Fort Smith hands-on learning youth camp continues to grow

“They get to take something home and they’re proud of it.”

Chris Leroux says the summer camp he runs in Fort Smith, which focuses on hands-on activities, has celebrated a third consecutive year of growth.

Thirty-five youth took part this year, he said, up from 24 in 2025 and 17 in the camp’s opening year.

Leroux is one of a small group running a company that specializes in leadership, community development and wellness. He said the company – based in southern Alberta – was formed when high school teachers realized they could create something outside school where people learned by using their hands.

At the Fort Smith camp, that means the likes of archery sessions and leather crafts.

“This particular time we did minimalist wallets, basically from scratch to finish,” he told Cabin Radio. The group also explored what he called “modern-day food dehydration,” drying fruit and making jerky.

Children aged eight to 15 take part. This being the third year, one challenge is bringing new activities each time for returning participants.

“We have a lot of repeat youth and then we also have new ones, so relationship building, building rapport,” said Leroux. “We try to bring new projects. We’ve done leather bracelets, we’ve done coasters, and then this year we did the wallets.”

Leroux said the Fort Smith Métis Council was the major funder behind the camp. The Salt River First Nation also provided support.

“We’re in discussions with other areas in the Northwest Territories to bring the same type of youth camp to communities,” he added.