Youth Groups & Organisations
Donegal Adventure Centre is Ireland’s largest residential Outdoor
Education Centre, and we specialise in working with young people between
the ages of 8 and 18 years. Our staff are trained specifically to ensure
a safe and fun experience exploring the many activities we offer. Our
location in Bundoran allows us to offer a great selection of land and
water activities, and our centre includes residential facilities for up
to 100 guests, plus an on-centre restaurant, showers & changing rooms
and shop.
Our activities are all suitable for beginners, and we can cater for
varying levels of fitness. Our instructors are experienced and highly
skilled in working with teenagers.
Youth groups often have unique needs and requests and while we have a sample of our activities here, we invite you to contact us so we can work together to build a programme that matched the wishes & needs of your group.
We can organise multi-activity programmes with meeting rooms and
facilities
for your own workshops. We have had wonderful camps with
associations such as the Diabetes Federation of Ireland, NYP, Foroige,
Girls Active, cross-border projects, special-needs groups and cultural
exchange groups.
We are happy to assist you with a pre-visit meeting at your
organisation, booking procedures, parental consent paperwork and
arranging transport to and from the centre. We can put together
programmes to suit your budget, and we have great discounts and offers
throughout the year for all youth groups. Hundreds of schools, scout &
guide groups, sports clubs and youth associations visit Donegal
Adventure Centre every year, and consistently praise the centre for the
excellent staff and the positive and enthusiastic atmosphere.
THE IMPORTANT STUFF!
PRICES
Packages are available to suit all budgets. Multi-activity programmes
usually include a mixture of land and water-based activities. Most
residential programmes include full board and supervision in the price.
It is impossible to offer all of activities in a two or three night
package, but we will work with you, and your budget to put together the
best possible value for money. Some activities are very dependent on
suitable weather conditions and tide times.
Special offers and rates are available during less-busy periods. We are
open all year round, except for Christmas week. We have winter wetsuits
and other equipment which allows all of these activities to take place
winter and summer, and very good value can be had in from November
through to February.
We guarantee that all participants will get superb value for money.
Staff at DAC are fully trained and experienced. We do not take shortcuts,
or scrimp on food, evening activities or equipment. Teachers and leaders
are well looked after. We appreciate you coming to us, planning the
trip, collecting money and giving your time to do this. We will do our
best to accommodate your wishes, with the highest standards of safety
and care.
For a quote on any of our activities or packages, please contact us at
07198 42418 or info@donegaladventurecentre.net
TEACHER PREVIEW WEEKENDS
We invite teachers and youth leaders to visit our centre twice a year
for a ‘preview’ weekend: you come and stay with us, do or observe the
activities, check out the facilities and meet the staff. There is a
small charge for the weekend, which is refunded to you if you return
with a group in the following six months. These weekends take place in
February and October each year. Please contact us for reservations and
price. Non-teacher/leader friends are welcome to join you.
SCHOOL /CENTRE VISITS
We will come to you, meet participants /parents/ leaders if you wish,
and discuss all the details of a trip away. Please contact us to
arrange.
ACCOMMODATION & SUPERVISION
We have two centres on campus- Donegal Adventure Centre has 48 beds
available, in rooms of 2, 3 ,4 or 6 sharing. There is a mix of standard
and en-suite rooms. Homefield house has 60 beds, in rooms of 2, 4, 6 or
8, mostly en-suite. All bed linen is provided (no sleeping bags please.)
Most of the beds are bunk-beds, but ground floor accommodation and
single or double beds are also available. Teachers and leaders are
offered private accommodation, as near or as far from the students as
they choose. Night supervision will always be done by DAC staff, but
leaders and teachers may assist if they wish. Teachers and leaders are
welcome to enjoy Bundoran hospitality in the evenings if they wish, but
in accordance with our child protection policy, we must have one leader
or teacher available on-call in case of emergency.
MEALS AND TRANSPORT
Breakfast, lunches and dinners are provided by La Sabbia restaurant,
which is part of Homefield House. Self-catering is also an option. We
can supply you with bus prices to and from your school or centre.
Transport to and from activity sites is provided by us. Bundoran is
approx 3.5 hours from Dublin, 2.5 hours from Galway & Belfast.
SAFETY POLICIES.
Bundoran has also other amenities locally, suitable for youth groups,
including a multiplex cinema, bowling alley, waterworld and funfair. We
most strongly discourage ‘free time’ for students downtown, and
recommend that all groups avail of the excellent resources provided in
the evening on-centre.
We have a strict policy on alcohol and substance abuse. No student under
18 years can leave campus or partake in any activity involving the
above. Please note- if alcohol or drugs are found, the programme is
immediately suspended and the group will be asked to leave immediately.
This is made clear during our initial ‘meet & greet’.
A full safety statement is available on request.
All participants under 18 years will receive a parent-consent form,
outlining the risks involved in outdoor pursuits, what to bring, and our
policy on behaviour and conduct. Problems are very rare, as our
enthusiastic and firm-but-fair management of teenagers is popular and
successful.
Bumps and bruises do happen – all staff are fully qualified in first
aid, there is a medical practice in Bundoran, and Sligo hospital is 25
minutes from the centre.