Our Story

At Edmund Rice Camps SA (ERCSA), we believe that every child deserves a happy, and safe childhood. For 30 years, we have strived to create a world where children who have experienced childhood adversity and trauma can thrive and belong by creating a space where they can just be kids.  

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We provide a variety of group-based, recreational activities, including week-long and weekend camps and follow up day programs for participants who otherwise could not afford or access opportunities like this. We are also committed to the personal growth and development of all young adult volunteers, who serve as friends and mentors to those in our care.

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Edmund Rice Camps take our name and inspiration from Edmund Rice, an 18th Century Irish businessman, philanthropist, and educationalist. Edmund lived an extraordinary life, filled with personal tragedy, that led him to a life dedicated to working, living with, and providing opportunities for the disadvantaged children of Ireland.

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Edmund Rice Camps originated at a Christian Brothers School in Melbourne in 1981 to assist the development of community between new students arriving from Vietnam and existing students at the college. The concept and program were so successful that they began running camps for children from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds soon after. Edmund Rice Camps were born and began to spread over Australia and the world in the following years. The very first South Australian Edmund Rice Camp was held in 1990 and in 2020 Edmund Rice Camps South Australia celebrated 30 years of service.