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General information about Hopper
Hopper Youth centre?
“Hopper Jeugdverblijf” are 8 youth centres of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen vzw. Each youth centre with its own history, but they all started from a local or national initiative of a bunch of enthusiastic scouts and guides. Our story goes back to the year 1934, with the purchase of the oldest youth centre De Kluis at Sint-Joris-Weert, until the realisation of a splendid youth hostel in Antwerp in 1982.
It is our mission to offer simple, adventurous but decent holiday possibilities to groups of youngsters, and to groups of Scouts and Guides in particular. And all of this surrounded by greenery.
Our background causes a remarkable functioning in our youth centres. The successful cooperation between paid staff and volunteer workers, creates a relaxed and contemporary atmosphere. Anyone who likes to participate is more than welcome!
All of our youth centres are recognized as a Tourisme-to-all youth centre by Toerisme Vlaanderen and by the Department of Culture, Youth and Media.
We participate in the programme of the Green Key, an international certificate for sustainable touristic companies, awarded in our country by Toerisme Vlaanderen, in cooperation with Good Planet.
Camps or forest classes?
At our centres, you find all the space you need for your group activities, outdoors as well as indoors:
- Multiple-day training courses
- Summer camps
- Weekends with the youth movement, sports association, choir, orchestra, family, …
- Multiple-day school excursions: forest classes, introduction days, reflection days
- Teambuildings, seminars
- Day activities in nature or in the city
De Brink, Drieboomkensberg,
De Kluis, De Winner, Woutershof, Moerkensheide
and Merkenveld
are immersed in the greenery. There is plenty of space in the forest and in nature to guarantee a successful activity.
Our youth centre Het Scoutshuis
is situated in Antwerp, and is the perfect starting point for your exciting city adventure.
Large or small group?
Youth centres sometimes have an own language. This ‘translation’ may help you to find the most appropriate building for your group : for larger or smaller groups of people.
Main building
- Each youth centre has a main building
- This building hosts the reception, and usually has the largest capacity. It is equipped with day rooms and areas for working in teams.
- Each main building is designed to be dividable for several groups. You only hire the space you need.
- In the main building, you will also find the main kitchen, where our staff or volunteers prepare the meals.
Side buildings
- Most youth centres also have one or more separate buildings on the property.
- These side buildings are fully equipped as well, so they may be rented separately, as well as in combination with main building, other side buildings, or camp fields.
- Most side buildings are simple, but always decent entities.
- From a logg cabin without beds (Moerkensheide, De Brink, De Winner, De Kluis) , small building with beds (Drieboomkensberg, Berkenhof at De Kluis, the Hikers cabin at Moerkensheide) to a large and equipped group accommodation (Zonnedauw op De Brink).
Camp fields
- Hopper is one of the very few youth centres in Flanders where it is possible to camp outdoors as well.
- Large meadows or clearings in the forest, always having sanitary provisions for campers in the vicinity.
- Our camp fields may be rented individually, or in combination with a building. Perfect for groups of mixed age.
- And last but not least: campfire circle and pioneer wood are always there!
Preparing your own meals, or maybe not?
All our Hopper youth centres have different possibilities of meal plans:
- A stay in full board for groups preferring not to cook for themselves. Which meals you would like (from breakfast to evening meal), you discuss in advance with the responsible of the centre you will visit
- Cooking yourselves is also a possible. All buildings have sufficient amenities to cook for groups. On simple request (one day ahead), bread is delivered at the centre. Also an assortment of drinks is available. No need to drag those things along.
- Are you staying in the main building of De Brink, Drieboomkensberg or De Kluis, then only full board is possible. Some exceptions: groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen can prepare their own meals at Drieboomkensberg and De Kluis. And in summer months (July/August), all groups are allowed to cook for themselves at Drieboomkensberg.
- Finally, there is also the possibility of using our accommodation or fields for just one day. Even then, meals are possible.
Affordable?
The bill
For an exact calculation of your booking, you better contact the local responsible!
- All mentioned rates for lodging (full board, selfcatering, camping) are rates PER DAY and PER PERSON.
- Rates for a stay in the logg cabins of De Kluis, De Winner, De Brink and Moerkensheide are PER DAY and PER BUILDING.
- Weekends are always rented for minimum 2 days, the accommodation is at your disposal from Friday night till Sunday night.
All in...
- For groups operating responsibly in terms of energy, water consumption and sorting of waste, there will be no extra charges for water, electricity, heating or garbage collection. Zero surprises at the end of your stay!
- We manage to keep our rates relatively low, because we are asking our groups for a little help drying the dishes after the meals, and to clean the used accommodation at the end of their stay.
- In case those tasks need to be executed by ourselves, we are forced to charge a supplement. This is only possible when agreed in advance.
Full board
- Full board rates include the stay (= rate for selfcatering stay), 3 delicious meals, and a teatime snack.
- SPECIAL DEAL: stay from Monday morning till Friday afternoon = only 4 days are charged instead of 5 days!
Youth and youth work
- All buildings at our youth centres are recognized youth centres within the Flemish Community of Belgium by the Department Youth and Tourism. The mandatory price category “Youth work” applies to all national and international youth movements staying at one of our buildings.
- In addition, Belgian youth movements also benefit from a reduced camping rate, although this is no compulsory rule within our recognition.
- All groups within the recognized youth work, benefit from a lower price category, and have the chance to book for holiday periods one year earlier than other groups.
- Schools, sports associations, and other (non-recognized) youth groups, will be charged at the youth-rate.
- As our focus is on accommodating groups of young people, the highest rate applies for adult groups (including families, companies, non-profit organisations).
Scouts en Gidsen, a different story
- Especially for groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen, there is an even better rate.
- In addition, active leaders of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen always camp for free on our Hopper Youth centres.
- For “Scouting op maat”, members will pay only half of the price when staying in a building in selfcatering.
- Welcome home ...