructed activities. There are also a number of other activities located in the local area, and throughout the Auckland region. Supervised lead activities are ones where the nominated adults will lead the other people in the group in taking part in the activity. Our staff will give a briefing to the adults who will supervise the activity, pointing out the nature of the activity, the safety issues and the correct use of the equipment. Instructed activities are those activities which, due to their nature, require some level of competency and training in order to ensure safe outcomes for the participants. With instructed activities our staff will run and supervise the activity.
ACTIVITY PROGRAMME DETAILS
We recommend each activity session to be 1 hour in duration. Please ensure that time is allowed within your programme for duties (approx. 20 minutes before and after meals) and for parent training each morning (30-45 minutes).
ACTIVITY SAFETY
Our activities undergo an annual audit inspection to ensure that they are provided in the safest possible manner, thereby meeting the highest standards of safety and professionalism. Our certifying body is OutdoorsMark. They are a national outdoor safety audit programme provider tailored for the New Zealand outdoors community. This certification ensures that our equipment and activities management is independently assessed by experts in the field. Where required we are also audited and registered with WorkSafe New Zealand under the Adventure Activity Regulations 2016. We provide a safe, challenging and fun facility for all of your activities. You will receive all necessary training, highly maintained equipment, up to date RAMS, onsite training and pre-camp planning. All you need to do is turn up and be prepared to supervise and manage activities. Should you want to have your activities supervised by a trained instructor we can provide them for you at additional cost. A description of each activity is provided and staff will be available to train adults for all activities each morning. In addition, each of our activities staff are fully trained and certified in First Aid, with thorough procedures in place in the case of an incident. We are committed to providing your group with a safe and enjoyable experience.
STAFF TRAINING AND ONGOING COMPLIANCE
All of our activity hosting staff are trained in the supervision and instruction of our activities. Some of this training is based in house, some is provided by independent third party training providers. All training meets industry standards to ensure a safe delivery of activities to you, our guests. Activity and hosting staff all hold recognised first aid qualifications and all staff working at camp are police vetted to ensure your safety. All kitchen staff have undergone training in good kitchen practice and are basic hygiene certified. All staff working at camp “core workers” (i.e. activity staff) as well as “non-core workers” (i.e. administration, kitchen and maintenance staff) are subject to Children’s Worker safety checking, as specified under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014. Volunteers who work at camp are not subject to Children’s Worker safety checking, however they are subject to reference checks and subject to police vetting checks where volunteers are over seventeen years old. Our activity equipment is fully maintained and annually inspected by professional engineers and industry accredited auditors specific to the type of equipment being audited, to ensure that it meets industry safety standards. We are registered with WorkSafeNZ as a provider of adventure activities under the Adventure Activities Regulations 2016. We are also an OSCAR approved provider undergoing regular audits to the relevant legislation.
EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM (EOTC)
We strive to ensure that all school groups coming to camp meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education’s goal for achieving quality, educational outcomes based around education outside the classroom. We do this by using the Ministry of Education’s EOTC guidelines
ADULTS SUPERVISING ACTIVITIES
Where adults are supervising activities, it is important that these activities are provided in a safe manner. We want the ultimate outcome for the people using the activity to be one of experiencing challenge, risk and fun, along with any EOTC goals for school groups. In order for this to happen our staff will Train adults on the activity they will be leading for the day. Adults must remain with the same activity for the day for the safety of the participants. Please refer to the activities instruction sheet and RAMS document for the supervisor to people ratios. Supervisors must not use phones whilst supervising. This causes distraction and a lapse in concentration.
ACTIVITIES SUPERVISION INSTRUCTION SHEETS
All activities have supervision sheets, both for supervised adult lead and staff instructed activities. These sheets are a valuable resource and give details on effective supervision of the activity along with safety tips and an indication of the level of supervision required. You should use these sheets to ensure you have sufficient adults who are suitable to participate in and supervise the activity.
RISK ANALYSIS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM [RAMS]
Each activity has its own RAMS sheet. RAMS sheets give you information around the risks associated with the activity. They also provide management tools for those risks inherent with each of the activities. The risks around our activities are split between: The Environment, The Equipment, and The People. Also included are the generic risks and hazards associated with outdoor adventure activities. Please take time to familiarise yourself and group members coming to camp. These are a great resource to help you with supervising our activities.
WET WEATHER OPTIONS
We have full wet weather options available for you. For any information on wet weather options please contact the Hosting, Activities and Education Manager. Some activities at camp are weather dependant due to the environment in which they are carried out. Decisions to postpone or cancel an activity are made by either the Instructor or by the Hosting, Activities and Education Manager. The group host will be informed. The host will then inform the relevant supervisors of activities. Wet weather activities are allocated as backups in case conditions deem an activity unsafe. These are arranged prior to the group arriving and will be ready to go if needed. Parent training on activities is to include the wet weather alternatives where appropriate. The use of activities will be reviewed at least once a day with forecasts sought from Met-service. Information from this forecast will be shared between activities staff during the morning briefing and any relevant information passed on to the group leader. Postponing or calling off an activity will occur if the safety or wellbeing of the participants becomes questionable or imminent. This can be due to a direct change in weather conditions or by the group’s ability/inability to cope with the conditions, such as insufficient or inadequate clothing, lack of experience with an activity, age etc. This information will be passed on to the adult helpers who are running activities without a staff member. Conditions leading to cancellation of activities
RAIN: Moderate Rain: Rainfall of 2-6mm per hour: Confidence course and Poles and Planks will be cancelled as it becomes too slippery.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall of 6-25mm per hour: All water based activities including kayaking are to be postponed during heavy rain and will not be restarted until it ceases.
Torrential Rain: Rainfall of 25mm per hour or more: All outdoor activities will be cancelled during torrential rain.
THUNDER: Thunder will cause the postponement of some activities for a minimum 15 minute probationary period. If thunder is not heard again within the probationary period the activity may resume. Activities must not be continued within 15 minutes of the last heard thunder. If thunder is continuous the activity will be cancelled until safe to use again. Applicable activities will be advised during your morning supervision training for activities. If thunder occurs while students are on the bush walk, the activity is considered cancelled and the group must make their way back to camp immediately via the quickest and safest route available. This may mean turning around and heading back the way they have come from.
LIGHTENING: If lightning occurs, all outdoor activities are postponed and will not be allowed to resume until 30 minutes after the last lightning flash. All students are to make their way indoors until the probationary period has passed. If thunder continues after this time, follow the policy statement for that weather condition and the activity.
