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Case 8 : Camp fYrefly

Authors

Nina Malek, Western University
Spencer J. Harrison, Camp fYrefly
Ava John-Baptiste, Western University

Case Synopsis

Since its founding in 2004, Camp fYrefly has become Canada’s only national leadership retreat for sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth. The camp has expanded to include two successful locations in Alberta (Edmonton and Calgary), and one in Saskatchewan (either Regina or Saskatoon, alternating annually). The main focus of Camp fYrefly is building leadership capacity and personal resiliency in campers. 2017 is the planned inaugural summer for Camp fYrefly to expand to Peterborough in Ontario. In addition to maintaining Camp fYrefly’s original mission of building resilience and leadership capacity, the Ontario camp director hopes to integrate a holistic approach to health within camp programming.

Case Objectives

1. Define the challenges faced in implementing a health promotion plan.
2. Apply theories associated with health promotion to create plans for Camp fYrefly.
3. Create SMART goals.
4. Critically appraise health-promotion plans.
5. Apply the PRECEDE-PROCEED model.
6. Understand factors to consider when working with minority/vulnerable populations.
7. Understand factors to consider when working with youth.

Case Study Questions

1. Should “holistic health” be a priority within Camp fYrefly programming, and why?
2. Is it possible to create effective health promotion programs when direct contact with the target audience is limited to four days?
3. Can plans for health promotion be extended to create healthier environments within the community? If so, how might that occur? What are possible outcomes?
4. How might resources be prioritized in creating health promotion plans?
5. How can the success of health promotion plans be evaluated within the context of Camp fYrefly? What are some of the challenges associated with doing so?
6. How are health promotion plans shaped by their target audience (in this case, SGM youth)?
7. List challenges associated with creating health promotion plans for use in the Camp fYrefly environment.

Keywords

health promotion, youth, holistic health, holism, sexual minority, gender variant, LGBTQ, SGM

Additional Author Information

Nina Malek, BSc, MPH

Spencer J. Harrison, PhD, Director

Ava John-Baptiste, PhD, Assistant Professor

ISBN

978-0-7714-3141-8

Recommended Citation

Malek, N., Harrison, S.J., John-Baptiste, A. (2017). Camp fYrefly. in: John-Baptiste, A. & McKinley, G. [eds] Western Public Health Casebook 2017. London, ON: Public Health Casebook Publishing.