Summer Programs 2024

Community Resources for Youth

Register HERE for SFCASA 2024 Summer Camps

SFCASA will fund the costs of any summer camp or activities regardless of location for youth matched with a CASA. Please be in touch with your Case Supervisor to request reimbursement for the cost of camp.

SOAR Program at UC Berkeley for Rising 7th-9th Graders

Please help your 6th - 8th grade student apply for SOAR! For all SF foster youth, even if they live outside of the county, the SOAR (Support, Opportunities And Rapport) program is an amazing summer opportunity that can lead to important educational progress, year round community connections and college preparedness. SOAR starts with a one week sleep-away camp on the UC Berkeley campus focused on academic and life-skills support and growth. If you support a young person in 6-8th grade, SFCASA strongly encourages you to support them to apply to SOAR!

Once admitted into the program, each SOAR youth receives 5-10 years of sustained support. 93% of SOAR high school seniors graduated on time and 92% of those graduates went on to college, 38% to a 4-year college. This one-week pre-collegiate academy will take place from Sunday, June 25th to Saturday, July 1st on the University of California, Berkeley campus. The application packet for the Prepare To SOAR academy can be downloaded from UC Berkeley's website HERE,

Applicants must be foster youth currently in grades 6-8 (beginning grades 7-9 in Fall 2024), with an academic GPA over a C average. For Application Inquiries, please send an email to applications@soarforyouth.org

High School internships & academic opportunities

SF Foster Youth are eligible for more SF-based internships even if they live outside the county.

APRI Youth Workshops Schedule a 1 on 1 appointment for additional help with job referrals, resume building, internship finding, skills building, and more.

City Youth Now paid internships. This program provides the opportunity for youth to gain their first work experience while growing in professional development. Youth interns are paid an hourly wage throughout their internship while learning how to navigate the workplace. Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, we would place youth at worksites throughout the community to earn their work experience. Currently, our internship program is running virtually with youth working safely from home and participating in professional development opportunities.

LYRIC's Sequoia Leadership Institute internships are paid and scholarship-based opportunities for LQBTQQ+ youth and allies to build community, learn about social justice, and develop leadership and job readiness skills.

Girl Ventures This course is designed specifically for Female, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming youth who are Queer identified and their Allies in 9th-12th grades. This is an intentional affinity course for Queer identified youth to create a space where youth don’t have to hide or pretend to be something other than themselves, for optimal magical growth. The group spends 5 days and 4 nights kayaking and camping on Tomales Bay. Transportation and food is provided.

Ripe Fruit Creative Writing Camps offers week-long virtual and in-person camps to help middle and high school students hone their creative writing skills, by exploring writing foundations and different types of stories. Programs run from June-August.

Snack Squad is a paid summer opportunity for SFUSD rising 8th grade and up students where students will engage with new ideas about food, food preparation and food justice. Meetings will be held virtally on Monday and Wednesday afternoons 2-4 from June 7th through June 30th. Participants will earn a $250 stipend as well as fresh produce and cooking supplies. Apply here.

SF YouthWorks SF YouthWorks provides paid job readiness workshops and training and internships at different SF City Departments such as the Public Utilities Commission, the Public Library, and the SF International Airport.

SF Mayor's Youth Employment & Education Program MYEEP provides San Francisco youth with paid work opportunities, academic support, and tools they’ll need to succeed in the workplace. MYEEP also gives youth a chance to build relationships with other members of their neighborhood communities.

SF Bay Area Summer Camps & Activities

Comprehensive San Francisco Summer Camp Guide

Camp EDMO offers both virtual and in person camps for youth Pre-K to 8th grade. Camps focus on Social-Emotional Learning and STEM subjects.

SF Shakespeare Camps Campers study Shakespeare's theatre in a fun and supportive atmosphere. Professional theatre practitioners lead interactive classes in Shakespeare's poetry, clowning traditions, and stage combat. The camp culminates in an abridged Shakespeare play for family and friends on the final day at 2pm. Experience not required to get into the act and have fun with your friends this summer!

San Francisco Skate Club San Francisco Skate Club was created when long-time skateboarder, Shawn Connolly and educator, Thuy Nguyen realized the need for a positive skateboarding program for youth. SFSC are offering 4 sessions that will run 2 weeks where we continue to share the art of skateboarding with youth ages 8 - 14.

Varsity Tutors Summer Camps Summer fun with a famous twist. Boost your child's learning with a week of fun virtual activities, small group lessons, and exclusive celebrity-inspired content. Camps run June through August, Week-long camps (M-F) meet 2 hours/day from $200/week, Ages 5 to 13, 6-9 campers

Alameda County

510Families created a summer camp guide.

East Bay Regional Park District offers many fun outdoor day camps for children, including:

The Regional Parks Foundation provides financial aid ("Camperships") to qualifying families of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Application here.

East Bay SPCA Summer Animal Camp in Dublin and Oakland allows youth to interact directly with animals and also do hands-on activities and crafts. The camp runs from June through August and is for youth in grades 1st through 8th. Financial aid is available to those who qualify (financial aid applications are due 5/27).

Reel Stories offers a hybrid virtual and in-person program (in June and July) to provide female and non-binary youth the film-making skills they need to enter the film and media industry. Financial aid is available. Please contact their Program Manager at alexandria@reel-stories.com.

Contra Costa County

The City of Richmond, CA offers various summer camps and activities for youth, including Aquatics, Outdoor Activities, Early Recreation programs.

Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay! The Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students every year through classes and programs taught by professional artists both onsite and at sites throughout Richmond. This center offers a wide range of activities and a Summer Art Camp for ages 5-14 years old!

Contra Costa Summer Camp Guide. Complied by Contra Costa Super Moms.

Concord Parks & Recreation offers many in-person camp options for all ages.

San Francisco County

Brady Horse Riding & Mindfulness Located at the SF Zoo, weekly horse riding lessons to bring strength and healing to children who have experienced trauma through the love and care of horses. Volunteer opportunities for high school age students.

Comprehensive San Francisco Summer Camp Guide

SFUSD Extended School Year and COVID Recovery Services Extended School Year (ESY) is an extension of existing Special Education Individual Education Program (IEP) services provided during the summer recess to assist a student in maintaining skills on goals and objectives from their current IEP. The primary goal of ESY is to limit regression of skills gained during the school year. Special Education Covid Recovery Services address potential learning loss due to the impact of the pandemic. Covid Recovery Services are an additional service, which is not part of a student’s IEP, designed to address the impact of Covid-19 related disruptions on a student’s educational needs. Covid Recovery Services focus on providing intensive reading, writing and math instruction, and ensuring progress on IEP goals.

Summer Together Summer Together 2023 features community organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and City departments that offer in-person summer experiences for our highest need and hardest to reach youth. Click to the link to see a complete list of summer camps and activities. Summer Together 2023 will provide opportunities for youth to engage, rebuild, and reestablish positive attitudes towards learning, relationship building, and social/emotional wellness.

Boys and Girls Club: Camp Mendocino Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco has been providing this creative, fun, and supportive camping experience for youth ages seven to 17. We surround our kids with positive role models 24 hours a day to provide the love and encouragement they need to realize their full potential Scholarships may be available.

San Francisco YMCA Summer Camps A variety of summer camps and outdoor programs

• Pop-Up YKids is offering in-person (small group) programs for children of essential workers at various locations. There is a reduced fee available for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch.
• Summer at the Y will be in-person camps, details coming soon.

Camp Winnarainbow is a circus and performing arts sleep-away camp in Laytonville, CA. Youth ages 7-17 can attend, and there are scholarships available. The deadline to apply is 6/1.

Marin Shakespeare Company Summer Camp makes Shakespeare fun for kids 5 and up! Camps will be limited to 12 campers and other modifications to maintain health and safety.

San Joaquin County

City of Lodi Parks and Recreation offers four exciting summer day camp programs throughLodi Kids Camp for ages 5-12:

• Summer Blast is a general recreation camp offering a wide variety of activities both indoors and outdoors, interesting and fun field trips, with an emphasis on building new and lasting friendships and cooperative learning.
• Sports is an exciting recreational-athletic camp in which participants get grouped into two age divisions, with the opportunity to develop new skills and refine existing talents in football, baseball, volleyball, basketball and swimming. Positive behavior will be emphasized on and off the field as well as teamwork and sportsmanship.
• Kid-Drama provides campers the opportunity to produce a modified-scale musical in just four weeks! All participants will lead through the process of auditioning (everyone gets cast), choreography, staging and music vocal rehearsals. Parents, family and friends are invited to see the production held the last week of camp!
• Outdoor Adventure is designed to celebrate the great outdoors and allow children to explore and enjoy nature every day. Activities include nature walks, hikes, themed outdoor games, swimming, kayaking and nature-based crafts and experiments, highlighting the park’s animals, insects and ecosystems.