Policies & Procedures

Group Registrations

Catholic HEART Workcamp does not accept individual registrations. You must register with a group of at least 2 or more people while adhering to the policies below:

• CHWC requires a 5:1 camper to chaperone ratio. For every 5 campers (under 21 years old), there must be 1 adult chaperone (21 years or older).
• If you have one male camper, you must have at least one male chaperone. Similarly, if you have one female camper, there must be at least one female chaperone in your group. This is to ensure that someone is responsible for the youth in their sleeping quarters at night.

Transportation

You must provide transportation for your group throughout the week. The rule of thumb is that you need the same number of seatbelts as the participants that you are bringing. Drivers will be transporting individuals from other youth groups on weekdays to their worksites in the vehicles they bring.

• For those traveling by bus
  • If you are renting/driving a bus, make sure the bus driver is aware he/she is required to transport teams to and from worksites every day. We cannot be responsible for housing drivers but feel free to invite them for meals.
• 12 and 15 passenger vans
  • 12 & 15 passenger vans are permitted. However, due to liability issues, any groups choosing to travel to camp in them must stay together and will not be placed on a work team with anyone outside of their youth group.

Medical Insurance

All participants must have health insurance in order to attend CHWC. If a participant does not have health insurance, you may purchase a temporary policy through https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/short-term-health-insurance (not associated with CHWC and is merely a suggestion).

Policy on Sexual Harassment 

Catholic HEART Workcamp has dedicated itself to fully upholding the U.S. Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. CHWC is committed to providing a safe environment for every camper. Parents, Youth Ministers, teenagers, young adults, and adult leaders can be guaranteed CHWC is concerned with the well-being, safety, and protection of every camper.

Please review the following:

Catholic HEART Workcamp requires and will provide all Youth Ministers/Contact Leaders with a Verification Agreement Form that requires all attendees 18 and older to complete the requirements of their Parish and its Diocese in regard to their sexual abuse risk prevention policies, training, and background checks. This form will be provided by CHWC and must be signed by the Youth Minister/Contact Leader and Pastor.

CHWC requires all summer staff employees to have a background check prior to being hired by CHWC.

CHWC requires all summer camp staff to make available personal information, references, and recommendations from a Priest/Youth Minister for employment.

Sexual misconduct is defined as unwanted or unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature and can occur when it is directed at members of the same or opposite gender. This includes but is not limited to:

• Written words or verbal comments of a sexual nature
• Sexually motivated or inappropriate physical contact
• Sharing or bragging about one’s sexual experiences
• Pressure for sexual activity
• Pornographic photography or video

Sexual Misconduct of any type is not tolerated!

All reports of Sexual Misconduct are taken seriously and will be reported. If a camper has any concerns about the behavior or remarks from another camper (adult, young adult or teen), he or she is urged to tell the CHWC Staff or a trusted adult.

As an organization, CHWC has developed procedures and policies to deal with sexual misconduct. When a complaint or an allegation is brought to the attention of the camp director/manager/staff member, the following procedures will be set in motion:

1. When a complaint comes forward, the accuser and the youth minister will meet with a CHWC representative to discuss the incident.
2. If the accusation is credible, the parents and the pastor of the accuser will be contacted by the youth minister. A CHWC representative will contact our Safety Environment Specialist and notify the proper authorities.
3. CHWC will create a safe place for the accuser until proper authorities arrive.
4. The home parish of the accuser will be notified. The accused will meet with a CHWC representative and the youth minister. The accused will then be removed from the camp property in the company of an adult from his/her parish until the proper authorities deem it safe and appropriate for him/her to return to camp.
5. Authorities will direct CHWC on continued action.

Priests and Deacons

All dioceses have in place a policy requesting a letter of suitability for all visiting priests & deacons. All priests and deacons that will be attending Catholic HEART Workcamp must inform the Chancellor of the Diocese in which they will be entering (even if they are only visiting for a few hours). A link will be included on the pre-trip website, which will provide you with all information and procedures for requesting a letter of suitability.

Seminarians

Seminarians will be placed with clergy in sleeping quarters and be charged the amount of a full registration spot.

Sick Campers

In order to be in compliance with the Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, CHWC has implemented a POLICY FOR SICK CAMPERS.

• If one of your teens is sick and must stay back from their worksite, the policy is as follows:
  An adult from your parish must stay back to care for them. (When needed, CHWC will replace the work team with another adult).
• If the teen is sick for one full day (and misses going to a worksite), that same day they must visit a local walk-in clinic or hospital for evaluation. Depending on the outcome, a decision will be made as to whether the camper should return home.
• If a camper must return home, it will be at their expense. The adult leader from his/her group will be responsible for getting them to the airport or whatever travel arrangements are made by the parent.

On many occasions, campers are sick when they arrive at camp. Please, for your own benefit and for the consideration of others, do not bring sick teens to camp.

Showers

The majority of the showers are communal, so it is MANDATORY that all campers wear a bathing suit.

Children at Camp

While we love children, CHWC is a camp for teenagers. We cannot accommodate or permit small children or infants at camp or any of the programming activities. For the safety of all, and to follow the guidelines a school or diocese may request pertaining to lodging in the school, as well as liability insurance restrictions, Catholic Heart Workcamp must have this policy in place.