Here are nine creative and quirky camps operating in Ireland and a short guide on how to start your own summer camp business. 

Are you a business owner with children? Do you need to keep them busy over the summer holidays? Perhaps you want to start a summer camp?

As carefree as summer camps aim to be for young people, behind every good camp is a serious business. Here we look at some of the quirkier, less run-of-the-mill Irish summer camps, and how you might go about setting up your own. If you know of other really cool summer camps, let us know on our Facebook page.

Whizzkids 

With programmes on campuses right across Ireland, Whizzkids has established itself as the number one camp for kids and teenagers interested in tech. The week-long camps teach young people about coding, web design and much more.

More info here.

Wizard Academy 

If tech isn’t your child’s thing, perhaps witchcraft and wizardry could be more down their street? Modeling itself as Ireland’s answer to Hogwarts, this County Meath-based camp offers kids classes in potions, magical creatures, spells and more. 

More info here.

Kids Army Bootcamp

Is it time your child learned some survival skills? Based in the wilds of Enniskerry, Basecamp East’s summer camp offers children a range of survival-style training, from air rifling to bushcraft. 

More info here.

Starcamp

For those looking for something more creative, Starcamp promises to boosts kids’ confidence through singing, acting, hip-hop and other performance activities. The camp caters for both boys and girls from the ages of four to fourteen with venues right across Dublin.  

More info here.

Fight Factory Pro Wrestling 

Time to trade in the football kit for spandex? Based in Bray, FFPW is Ireland’s number one pro wrestling school, with former trainees having gone on to superstardom in the WWE. Trainees must be at least 14 years of age. 

More info here.

Punch Lion

Specialising in family friendly comedy shows for children, Punch Lion Comedy Clubs also run comedy workshops for kids, teaching everything from improvisation and stand-up comedy. Different classes cater for ages ranging from 5-12, with workshops for teenagers also on offer.

More info here.

Run Away With the Circus

Juggling, unicycling, pyramid building, diablo, hat manipulation – these are just some of the skills being taught by Circus professionals during this week long summer camp in Cloughjordan this July. Suitable for over eights, with separate groups for teenagers. 

More info here.

Dig it Kids 

Dig it Kids works with teachers and early school practitioners to bring archaeology and history to life in the classroom (and out of it). The camp is tailored to meet the Aistear Programme and the School Curriculum.

“Our mission is to provide fun, hands-on learning for young archaeologists and historians, supporting the Irish curriculum,” says Stephen Mandal, co-founder. 

More info here.

Irish School of Archaeology

For more fun digging, the Irish School of Archaeology runs week-long camps over the summer in its Harold’s Cross and Malahide locations. The camps are aimed at youngsters aged between 7-12 and activities include a Viking house excavation, weaponry and combat, treasure hunts, and a real life archaeology dig. 

More info here.

Running a summer camp as a business 

Got an idea for an Irish summer camp? Here are a few things to consider before you get started. 

1.    Scope

A summer camp is a business like any other, so before you get started you need to decide the scale of your operation and who you need to cater for. How many kids can you facilitate at a time, and for what age groups? Can you accommodate children with special needs? What kinds of activities will you offer, and what kind of facilities will you require? 

2.    Business plan 

Once you know exactly what your camp will look like, it’s time to draft a business plan. A good business plan will help you secure investment, and will be a guide for developing your business. Download a great business plan template here.

3.    Book the venue

Deciding on the venue requirements for your camp is an vital first step. Will you require playing fields, a computer room, or a theatre space? Figuring this out early is crucial, as community centres can get booked up quickly for the Summer months. 

4.    Vetting

If you’re responsible for looking after kids, you’ll need to go through the Garda vetting process; as will the staff you employ at your camp. Hiring people who already have Garda clearance, like a teacher or Montessori employee on summer holidays, could save time. 

5.    Health and safety and insurance

Meeting the appropriate health and safety requirements is a must, as well as getting public liability insurance. Make sure to shop around for the best quote. 

6.    Marketing 

It’s time to fill those places. You need to decide on a budget and the strategy for your marketing. How are you going to differentiate yourself from other camps in the market? Will you place ads in local press or online? Do you have a social media strategy? Can your budget stretch to ads for the national newspapers, radio or TV? Sometimes it can be effective to contact local schools to ask about putting up posters or handing out fliers. Start planning, download a free marketing plan template here.  

Article by Peter Flanagan.

Frank Kelly, a former banker, is now running an experiential luxury travel firm from Tipperary. His target audience is the ‘culturally curious’. 

My formative career was in banking in London with NatWest Bank. After “escaping” branch banking, I had a series of relationship management roles in franchise finance and international banking. I then moved into banking software sales with travel around African and Asia. Then, the entrepreneurial bug caught me, and I went into marketing consultancy and event management. 

What is Hennessy & Furlong?

Hennessy & Furlong, named after my godparents, specialises in experiential luxury travel. We offer customers exclusive access to private castles and historic homes. Guests are welcomed inside by the owners themselves, never an employee guide. Our guests enjoy the experience of being shown around special private homes by their owners. The magic is enjoying relaxed hospitality with their hosts. 

What prompted you to start the business?

There was no eureka moment as such. I know it’s a hackneyed phrase about following your passion, but I have always been excited by travel. Not just going to signature places but finding those places that are “behind the scenes” and not readily accessible. 

Living in London, I have the pleasure of a private tour of No. 10 during Tony Blair’s premiership, a reception at the Houses of Parliament and other exclusive experiences. The excitement of those private visits tour remained with me and is the benchmark when it echoes with the experiences for our guests

Also, when I travelled on business around Asia and Africa, I was often invited inside places that one would never read about online or in any guidebook. 

How did you start the business? 

I was very fortunate to go to the UCD Innovation Academy to develop the concept during an intensive programme in “Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Enterprise”. 

It’s a “learning-by-doing” programme. It made me realise the importance and necessity of a diverse team to bring an idea to fruition. 

Explain more about teamwork and diversity

Through The UCD Innovation Academy, I met other students and alumni who recognised the potential for Hennessy & Furlong. One fellow student, Jason Cooke, came on board as our brand director. Likewise, David Keane, another alumnus, was setting up his website design consultancy, Inkstone. Keith Currams, a videographer, again an Academy graduate, was attracted by the potential to share the Hennessy & Furlong brand with engaging videography. Surrounding ourselves with others who have an entrepreneurial mind-set is vital. 

A broad range of skills and knowledge in the team is crucial to unleashing the value of our experiences to our prospective guests and stakeholders.  

How supportive are state agencies?

Tipperary Local Enterprise Office was our first stop. They were encouraging with both seed funding, in-kind support with digital marketing and sales leads. 

Likewise, Fáilte Ireland was supportive with dedicated mentorship and group workshops with other businesses in the cultural tourism space. The development of the Ireland’s Ancient East branding was perfect timing for us. That new destination brand, aimed at the “culturally curious” aligns neatly with our brand message. 

What needs do you satisfy?

We all have a natural curiosity about people and places that may not be readily accessible. Through our network of contacts and careful relationship building, we can arrange access to places and people that would not be usually available. Indeed, Fáilte Ireland refers to our market as the “culturally curious”. 

What trends do you see in the travel marketplace?

Authentic, local experiences are increasingly being sought by visitors. Indeed, there is an increasing demand for experiences as opposed to products and possessions. 

How do you find these people and places?

Meticulous research, leveraging our network and referrals from people “in the know”.

How did you validate your idea?

The UCD Innovation Academy mantra is “customer discovery”. In practice, that meant conducting “customer conversations” with visitors as they were leaving sites such as The Rock of Cashel and Bunratty Castle. We also listened carefully to others in the travel space: the five-star hotel managers, the premium tour operators and the travel writers. 

What is your key customer segment?

Our target guests are American visitors who are well-educated and for whom travel is part of their lifestyle. They value authentic experiences and love exclusivity. 

What is your focus at the moment?

•    Keeping our team focused, motivated and excited;

•    Sales and revenue – the heartbeat of any business;

•    Finding smart investors (as opposed to passive ones) who share our passion and want to be part of our future success, as well as earning a return on their investment.

Is the business scalable?

Good question. In our view, yes. We watch the evolution of the London-based premium home rental company ONEFINESTAY which is a “high-end AIRBNB” though with a concierge service. Likewise, in the United States, IFONLY sells excellent experiences. For us, scalability will be contingent on a mix of enthusiastic hosts, adequate capital and growing out a team of people. 

What is your ultimate ambition?

To be recognised as the go-to company for exclusive experiences; to attract people and partners who share our passion for unearthing unique, enriching and memorable experiences; to build a financially solid company that rewards our people, our hosts, and our investors. 

Any advice for other startups?

Keep focusing on the customers’ problem as much as possible before designing your solution. Surround yourself with a diverse and motivated team. Validate, iterate as needs be – and never, ever give up. 

Images © Stephanie Joy Photography; © Kees Van Seventer.

Website: www.hennessyfurlong.com.

How busy can you get? As a business owner or an employee, it can be tempting to say yes to everything. This is not good. Learning to say no is a skill most of us have to develop, suggests Moira Dunne, from beproductive.ie. 

During my first job as a consultant, my client told me that I had the ability to say no while making other people feel good about it. I think it was a compliment? It wasn’t something I planned, but when I analysed my approach, I realised I was protecting my work time so I could deliver on my commitments. I always tried to help, but if I couldn’t at the time, I would explain and offer an alternative.

Saying yes is natural

For most of us saying yes comes more naturally than saying no. People genuinely want to help people. We want to be known as “a team player” and don’t want to be difficult. We don’t want to appear overloaded with work either as if we can’t cope with our role. So learning to say no is a skill most of us have to develop.

Saying no by saying yes

So how do we do it? Well, the best way to say ‘no’ is actually to say ‘yes.’ By that I mean to say no to dropping everything at the time of the request but say yes to the time or approach that suits you better. Take control. But do this professionally with consideration so that the requester understands and is happy with your alternative suggestion. And then follow through.

The requests we receive loosely fall into two categories:

1.    A request from an employee or colleague for help or advice

2.    A request from your boss to do extra work over what was agreed

A request from a colleague for help or advice

If you can’t help straight away, offer an alternative time that suits both schedules. Alternatively, consider if you are the only one who can help? If help is needed more urgently, consider if you can direct the requester to a report or training material or another expert.

A request from your boss to do extra work

If you are already working on a plan that was agreed with your boss, then you are in a good position to negotiate. Offer to do the additional work but point out: “This is what I am working on based on the plan we agreed. I will happily do this new work, but I may need to push out one of the original tasks.”

So your objective is to get approval to free up time to do the new task. That way if one of the original tasks doesn’t get done, there is a common understanding why. 

If your boss insists that you still do everything, at least you have provided a reminder of your current workload based on the agreed plan. This can be a subtle way to highlight that your boss is being unreasonable, maybe unintentionally.

Tone of the message

As with most business interactions the tone of delivery will greatly affect how your message is received. Find your own words. Use your judgement about how best to position your response. Consider the other persons’ perspective. If you are clear in your head about why you are responding the way you are, it will start to come naturally.

Emergencies

Of course, there are times when we need just to drop what we are doing and help. Again we have to use our judgement and knowledge of our work situation to identify these times. This will not be a time for alternatives or rescheduling.

Learn to say no – five steps

1. Strive to say yes if you can
2. If you can’t, explain your reasons professionally
3. Provide an alternative
4. Be committed to the alternative
5. Negotiate priorities if saying yes

Saying no can increase your credibility

Saying no from time to time can increase your credibility, as long as it’s done in a professional way. Saying no (or yes with conditions) can sometimes be the right thing to do for your role, your team, and your organisation.

Saying no successfully is all about using your judgement. It’s a trade-off between being helpful and being in control of your work life.