End of day 5 of the Blue Star’s Youth Camp 2024. I’ve attended two out of the five days - the very first day, and today, the last day. It is a joy to spend time with the youths and in the space of the Blue Star.

Thoughts I shared on social media at the end of the first day, along with further thoughts:

• I was a participant of their very first youth camp (back in the early 90s) because my mom was one of the organisers of the camp… And now I assist with organising and facilitating some of the sessions.

I remember how much time, effort and care was spent in organising those early camps and I have seen how this continues today. It is a kind of seva, selfless service, that is offered by all those (not just in the Blue Star) who work with young people in this way - creating spaces and opportunities for young people to come together, to interact and to learn.

• Each year I find our youths to be brilliant, creative, thoughtful and fun to be around - they give me hope for our future.

The majority of the work that I do is with adults, spending time with younger people is an enjoyable experience. There are lots of conversations about the “youth of today” and often those conversations lean towards the negative but all the youths that I know and interact with are such beacons of light.

• Today was focused on learning about how to be our ‘Best Self’, how to create a vision board and nurture that vision of our best self.

How awesome is this? I know that my experiences at youth camp and as a member of the Blue Star have shaped how I am today - my interest in healing modalities, my love for a wide range of creative activities and the level of care I hold for our environment and all in it. Exposing our youth to these concepts from a young age will lead to them exploring the fullness of the human experience.

Thoughts I shared on social media at the end of the last day, along with further thoughts:

• Amazed by the brilliance of our youth, their openness and eagerness, their skills, abilities and understanding.

Coming into the camp on the last day allowed the opportunity to observe the shifts - how youth were on the first day compared to the last, how they had bonded, how much more comfortable they were with each other and with the facilitators, how willing to participate and express themselves in their own way.

I know that part of this is due to the space that is created by the environment they are in and the facilitators. We are taught to center and ground, to hold the space. They are feeling and learning the same.

Intergenerational living is something that is being studied now - this is how the world used to be at one point in time. I can see the value of us embracing it more fully as I see how the different age groups interact with each other.

• Each year there is growth, strength to strength - in both attendees and organisers.

Some of the youth who were at camp this year have been coming to camp since their preschool days. Some of the organisers and facilitators attended camp as youths themselves and are now taking all that they have learnt to create the camp and programmes for our youth. Their growth is visible, their understanding and grounding as well.

• So encouraging to play my small part in this.

It is - there is joy in being able to share and be with both the organisers and the youth. This year I helped to create a booklet that was used by participants throughout camp to record their thoughts, make notes and remind them of the sessions that were held. At the back of the booklet we included a space for autographs, reminiscent of those last days of school where one would ask friends to sign one’s shirt or leave a message in one’s book. I was asked by a few to sign theirs… and it made me feel a bit like a rockstar.

Have you ever been to camp? Do you work with youths? I would love to know your thoughts, feel free to send me a message via the contact form!

All blessings,

Renee Arundhati