Identify the students
Year advisers, wellbeing staff and school counsellors are usually the best judges of who would benefit. There is no set quota per school.
For schools and youth workers
Referring a student
RYPEN is a three-day residential program for students aged 13 to 17, run twice a year by Rotary District 9660. We take students from anywhere in the district, roughly Morisset to Woolgoolga and west to the state borders, and either camp is open to any of them. There is no cost to the school and no paperwork for you to administer.
Which students
The ones who would never nominate themselves
RYPEN is often most valuable for students who are capable but under-confident, or who would benefit from stepping outside their usual social group in a safe, supportive setting.
Some of the strongest outcomes come from young people who simply have not yet had the chance to see what they are capable of. It is deliberately non-competitive, with no marks and no rankings, so it works for students who do not thrive in an achievement-based setting.
From disengaged on the first day, to opening up and embracing the silly.Team leader, on what changed across the weekend
Not a leadership prize. Schools sometimes send their school captain. RYPEN will not do them any harm, but the students who get the most from the weekend are usually the ones a bit further down the list.
Being straight with you
What RYPEN is not
RYPEN is a growth opportunity, not a behaviour intervention. Participants come because of their potential, not because of their problems, and the weekend is built to stretch young people who are ready to be stretched.
The camp is run by a volunteer team, each leading a group of young people across three intense days. That model cannot provide one-to-one care. RYPEN is not resourced for participants who need constant individual supervision, clinical or therapeutic support, or significant personal assistance to manage a residential setting away from home.
This is not about excluding anyone. It is about being honest so that nobody arrives at a camp that cannot give them what they need.
Not sure if it suits someone?
Talk to us before they apply. Email rypen@rotary9660.org.au and we will work through it with you honestly. We would far rather have that conversation early than on the first afternoon of camp.
How referral works
Three steps
Put the family in touch
Pass the family this website, or email us their details with their permission. The application is completed by the participant or their parent or guardian, not by the school.
We approach the local club
Many participants are sponsored by a local Rotary club, which covers or shares the camp fee. If the family is not already connected to a club, we will approach their nearest one on their behalf. We cannot promise sponsorship, but we can promise to ask.
The next camp
RYPEN South 2026 runs Saturday 3 to Monday 5 October 2026 at the Great Aussie Bush Camp, Tea Gardens, for young people aged 13 to 17. The cost is $440 per participant. Applications close Saturday 19 September 2026.
Student safety
All leaders and adult volunteers hold a current NSW Working with Children Check and complete Rotary youth protection training before the camp. A risk management plan is prepared and approved for every camp, and medical, dietary and emergency contact details are collected for every participant as part of the application.
Want to talk it through?
We are happy to speak to a year adviser or wellbeing team, or to send material you can pass on to families.