About Us
Our Vision
Purpose
To strengthen a diverse and inclusive community through service, while providing opportunities for individuals to participate in ways they choose.
Vision
A connected community where members come together and participate in the support of one another through friendship and service.
Mission
Open Camps is committed to providing inclusive, innovative, and sustainable programs and services that support the social, recreational, and wellbeing needs of individuals and communities.
Our Values
Participation – active service that is inclusive and valuing of an individual’s ability.
Innovation – adopting new methods to address community needs.
Partnerships – collaborations to advance our shared interests.
Connectedness– engagement through positive and strong relationships, strengthened through diversity.
Sustainability – relevant, appropriate and viable for the future.
Integrity – upholding of high standards in all our actions.
Progression – adapting with a proactive approach to change and opportunity.
Reverence – cherishing, respecting and acknowledging our Toc H history and those who served before us.
History
Open Camps is an initiative of Toc H South Australia Inc, established in 1925.
In 1925, Toc H opened its first Australian branches and the first Youth Camp was held at Mannum in 1928. In addition to the camps, Toc H pioneered community projects such as the Blood Transfusion Service in 1928 (now run by the Red Cross) and The Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme in 1935 (now known as BushKids).
In 1938, Edward Bruce (the brother of Adelaide Lord Mayor Sir Wallace Bruce), heard of the work Toc H, volunteers were performing with children in need. Mr Bruce donated several acres of land at Victor Harbor to Toc H, to be used for the establishment of a permanent campsite. Plans for the main hall and a layout for the surrounding area were drawn up by Sir James Irwin. The main hall was named for the Governor of South Australia at the time, Sir Winston Dugan.
For some eighty years since, Open Camps has been running camps for children in need at the Victor Harbor campsite.
Today, our focus is on enhancing the lives of our community through camps.
Strategic Intent
Open Camps has been strengthening communities since 1925. We are enhancing lives through camps, it’s in our nature.
For over 90 years, we have been Strengthening communities through service. Our strategic development continues this focus through transformational services and corporate success, having two important meanings for us.
Firstly, we are strengthening and supporting our communities through our service, helping those in need.
Secondly, we are building our own community of diverse people, united by a common mission of service to those in need.
There are two inter-related parts of Open Camps that work in cooperation to help us strengthen communities:
- Community driven service; and
- Socially responsible enterprise.
Our service is driven by communities – our communities of volunteers and the communities that we help. In many cases, these two groups are the same, which ensures that we are working with, and for, the best interests of all.
Our commitment to our communities extends to our business enterprises, which are run on the core principle of social responsibility. Our business not only supports and enables our community services, but it is a natural extension of those services.
We welcome you to Open Camps and together we look forward to enhancing the lives of our community through camps.
Governance
Our community and social enterprise are both underpinned by good governance and responsible management, incorporating:
Purpose and Strategy – we will maintain a clear purpose and strategy that aligns to our activities
Roles and Responsibilities – our roles will be clear, with appropriate responsibilities that align to them
Board Composition – we will seek board participation that enables us to fulfill its role
Board Effectiveness – we will strive for excellence and evaluate our effectiveness
Risk Management – our decisions will be informed by our understanding of risk and how it is managed
Performance – we will use our resources appropriately and seek opportunity for growth
Accountability and transparency – the board will demonstrate accountability by providing information to its stakeholders
Conduct and compliance – the expectations of behaviour for all people involved will be clear and understood