Our Purpose
We are a community
that builds purpose and hope for young people.
At Edmund Rice Camps SA (ERCSA) we believe that every child deserves a happy, and safe childhood. We strive 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.
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.
It is our priority to encourage sustainable change and development within communities, by promoting resilience, a sense of purpose, and aspirations for the future in every child, adolescent, and adult that attends our programs. 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.
Our Values
As Eddie Ricers, we create authentic relationships in an environment of safety and fun that facilitates growth.
Edmund Rice Camps take their name from Edmund Rice, a wealthy 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.
Edmund Rice Camps originated at a Christian Brothers School in Melbourne in 1979 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.