Young women learn about first responder careers at Camp Courage

WATCH: Camp Courage is offering young women in the Halifax area a chance to test out first responder careers firsthand. Rebecca Lau reports.

DARTMOUTH – Performing a tracheal intubation, administering an IV, even delivering a baby — it’s all in a day’s work for students at Camp Courage.

The program is geared towards young women in the Halifax area and highlights careers in policing, firefighting and paramedic work.

Applicants write essays about how they can help others and only 24 teenagers are picked. In return, they get a week of hands-on experience in all three fields.

On Tuesday, campers were at the EHS paramedic base in Dartmouth. Volunteers with EHS instructed the students using simulators and mannequins.

“It’s been amazing,” said Ivy Xue, 16. “We have learned so many things and it’s just been incredibly fun and I love learning new things.”

Xue, who is considering a career in policing or medicine, said applying for the camp was “the best decision” she’s ever made.

“I really do think that women can succeed wherever they want to, which is why this I think is really important,” she said.

“A lot of women are often discouraged from these fields and this is actively encouraging them.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "A lot of women are often discouraged from these fields and this is actively encouraging them."

Kennedy Prest, 15, aspires to be an RCMP officer and considers being chosen to join the camp to be a true honour.

“It’s just a great opportunity because you give younger kids the knowledge that you don’t have to be a male to be a firefighter. You don’t have to be super tall to be an EHS paramedic either,” Prest said.

View image in full screen

The camp, which operates as a non-profit, was started by Halifax firefighter Andréa Speranza.

She saw gender imbalance in her field and wanted to initiate change by encouraging young women to consider careers as first responders.

“Our population is around 50 per cent female and why wouldn’t we want to have a workforce that represents our community?” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Our population is around 50 per cent female and why wouldn't we want to have a workforce that represents our community?" she said.

Since the camp began in 2006, Speranza says there have been more than 50 success stories where former campers have gone on to pursue careers as first responders.

“I used to think that being a firefighter was the best thing ever in my life because I could help people,” she said. “But now that I can help other young women pursue their dream and then they can help many more people, it is the best thing ever.”

As part of the program, students will also be learning how to put out fires, make arrests and work with the K-9 unit.

Camp Courage is offered free of charge and held every two years. To learn more about the program, you can visit their website at campcourage.ca.