Leadership Program
Leadership Program Information
Kamp Kiwanis Leadership Programs are fully subsidized summer leadership experiences provided by Project Kampfire for youth who are finishing Grade 8-11. Programs are between 7 to 16 days long.
Summer 2026 Sessions *Updated Apr 24
July 3-9: SITES (Setting Off in Training for Excellence) for 15 year olds
July 13-19: RITES (Rising in Training for Excellence) for 14 year olds
July 22-19: LITES (Leaders in Training for Excellence) for 16 year olds
August 2-17: KITES (Kounsellors in Training for Excellence) for 17 year olds
*Note: the KITES program runs over 2 sessions of the regular summer camp program. We reviewed our leadership programs and changed them to correspond with specific ages. This will allow graduates of the program (i.e., those who finished KITES) to be eligible to work as counsellors the following year, subject to full supervision standards.
Program Specifics
Click here for more information on each leadership program.
Location
Kamp Kiwanis Leadership Programs will be held at Camp Connect, located off Highway 68 on the north side of Sibbald Lake. Click here for more information about Camp Connect.
Accommodations
Campers and counsellors sleep in bunkbeds in heated yurts or cabins. Overnight trips will be in tents or under tarps, depending on location of trip.
There are indoor washrooms and showers, including those for single-occupant, and outhouses.
Food
Project Kampfire’s Food Services team provides all meals and snacks for campers. Food coming from the kitchen will be nut free. We are able to accommodate a wide variety of dietary needs with information provided in advance on forms. The common dietary restrictions that can be accommodated are: nut free, gluten free, vegetarian/vegan and lactose free. If a camper has dietary needs outside of these food restrictions, we will refer families to our food services manager to discuss a dietary plan.
Transportation
Project Kampfire provides bus transportation at no cost for campers from Calgary to the camp on the first day of each session and from camp to Calgary on the last day of each session. Alternate arrangements can be made if campers are unable to use bus transportation.
Risk Assessment and Management
Project Kampfire aims to provide a safe and enjoyable leadership program experience and has done so for more than 75 years. Our staff have provided current criminal records checks and hold current certifications in standard first aid and CPR along with other training in risk management, emergency procedures, child and youth care, and the program material. Staff leading activities such as canoeing, the low element challenge course, hiking and trips hold additional certification in these areas.
Project Kampfire is an accredited member of the Alberta Camping Association (ACA) and meets the basic standards of good practice & safety as set by the ACA.
More information will be provided in health and permission packages sent to selected campers.
For any questions regarding Leadership Programs please contact Jenn Radder, Programs Director at programs@projectkampfire.com or 587-317-7854
How to Attend
Project Kampfire’s Leadership Programs are different from most summer camps. While many camps use a first-come, first-served registration model, our process is based on a nomination system.
The majority of nominations come from teachers, but anyone can nominate a youth. We accept nominations from outside the Calgary area as long as families can arrange transportation to and from the camp or to and from one of the designated bus stop locations in Calgary.
Once the forms are collected, a selection committee comprised of Project Kampfire Members and Staff will review all nominations and select the campers that would most benefit from a summer leadership experience. We use different criteria to assess nominees for our Leadership Programs than for our regular camp programs. The ideal youth leaders will show emerging leadership qualities at school, home, or in their community. They will also express a desire to take on more responsibility within their community and an interest in gaining or improving interpersonal and outdoor skills. An interest in working with younger children in the future is also encouraged. Health and permission packages will be sent to selected campers in early June.
Unfortunately, there are only a certain number of spots available and sometimes it is necessary to create a wait list for campers.
Nomination Forms
Nominations for Summer 2026 are now open! Nomination forms are due Thursday, May 21st, 2026. Please click on the links below (according to the age your youth will be at the start of the program) to fill out a nomination form:
