Leaders.
Everything you need to know about being a leader at EC26. This page will be updated regularly with the most up to date information, so keep checking back!
About Camp.
Welcome Letter
Our Philosophy
Our Values
Making EC Work
A Word From Our Director.
Kia ora team,
We are so excited to be inviting you into Easter Camp again for 2026. Whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time, we can’t wait to gather as we celebrate Easter together.
This year our theme is 'The Garden'. It's a place of beginnings, surrender, restoration, and resurrection. From the Garden of Eden, to Gethsemane, to the empty tomb, we are believing God will meet young people powerfully as they encounter Jesus and discover new life in Him. Amid all the fun, chaos, mud, worship, and moments that make camp unforgettable, our prayer is simple. That Jesus would be at the centre, and hearts would be changed.
We’re believing Easter Camp will be a defining moment for thousands of young people. Thank you for journeying with them, praying for them, and preparing to support what God will do. Can’t wait to see you in April!
Nāku, nā
Blue
The Philosophy of Northern Easter Camp.
We were all young once. We can remember wanting to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, something that was fun, adventurous and crazy! For 4000 teenagers and young adults, from the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Auckland and the far North regions, Easter Camp is that place.
Easter Camp is packed full of worship, world-class communicators, live music, sports competitions, seminars, creative arts, talent quests and many other fun and engaging activities. So, why do we do this? Because there are many teenagers in our society who feel misunderstood and confused about many of the issues they face in life.
At camp, we want to create a space where young people can belong to a community, through a local youth community. Together, young people can learn about the issues they face and the challenges they will come across in life. In challenging these young people mentally, physically, spiritually and socially we hope to provide them with tools for life and a hope for the future.
Our Values.
To be a part of camp, it is important that our leaders understand and align with our values.
This is who we are:
• We value each youth community’s identity. Camp is a place where every young person is known and has a place to belong and where each group contributes to wider camp culture.
• We value making camp financially accessible for youth communities.
• We value fun and creativity.
• We value our Baptist inheritance and inclusive kingdom focus.
• We value the work and presence of the Holy Spirit in young people’s lives.
• We value Jesus’ message of justice, grace and love for all.
• We value communicating the full gospel of Jesus, giving every young person opportunities to respond.
• We value strengthening and serving youth communities.
Making EC Work.
One of the challenges of Easter Camp is making sure that every group has a great, personalised experience. We really enjoy being all together and we love how large the event is but we know it works best when your young people feel a part of and are enjoying their small, intimate community too.
We run camp with this large, medium and small spectrum in mind:
Large Scale Gatherings.
Medium-Sized Interaction Between Groups.
Small and Intimate Community Groups.
Our main sessions, which happen each morning and evening, are our largest gathering where we do everything together and on a big scale - there’s a great atmosphere!
Over the course of camp, we all
go on a journey together learning the Easter story through speakers, media, stories, worship, live music, and
a whole lot of fun!
• Activities, seminars and workshops.
• The Village and recreation zones are places for all groups to mix and hang.
• Large-scale Tribal Wars compeitions build friendly rivalry between youth communities during the main sessions.
• Youth communities enter teams in league and social sports competitions.
• Connection with your tenting neighbours.
• Every youth community sets up their own tenting area with a central hang out zone for themselves.
• Small group devotional times are held after every morning session for you to dig deeper into the message or for bible study and prayer. Guided small group questions will be available to help your leaders to lead good discussions.
• You can create group hangouts, one-on-one discussions with your youth and prayer and ministry times together.
Important Note:
Each day of camp contains elements of large, medium and small – remember that you bring your own unique flavour to Easter Camp. Make the most of your communal youth community area by decking it out with decorations, snacks, games, couches and drinks stations.
Who is Who?
Key Leader
2IC
Parents/Adults
Group Leaders
Workers
What’s Expected of Leaders?
We require that every youth community attending Easter Camp is led by a responsible adult called the ‘Key Leader’. There must be one Key Leader for every group, and every group can only have one. This person is ultimately responsible for the whole group and must sleep/stay onsite with their youth community. The Key Leader is our primary point of contact for each group.
THE KEY LEADER:
• Is the person the church considers responsible for the group - leaders, workers and campers - at camp, even if someone else is entering the data for your group registrations, the Key Leader is ultimately responsible.
• Is our main point of contact for all comms prior to camp and has access to the Group Leader Dashboard.
• Ensures that all the right approvals, payments, tickets and admin are organised before camp.
• Must register their group before campers can purchase tickets in their group.
• Ensures that a RAMS form is completed for any activities they will be running at camp including site set-up and pack-down
• Ensures that police checks are completed for each leader and worker in their care
• If you need to change your Key Leader or their contact details, please email info@easter.camp ASAP and we will get this updated for you.
2IC.
In addition to the Key Leader, groups are also able to nominate a 2IC (Second in Charge) who can step in and act as the Key Leader where necessary. Appointing a 2IC is entirely optional and at the discretion of the Key Leader of a group.
THE 2IC:
• Can act as the Key Leader over the duration of camp (i.e. if the Key Leader is dealing with an emergency and/or has to leave site).
• Works alongside and supports the Key Leader in providing leadership to your group over the weekend, thereby sharing responsibility for the group.
• May report to camp in place of the Key Leader, particularly in attending rostered duties, medical, registrations and/or representing the group when the Key Leader is otherwise unavailable.
• To nominate a leader as your 2IC, you need to open their rego and then tick the 2IC box.
Parents.
We encourage you to bring older adults to act as ‘Camp Mum’ or ‘Camp Dad’. Ask them to ‘host’ your youth community over the weekend and keep a special eye out for your youth.Oftentimes, parents are the ones who keep your leaders going. We have found the more camp parents we have, the more smoothly things seem to run. If you are a smaller group, try to get along one or two camp parents. If you are a group of 50 or more, it would be great to have at least four camp parents and more if your group size is bigger.
If you are smart with this, you can double up your parents to be your contributing workers, which also gets them in at the Worker ticket price of $175pp.
PARENTS:
• Are there to help support the Key Leader, leaders and campers.
• Act as the ‘spiritual’ mum and dad for your youth community’s village, making people feel connected and comfortable by being available to chat and pray (they are usually slightly older).
• Have bought a leader ticket.
• May be required to wear high visibility vests (supplied) and help with quieting the camp at bed time.
• Are expected to be police-vetted as part of your own screening process.
Group Leaders.
We recommend a leader to camper ratio of 1:5-1:7 depending on the size of your group and type of teenagers you are dealing with (and would adjust this to 1:3 for teens needing more attention).
Note: this ratio is for the same gender e.g. 1 female leader to every 5 female campers respectively.
Approaching potential leaders early will get them keen to be part of camp - this in turn both ensures leaders can get to one of the pre-camp leaders’ meetings and help you recruit campers from your youth community.
GROUP LEADERS:
Are there to help look after the young people at camp
• Are 18+ years of age.
• Are considered suitable by the Key Leader for the role and responsibility.
• Have bought a leader ticket.
• Are expected to be police-vetted as part of your own screening process
We cannot run camp the way we do or as cost-effectively as we do without the help of an army of workers, which is where you come in. We ask that every youth community brings at least one worker to Easter Camp per 50 campers.
Bringing workers to camp also means you get to spend time with your youth instead of running camp.
Your workers need to purchase a Worker ticket at the discounted price of $175pp.
Workers will be assigned roles and rosters upon arrival to camp. Please bring your workers with you when you come to Rego Night on the first night.
WORKERS:
• Buy a worker ticket as part of your group.
• Work at least four hours per day on assigned camp duties (kitchen/sports etc) .
• Are expected to be police-vetted as part of your own screening process.
• Must be 18+ years of age.
• Must read the Workers' Guide before purchasing their ticket.
• Must be trustworthy and reliable - heaps of workers do not show up for their allocated duty. Not cool. We reserve the right to charge your group the full camper rate for any workers that do not complete all their assigned duties.
• Note: once our worker quota is reached, worker ticketing will close, typically 7-14 days before main ticketing closes. Please be organised and encourage your workers to get their tickets early
What’s Expected of Leaders?
• Make the most of the weekend by spending as much time as possible with your young people and looking out for them - you are responsible for all those registered under your group’s name.
• Help new members of your group to integrate and feel part of what is going on.
• Be available for one-on-one ministry to your own young people throughout camp. We want to make the response times particularly a safe environment - youth leaders (and camp parents) are responsible for counselling their own young people and following up on the commitments made or needs expressed. Please do not counsel or pray with young people from other youth communities unless you have been specifically invited by their leadership to do so.
• Ask for help from the Easter Camp team if you feel out of your depth in any situation and co-operate with requests made by the EC team.
• We will have trained and qualified counsellors at camp to support you and your group.
• We expect that there will be times of prayer and ministry with your young people. If you feel your leadership team needs equipping in this area, please allow time for training prior to camp.
• Leaders lead. If you see something uncool or unsafe around camp, please step in. All young people need to be kept safe and it is the responsibility of all leaders to help facilitate this.
Pre-Camp Leaders’ Meetings.
WAIKATO
Tues 4th March at 7pm
Hamilton Central Baptist
33 Charlemont Street, Whitiora
HAWKES BAY
Mon 17th March at 7pm
Village Baptist Church
147 Te Aute Road, Havelock North
MANAWATU
Tues 18th March at 7pm
Central Baptist Church
190 Church Street, West End,
Palmerston North
WELLINGTON
Weds 19th March at 7pm
The Salvation Army
125-137 Johnsonville Road, Wellington
TARANAKI
Thurs 20th March at 7pm
Northpoint Baptist Church
116 Mangati Road, Bell Block, New Plymouth
Registrations Guide.
Ticket Prices
Timeline of Price Increases
Ticket Prices and key dates.
$265
EARLY BIRD
CUT OFF: SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2026
*Unless sold out prior.
To qualify for the early bird rate, camper and leader tickets must be purchased before midnight on Sunday 15th February. After midnight, Regular camper and leader tickets will go on sale.
$245
EARLY BIRD FAMILY
CUT OFF: SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2026
*Unless sold out prior.
Family tickets are designed to make it easier on families whose parents have to finance more than one child to attend camp. To qualify for these discounted tickets,
2 or more Family tickets must be purchased in the same transaction before midnight on Sunday 15th February.
The family discount applies only if:
• Campers are high-school-aged.
• Campers are financially dependant on the same parent/guardian.
• The registrations are part of the same online ticket purchase/transaction.
Please note:
• Proof that the campers are from the same family may be requested.
• Family Assistance tickets are not available after the Earlybird cut-off.
• Family Assistance tickets do not apply to siblings who are financially independent, over 18 years or are buying leader or worker tickets.
$290
STANDARD TICKET
CUT OFF: SUNDAY 15 MARCH 2026
To qualify for the regular rate, tickets must be purchased before midnight on Sunday 30th March. After midnight, Last Minute tickets will go on sale.
$315
LAST MINUTE
CUT OFF: SUNDAY 29 MARCH 2026
Last Minute tickets are for late regos only and are available up until midnight on Sunday 13th April.
IMPORTANT: If you have a camper wanting to join your group after tickets have closed, bring them to camp with you and we will sort them at Rego Night.
Note: the Key Leader is responsible for making sure they can pay at camp, either via cash or eftpos.
WORKER TIckets
$175
CUT OFF: SUNDAY 29 MARCH 2026
IMPORTANT: Worker tickets will close as soon as the quota is reached - this is typically much earlier than Sunday 29 March. Please get your workers onto their
tickets quickly - first in, first served.
CHILD TIckets
In some cases it is necessary for your leaders to bring their children to camp. Thus we have two ticket types available for children:
0-5 years old (pre-school) FREE
6-12 years old (years 1-8) $175
We know it can be tough for parents to balance looking after young people while watching their own kids so we provide
a children's programme during the morning meeting times (unfortunately this programme is unable to cater for children younger than 3 years old).
For safety reasons, we can’t have children wandering around the site unsupervised, so if your children are not in the programme, they will need to be looked after by their parents. Parents need to indicate on the ticket rego form whether a child will be enrolling in the children's programme or not.
Young Y9s & Old Y13s
Easter Camp is for high-school aged teens between 13-18 years old. However, it’s not uncommon for a Year 9 to be under 13 years of age, or a Year 13 to be over 18 years old.
These campers can still register, however it is your responsibility to ensure these campers are still in high-school (i.e. not still in intermediate or already graduated from high-school).
SPECIAL DIETS
$55
We provide for gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian diets at an extra charge of $55 for the full weekend. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide for more specific diets, intolerances or allergies. If a camper has specific food allergies, please make sure they bring appropriate medical supplies and check the ingredients lists available at every meal.
EC Calendar.
September.
October.
February.
March.
April.
EC KEY Contacts.
Please contact the appropriate person with your queries.
Event Administrator
Event Manager
Finances
Info & Regos
Programming
Operations
FAQs and Policies.
Important Info
Our Policies
T&Cs
Important Info.
ANXIETY & SENSORY
We acknowledge that some areas of Easter Camp can be overstimulating for some people. If one of your youth needs extra attention in this area please come prepared to assist them appropriately.
WHEELCHAIR FACILITIES
There are wheelchair-friendly toilets and showers on site. If a camper needs access to these, this should be clearly stated on their registration form under the ‘Medical Notes’ area.
CAREGIVERS
If a camper needs to bring a caregiver with them to camp, the caregiver must buy a camper or leader ticket. Please email info@easter.camp for any help or questions about this.
LGBTQIA+
If you have a camper who identifies as transgender, we would love to discuss with you how we can best welcome and accommodate them. Please email support@easter.camp before camp.