Leaders Development Camp
28th - 30th November 2025
Woodend Christian Camp
124 Woodend Beach Road
What's this Camp?
Exactly what it sounds like! Our Leaders Development Camp is a chance for everyone who leads (or wants to lead) at Kids Camps, or youth groups. LiTs, Cabin Leaders and Support crew come and get together, learn, hang out and enjoy a weekend at Woodend all for only $95.
This sort of camp is a unique event somewhere between a leaders training day, teens camp, and a leaders hangout at Woodend.
Got Youth Group on Friday? Sport or work on Saturday? Playing guitar at church on Sunday? It's all good! There's no campers to look after and no need to race back to camp, so feel free to join for as much as you can.
Whats happening?
Great speakers
We have a great team of speakers and workshop leaders who will help us grow as leaders
Amazing Food
From Saturday Breakfast to Sunday Lunch time we will be eating yummy food from the Woodend Catering Team.
Fun & Games
Heaps of fun with all of the coolest people
Great Memories
Reflect on what camp was like "back in the day" and dream about what camp can be
Our Speakers
Part of this weekend is growing our knoweldge and skills as leaders and we have some top notch speakers to help us do that
Saturday Morning Speaker
Sandy Hitchens
Doors of Hope, Neufeld Aotearoa
Sandy lives in Christchurch, New Zealand She is married with four adult children. She has over 30 years experience of working with children and young people across a number of various roles including church based programmes, youth leadership, preschool music programmes, perceptual motor programmes and counselling at
Doors of Hope.
Saturday Afternoon Speaker
Laura Hewett
Riccarton Community Church
Laura is a friend, a sister, a daughter, a teacher, a mentor, a book enthusiast, a theologian, a writer, an adventurer, a missionary, and a Jesus lover.
You can also buy her books here
Sunday Speaker
Mike Dodge
Canterbury Youth Services
Mike is the big boss of Canterbury Youth Services, which runs Southern Easter Camp, and spends lots of his time coaching and cheerleading youth leaders at many levels of leadership to do their roles really well.
Saturday Morning Speaker
Brett Hitchens
CDN Trust Board
Brett loves Christian camping and has been a camper, leader, and speaker at Curious Cove since 1978. He is married to Sandy and they have 4 adult children. He graduated teachers’ college in 1996 and spent 7 years teaching before beginning as a youth pastor in Ashburton and Nelson. Brett now teaches Yr9/10 Christian Studies, Te Reo, Science and Math at Emmanuel Christian School.
Weekend Speaker
Peter Dobbs
Christian Camping New Zealand
Peter is born, bred, and resides in the Waikato with his wife Jessica and their five sons where is holds the role of CEO of Christian Camping NZ.
Peter holds a PhD in Theology from the University of Otago. His research looked at the governance, strategic focus, and practices of Christian non-profits in New Zealand. His findings relating to mission drift and the relational tension and pressures experienced between faith-based organisations and the local church. Peter is motivated by a desire to love God, love other people, and teach others to do the same.
Plus you can listen to his podcast Between Camps.
More Speakers
Coming Soon
More speakers coming soon!
Camp Activities
We are learning and having fun this weekend, Woodend has some epic activites we will be doing
Go Kart
Aerojump
Campfire
The Cost
We want to be super flexible so we have three different options for coming out to camp.
Full Weekend
$95
- Accomodation from Friday Night - Sunday
- Meals from Saturday Breakfast - Sunday Lunch
- All Camp Activities
Saturday Only
$60
- NO Accomodation
- Meals from Saturday Breakfast - Saturday Dinner
- All Activites on Saturday
Sunday Only
$40
- NO Accomodation
- Meals from Sunday Breakfast - Sunday Lunch
- All Activites on Sunday