This camp is an embodied village experience of around 100 adults and children, with both ‘whole village’ time, and more focussed time and space for adults and children to develop their passions in small groups exploring different skills each morning.
The activities you can focus in on 2026 are:
Story Gathering and Telling,
Bird Language
Tanning
Harmony Singing,
Interspecies Communication,
Village Building,
Fire Making,
Nature Connection Mentoring
and many more of the core routines of nature connection such as sit spot, animal forms, tracking etc….
The flow and content of the week is based on previous 8 Shields ‘Art of Mentoring’ camps, exploring how a connected, regenerative culture feels, and how to create it in your own life and community. Each morning in the whole group we’ll explore cultural repair, such as – mentoring techniques, peace building tools, grief tending, elements of a healthy community etc., then the rest of the morning is spent in one of the small group activities listed above. Each day you can choose a different activity, growing your skillset.
The afternoons start with a more relaxed nature connection practice opportunity (and/or napping opportunity!) followed by another activity slot, then an afternoon circle where we regather before dinner.
The Connection Camp is cultural healing and deep nature connection, developing your skills and embodiment, bringing together the heart, head and hands in this powerful re-villaging adventure.
In this week of summertime splendour you’ll be wrapped in a fun and transformative cultural container that brings out the best in everyone. You’ll be guided by a team of open-hearted, creative and wild-wise facilitators.
As well as the small group activity sessions there will also be a Village Hearth, where the whole village gathers for songs, storytelling, teachings, ceremonies, morning and afternoon circles, and evening fireside times.
This vibrant and connective space is a place to gather around the fire at any time of day, for personal contemplation, sharing stories, checking in with an elder, singing, crafting and more.
The camp is open to adults and children of all ages. Adults choose which sessions they want to join in with throughout the week, 7-12 year olds join the Foxes each morning, Teens take part in the Teen Guild, and children aged 6 and under join the Squirrels in the Hearth alongside a parent or Guardian. (Mature 6 year olds can choose to join the Foxes if preferred.)
Lose yourself in the woods, find your playful side in games on the land, open your heart and senses more deeply, wander on the land, reflect and discuss, gather at the Hearth, be nourished by the core routines of deep nature connection…
Who Created the 8 Shields?
The 8 Shields Map was developed by Jon Young with the help of indigenous elders. It has a ‘seven generations mission’ to support everyone through effective culture building – helping people to be mindful, happy, full of vitality, focused, empathetic, truly helpful, fully alive and compassionate and loving.
Jon Young was mentored as a child in deep nature connection, awareness and tracking by Tom Brown Jr, who himself was mentored by the Apache culture. Jon was moved to apply the richness and depth of his mentoring experience when he noticed local natural areas in decline whilst in his teens. The predominant culture around him seemed not to care or have solutions. In response he used his own learning to track key elements of connected cultures from around the world, integrating them into youth and community programmes, and delivering them for over 40 years.
Is the Connection Camp For You?
The skills and practices from the camp can support people of all walks of life and ages to be more connected, happier and healthier. They’re especially useful for:
Teachers and outdoor educators
Coaches and mentors
Parents
Community creators and culture designers
Facilitators
People with a yearning for more natural connection
People who live with, or work with, other people