By Garry Sanossian
Thirty primary-aged children peer nervously through bus windows as it pulls into The Tops Conference Centre. Outside, a sea of leaders erupts into cheers—dancing, grinning, and waving handmade signs, each one boldly bearing the name of a soon-to-be camper. From their very first moment at Southern Cross Kids Camp, kids receive the message loud and clear: You belong here.
For over two decades, at-risk children have experienced the life-changing care, presence, generosity, and love of Southern Cross Kids’ Camps.
The program has always been close to hearts in churches of Christ, with a passionate group of our churches having championed the now national program that hosts camps in NSW, Victoria, Northern Territory, South Australia, and Queensland.
While these camps been life-changing for hundreds of children each year, they have also been transformative for countless volunteers over the years from a wide range of churches.
“What surprised me the most was the way a week can make such a difference in their lives,” said Georgia Culey, member of SeeChange Community Church and a Program Leader at The Tops Conference Centre.
Georgia has been a volunteer on over 20 SCKC camps across multiple locations over the past eight years.
“I’ve seen and heard countless stories of kids who have come to camp for a week, had a safe environment to be themselves and be kids, and then seen how this shifts and shapes who they are in the future,” she said. “So much can happen in a week.”
For one week, children experiencing vulnerability or challenging life circumstances are welcomed into an environment designed entirely for care, consistency and connection. At Southern Cross Kids’ Camps, each child is matched with a dedicated adult ‘Buddy’, surrounded by a team of experienced children’s ministry leaders and professionals such as educators, mental health professionals, and nurses, committed to creating a safe, family-like environment.
Tammy Preston was one of the first Australian directors trained by the American Royal Family Camps and helped establish Southern Cross Kids’ Camps locally in 2000 alongside its founders. The camp model used by Southern Cross Kids’ Camps originally came from Royal Family Camps in the United States, where one adult is paired with two children. The concept began in the 1980s to support kids who had experienced neglect or trauma. Tammy was trained by the American team, but while the idea was inspired by the U.S. model, SCKS was shaped locally to meet the unique needs of Australian children. The two remain separate organisations, though they share a similar structure and mission.
One of the camp directors, Tammy Preston.
“These camps are designed to feel like a family,” Tammy said. “For one week, these kids have aunties, uncles, big brothers and sisters all showing them that they matter.”
With the support of churches of Christ and access to The Tops Conference Centre, Tammy helped establish three camps at the site. Two of these continue to run at The Tops, while the original camp now operates at Waterslea in partnership with Nowra Church of Christ.
A defining feature of Southern Cross Kids’ Camps is the special support provided to each child. Every child is paired with a trained adult who offers consistent care and focused attention throughout the week. “It’s one-on-one. That Buddy is solely there for them, for these are kids who often haven’t had someone constant in their life,” Tammy explained.
Kids enjoying outdoor activities at camp.
Around the buddy and camper is a broader team of volunteers playing roles as ‘aunties’, ‘uncles’, ‘grandmas’ and ‘grandpas’, each playing a role in forming a family-like environment. “You might have a grandma who reads them a story at night, or an auntie who makes sure they’ve got clean clothes,” she said. “It’s those simple, caring moments that create something powerful.”
Each morning, campers gather for “J-Zone,” a time to reflect on stories from the Bible that remind them they are loved, accepted and never alone. “We want them to know that God sees them and walks with them. That message matters,” Tammy said.
Camp director, Miekle Bennet, leads ‘J-zone’.
The program is built not only on care, but on empowerment. Each activity is designed to help children succeed and rediscover confidence in themselves. “The activities are really designed for them to have success,” Tammy said. “We support them to try things they might normally avoid because they think they can’t.” From horse riding and swimming to crafts, games and talent shows, every moment is structured to help children feel capable, brave and celebrated. “They might come in saying ‘I can’t,’ but by the end of the week, they’re saying ‘I did,’” she said.
Georgia bears witness to how consistent love and care can reflect something much deeper – God’s own heart for his children. “At the end of the week, there’s a deeper sense of understanding God’s love for his children,” she reflected.
“You see his love move through you and through others in such a significant way.”
Connection at camp through games.
Kids try different activities during the week.
While the week at camp is full of fun activities, its impact is profound for the development of the children who attend. Linda Salem, a psychologist who first connected with Southern Cross Kids’ Camps through her church community, Kingsford Church of Christ, in 2001, was initially sceptical about what one week could accomplish. When Tammy Preston was establishing the first NSW camp, she reached out to Linda for her professional expertise. “22 years ago, I was extremely doubtful that one week made any difference in the life of these children,” she said. But her perspective changed as she witnessed the camps’ impact firsthand.
“I work with vulnerable families. For 35 years I’ve worked with them and, working with them over two or three years [at a time], I have never seen as much change as you can get for a child in one week [at this camp],” Linda explained.
Linda Salem, volunteer psychologist at SCKC.
At camp, children receive something many have rarely experienced: consistent, focused attention and celebration. “They have one-on-one attention from their buddy and they are given a lot of encouragement to take steps towards achieving small goals,” Linda explained.
Campers enjoy a visit to the beach.
“The kids are celebrated from morning to night. This is all children need, they need a lot of encouragement and to experience themselves differently.”
One story that stayed with Linda is about a boy who was incredibly dependent on his parent. After two years of modest progress in therapy, she referred him to camp. While the first three days were difficult, something shifted when he connected with his buddy and made friends. “This experience at the camp set him up for high school – he’s never looked back,” Linda said.
“Children really develop well in environments that promote their strengths and it creates new neural pathways so that they can actually carry those behaviours into their environments when they get home.”
Campfire night with interactive activities.
Campers practice teamwork during an adventure activity.
The transformation does not stop with the children. For many caregivers and foster families, the changes continue well after the camp ends. “It’s just so life transforming for these kids and their families,” Linda said. Many of the children who attend are in foster care placements, not living with their families of origin, which makes the transformation even more significant for their caregivers.
Linda consistently hears from families and foster carers about the positive changes. “We’ve got a lot of testimonies from families and caregivers that the kids were different. They can’t wait to come back to camp.” This transformation creates a positive cycle as children return home with improved emotional regulation and social skills and strengthens relationships with their caregivers.
Belinda McInnes became the CEO of Southern Cross Kids’ Camps in April 2024, but her journey with the organisation began 15 years earlier as a volunteer buddy. “It was the personal invitation of my then life-group leader through my church. He asked me if I’d come along and be a buddy for a little 9-year-old girl,” she recalled. That single invitation sparked a journey from volunteer to CEO, reflecting the organisation’s approach to growing leaders from within the mission-driven community.
Today, 18 camps operate across Australia, with plans to expand to 20 next year. “We know these kids miss out on a lot,” she said. The camps address this by ensuring every child receives undivided attention from their dedicated buddy, often experiencing this level of focused care for the first time. “If we’ve got 30 kids there, we’ve got 50 leaders,” Belinda noted. “I have not heard of another camp that does what we do with the one-to-one buddies.”
Belinda shared that the SCKC leadership team have a vision to expand the SCKC program by developing ‘Wild Camps’ which is a new initiative designed to support children as they transition into high school. Currently in the pilot phase, ‘Wild Camps’ aim to build on the foundations laid at SCKC by offering ongoing connection, resilience-building and mentoring for older children beyond the age of 12. “When we ask kids what they want to do when they grow up, they tell us they want to come back and be a buddy,” Belinda explained. Already, 30% of Wild Camp graduates have returned as leaders.
All Southern Cross camps operate entirely through donations, with no government funding and zero cost to families or participants. “Some people go on camp, some people pay for camp,” Belinda said, highlighting that both volunteers and donors play equally crucial roles. Each camp is run by local church partnerships, ensuring the ministry remains connected to ongoing community support rather than being a standalone event.
The organisation’s model of local churches partnering with national oversight has created what she describes as “a mission in your own backyard,” reaching out to children who desperately need to know they are valued and not alone. The three NSW camps are now led by teams from Kingsford Church of Christ, Kingsway Community Church (Caringbah), and Nowra Church of Christ, in partnership with other local churches from a range of backgrounds.
For volunteers like Georgia, these camps represent a unique way for churches to reach their vulnerable community. “It’s such a unique way to connect the church to the community,” she said. “Whether through volunteering, contributing financially, or referring families, churches can be part of something that creates special change for each individual that comes to camp.”Southern Cross Kids’ Camps continues to grow through the power of local churches, the dedication of volunteers, and the generosity of donors. To volunteer, donate or partner in this life-changing ministry, visit the Southern Cross Kids’ Camps website, or reach out at hello@ccnswact.org.au to be put in touch with SCKC leadership in Sydney. Every contribution helps ensure another vulnerable child experiences a week that could change their future.
