Help Sara & Sam Start Camp Quest EU
Donation protected
Camp Quest is a network of residential summer camps that promotes science, philosophy and freethought in a safe, fun and welcoming environment.
Camp Quest UK (CQUK) was set up by Samantha Stein who, after
volunteering at CQ in Michigan in 2007, was so impressed with the idea
that she resolved to bring the concept to Europe. The first camp ran
in 2009, and was subject to intense international media attention,
since apparently 24 children camping and talking about nerdy subjects
in a field in Somerset is worthy of international scrutiny. The Daily
Mail were particularly concerned, asking "Should be we worried?"
(Spoiler alert: no)
CQUK aims to bring together a community of free-thinking young people and families, dedicated to exploring life's most interesting questions through rational inquiry, critical and creative thinking. The camps offer a safe, fun and challenging environment to children and young people, regardless of their personal beliefs, to share their thoughts about the big questions in life. We investigate tough and thought-provoking issues and hope to foster in young people an approach to life of empathy, reasoned thought, self-respect, self-expression, cooperation, and ethical deeds.
CQUK runs an educational programme based on humanist philosophy and values but is open to families of all worldviews. While individual staff and campers may hold a range of beliefs, Camp Quest generally affirms the following (adapted from The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles):
-We are committed to the application of reason and science to the
understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
-We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We
want to nourish reason and empathy.
-We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our
creative talents to their fullest.
-We are sceptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to
novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.
-We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of
resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.
Now that Camp Quest UK has been running for 7 years of camp, it's time
to take over Europe! Sam and Sara are looking to unite and facilitate
the creation of Camp
Quests across Europe by founding Camp Quest Europe as a non-profit
umbrella organisation. The idea is that we will fundraise centrally
and assist individual camps with expenses they may incur, such as
purchasing specialist equipment (e.g. telescops). We would also be
able to allocate seed money to the startup of new camps across Europe.
We are therefore looking for initial start up capital to:
- Acquire the Camp Quest trademark across Europe (€900)
- Set up a "stichting" (foundation) in the Netherlands that will be
the umbrella organisation for future EU camps. This will require
consulting tax advisors, notaries and accountants
- Start planning for our 2017 camp (English speaking camp based in
Europe, most likely the Netherlands)
- Produce a professional looking video for our planned Kickstarter to
raise funds for part-time salaries, the proposed exchange program and
supporting low-income families with reduced price places at the camps.
Help us begin this journey towards a new generation of free-thinkers
across the world!
Camp Quest UK (CQUK) was set up by Samantha Stein who, after
volunteering at CQ in Michigan in 2007, was so impressed with the idea
that she resolved to bring the concept to Europe. The first camp ran
in 2009, and was subject to intense international media attention,
since apparently 24 children camping and talking about nerdy subjects
in a field in Somerset is worthy of international scrutiny. The Daily
Mail were particularly concerned, asking "Should be we worried?"
(Spoiler alert: no)
CQUK aims to bring together a community of free-thinking young people and families, dedicated to exploring life's most interesting questions through rational inquiry, critical and creative thinking. The camps offer a safe, fun and challenging environment to children and young people, regardless of their personal beliefs, to share their thoughts about the big questions in life. We investigate tough and thought-provoking issues and hope to foster in young people an approach to life of empathy, reasoned thought, self-respect, self-expression, cooperation, and ethical deeds.
CQUK runs an educational programme based on humanist philosophy and values but is open to families of all worldviews. While individual staff and campers may hold a range of beliefs, Camp Quest generally affirms the following (adapted from The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles):
-We are committed to the application of reason and science to the
understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
-We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We
want to nourish reason and empathy.
-We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our
creative talents to their fullest.
-We are sceptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to
novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.
-We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of
resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.
Now that Camp Quest UK has been running for 7 years of camp, it's time
to take over Europe! Sam and Sara are looking to unite and facilitate
the creation of Camp
Quests across Europe by founding Camp Quest Europe as a non-profit
umbrella organisation. The idea is that we will fundraise centrally
and assist individual camps with expenses they may incur, such as
purchasing specialist equipment (e.g. telescops). We would also be
able to allocate seed money to the startup of new camps across Europe.
We are therefore looking for initial start up capital to:
- Acquire the Camp Quest trademark across Europe (€900)
- Set up a "stichting" (foundation) in the Netherlands that will be
the umbrella organisation for future EU camps. This will require
consulting tax advisors, notaries and accountants
- Start planning for our 2017 camp (English speaking camp based in
Europe, most likely the Netherlands)
- Produce a professional looking video for our planned Kickstarter to
raise funds for part-time salaries, the proposed exchange program and
supporting low-income families with reduced price places at the camps.
Help us begin this journey towards a new generation of free-thinkers
across the world!
Organizer
Sara Melisa Lone
Organizer
