Participant Application Process

This year's program will run from July 19-22, 2012 at Camp Bonnenfant in Ottawa.

We are now accepting participant applications for Project Acorn 2012! Please read through the following instructions on how to apply for Project Acorn and don't hesitate to give us a shout at projectacorn@tenoaksproject.org if you still have questions.

Applications are due by 5:00 PM EST on Friday, June 1, 2012. You can email them to us at projectacorn@tenoaksproject.org, send them via Canada Post, or drop them off at our office:

Ten Oaks Project
203-291 Dalhousie Street
Ottawa, ON
K1N 7E5

HOW TO APPLY TO PROJECT ACORN - it's a three part process!

PART ONE:

Submit an application that answers these questions:

• What would you like us to know about you? Tell us a bit about yourself.
• Why are you interested in attending Project Acorn and being part of a community-building space?
• What excites you most about coming to Project Acorn?

Your application could look like many things - You could:

• Write us an email
• Send us a YouTube video
• Fill out our application form
• Write us a song
• Tape yourself performing a dance/monologue/skit/flash mob and send it to us
• Create a sculpture/painting/photo montage/comic strip/sign
• Write us a letter
• Send us a portfolio
• Write us a story or personal essay
• Create an xtra normal video 
• Submit a baking recipe - what ingredients make you who you are or your favourite recipe for macaroni and cheese?

PART TWO:

Provide us with some demographic information about yourself. 

All applicants MUST fill in a demographics sheet and submit it with their application creation.

Completed Applications (Part 1 and Part 2) can be submitted by e-mail, regular mail, or dropped off at the Ten Oaks Project office.

PART THREE:

All applicants will  be contacted to participate in an information phone discussion* with a two-member interview team in June, 2012.

The phone discussion will explore the following questions and questions about general fit for the program (for example: are you ok with sleeping in a cabin in a 'campy' environment?):

• Why are you interested in attending Project Acorn and being part of a community-building space?
• What excites you about coming to Project Acorn?
• In what ways do you see yourself contributing to creating a safer space at Project Acorn?
• What might you need from us in order to create a good experience for you at Project Acorn?
• Do you have any questions or concerns?

*We recognize that phone discussions can be intimidating and anxiety-provoking for some people, and so we can also arrange to have a discussion via instant messaging (Skype Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, etc.). When we contact you to set up a time to talk, please let us know if this is an alternative you'd prefer.

FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

We are committed to the economic accessibility of our programs - meaning that while the cost of Project Acorn is more than $700 per person, we are committed to offering every participant an entrance scholarship of $550, bringing the cost to attend the retreat down to $150.

However, if $150 is more that you can afford to pay to participate, we are committed to working out a price that is possible for you to afford.  No participant will be turned away from participating in Project Acorn because you are unable to pay the participant fee.

GOING TO PROJECT ACORN

If you are successful in your application to participate in Project Acorn, you will be asked to complete additional forms including medical information, media release(s), in addition to reviewing our Project Acorn guide to participate. We will also send you information about transportation to and from the site, ask you about the participant fee, and send you more information about programming/packing/preparation for Project Acorn 2012.

Participants who are 16 or 17 years of age will need to obtain written consent from a parent or guardian in order to participate at Project Acorn. Consent will be requested prior to confirming your acceptance as a program participant. It is not required to submit your application.

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

You probably noticed that we ask for some demographic information on the application (which is optional and you don't need to include!) We use this demographic information for a few things and want to make sure you know why we ask for it.

1. We are often asked to include demographic information about our program participants in reports to our funders, as it's useful for them to know what identities and communities we are working with and they are supporting through their funding. We always remove identifying information before passing this information on to funders, and we don't tell them anything else about you without your express permission.
2. We use the demographic information to make sure there's a diversity of people in each pod (otherwise known as a cabin group).
3. We also use demographic information to make sure we're reaching all the diverse LGBTQ+ communities out there. If we notice that we're missing certain communities, it's a sign to us that we need to look at how we're structuring and advertising our programs!