Everything you want to know before you go first
Leadership Camp teaches the foundations of Joymaking. Facilitation Camp gives facilitators a place to practice, experiment, and get feedback.
The Experience & Your ROI
The better question is what it is costing you to keep holding back. Every week, there are moments in meetings, dinners, workshops, parties, and conversations where you can feel that something more is possible, but you hesitate or simply do not know what to do. This is costing you new opportunities, invitations, and meaningful relationships. Joymaker Camp is not a weekend of passively consuming good vibes. It is an interactive training ground where you learn rare leadership skills and practice them. You build skills for creating energy, participation, connection, and psychological safety with real people. The goal is not to make you feel inspired for three days. It is to help you become someone who knows how to elevate your groups, conversations, and relationships. Your tuition covers accommodation with your own bed, vegetarian meals we prepare together, camp sessions, use of the venue amenities, and the alumni community. Travel to camp isn't included. Leadership Camp gives you a structured path to practice bringing more energy, connection, and participation into the groups you lead. Facilitation Camp is for experienced group leaders who want more chances to try things, get feedback, and sharpen their skills. If you're unsure whether it's worth it for you, that's what your free Joy Boost call with Jacques is for. We'll talk about what you want to get better at and whether camp is a good fit. There's no pressure to join.
Many people arrive with that exact fear. You do not need to be funny, loud, performative, fearless, or naturally extroverted to belong here. You just have to be willing to go first. Camp gives you a place to take small social risks without needing every attempt to land perfectly. You experiment, make mistakes, receive real-time feedback, celebrate the fact that you tried, and get another rep. That repetition is how confidence becomes real. Joymaker Camp exists to help you move from being the spectator who waits for somebody else to initiate into the person who can step forward and create the moment.
No. Inspiration fades. Practice, repetition, and useful frameworks are what stick. Joymaker Camp is an experiential laboratory, not a passive motivational retreat. Instead of spending the weekend listening to endless lectures, you actually practice the skills: initiating conversations, disarming tension, telling stories, taking social risks, inviting participation, and shifting group energy. You leave with practical tools you can use immediately in your workplace, friendships, family gatherings, communities, events, and every other room you walk into.
You practice three core capabilities behind becoming a Joymaker. Self-Activation is the mindset, self-regulation, courage, and vitality to bring your own energy online and go first. Relational Activation is creating one-to-one interactions that feel more alive, connected, playful, and memorable. Group Activation is creating psychological safety, participation, connection, and energy across an entire room. Leadership Camp teaches these skills through a structured curriculum that builds day by day with instruction, exercises, and live practice. Facilitation Camp is a practice arena for experienced facilitators and group leaders where you lead, experiment with your approach, receive feedback, and try again.
Days blend instruction and live practice with real free time. You are learning, but you are also living together in a Joy Mansion, eating together, recovering together, and practicing what you learn in ordinary moments throughout the day. Mornings often begin with joy workouts, sober dance parties, journaling, and group rituals. Afternoons include hands-on workshops, speaking exercises, storytelling practice, connection games, and live facilitation. Evenings give you space to unwind, connect, journal, use the amenities, or simply do your own thing.
Am I a Fit?
If you are newer to Joymaking or want a structured path for becoming better at initiating, connecting, speaking, and bringing groups to life, choose Leadership Camp. You do not need previous leadership experience.
If you already facilitate workshops, meetings, retreats, communities, classes, or other groups and want more live reps, experimentation, peer feedback, and refinement, choose Facilitation Camp.
You do not have to attend Leadership Camp before Facilitation Camp if you already have meaningful experience leading groups.
Still unsure? Your Joy Boost call with Jacques is also a chance to honestly figure out which camp will give you the most value.
Yes. Joymaking is not about becoming the loudest person in the room. It is not about performing happiness or turning yourself into an entertainer. It is about learning how to bring more presence, curiosity, warmth, courage, and energy into the moments that matter. Some of the most powerful Joymakers are thoughtful observers who learn to trust themselves enough to step forward when a room needs them. You do not need a bigger personality. You need more freedom to use the personality you already have.
Not necessarily. Knowing how to lead a team or facilitate a meeting is not always the same as knowing how to make a room feel energized, psychologically safe, connected, and eager to participate. If you already lead groups, Facilitation Camp gives you a dedicated practice arena where you can test your instincts, experiment with new approaches, receive peer feedback, and get more precise about how you shift a room. Previous attendance at Joymaker Camp is not required.
No. Leadership Camp welcomes beginners and requires no previous leadership or Joymaker Camp experience. The curriculum builds day by day. You learn a skill, practice it with real people, get feedback, and gradually take bigger social and leadership risks. You are not expected to arrive confident. Building that confidence is part of the point. Facilitation Camp is different. It is designed for people who already have experience leading groups. Previous attendance at Leadership Camp is not required.
That is completely normal. Most participants arrive on their own. In many ways, arriving solo makes the experience more powerful. You enter without an existing social role or safety net, which gives you the perfect laboratory for practicing how to connect with new people. The rituals, shared meals, exercises, conversations, and mansion life are intentionally designed to dissolve awkwardness quickly and help a group of strangers become a tight-knit crew.
We welcome adults of all ages, and past participants range from 18 to 65 and older. Our community thrives on intergenerational perspectives, united by a shared desire for personal growth, authentic connection, and joyful leadership.
Logistics, Timing & Location
Leadership Camp and Facilitation Camp take place at the same venue near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, approximately one and a half hours from Vancouver International Airport, YVR. Travel to camp is not included in tuition. Detailed travel instructions and an optional ride-sharing coordination group are provided before camp.
Leadership Camp runs November 5 to 8, 2026. Facilitation Camp runs November 19 to 22, 2026. Arrival for both camps is Thursday between 4 pm and 6 pm. Both camps finish Sunday at 6 pm.
No. Camp is a carefully calibrated journey. The opening rituals establish essential group trust, safety, and shared ground rules. Missing these opening hours makes it difficult to fully integrate into the crew, so late arrivals are not permitted.
Yes. You can extend your stay before or after camp. Arrange this during your application so we can confirm your additional nights and the cost.
Leadership Camp and Facilitation Camp are each limited to 18 participants. Small groups give everyone more opportunities for practice, personal feedback, and meaningful connection.
Accommodation is included, and everyone gets their own bed with bedding provided. Rooms are generally shared, with private rooms available subject to availability. Discuss your room preferences during registration.
Pack casual, comfortable clothing suitable for movement, play, and changing weather layers. Bring swimwear, personal essentials, and an open mind. A full packing checklist is emailed to you ahead of time.
The Environment & Boundaries
Meals are healthy and vegetarian, designed for vitality and connection. You may bring any food you need, including meat. Please do not bring junk food, candy, or soda. A kitchen is available if you have medical dietary restrictions or want to prepare your own meals.
Camp is a digital detox. For most of the experience, phones stay stored away so you can actually be where you are and the people around you can trust that they have your attention. You get a one-hour designated phone period each day to check messages, take or return calls, and handle anything important. Phone use happens in your private room only, never in shared spaces. Outside that window, phones remain stored away.
If someone needs to reach you urgently while your phone is put away, they can text me, Jacques W. Martiquet, your instructor. Please have them text rather than call. You'll also have a designated hour each day to check your own messages and handle anything that needs your attention. If you're worried about staying reachable during camp, bring it up with me before you arrive so we can talk it through.
Yes. Both Leadership Camp and Facilitation Camp are substance free. Participants agree to protect the safety, sobriety, boundaries, and wellbeing of the group.
No. Movement, play, and joy workouts are included to boost physical energy, but every activity is low pressure and completely adaptable to your personal fitness level. The goal is vitality and fun, not athletic performance.
Never. Physical touch is entirely optional. Consent and personal autonomy come before the activity. An exercise might offer a high five, fist bump, hug, or another form of connection, but you are always free to say no, adapt it, or participate in another way. A brave no is just as welcome as a brave yes.
Absolutely not. Everything at Joymaker Camp is opt-out and consent-based. We will encourage you to experiment and stretch your comfort zone, but you are never forced to participate in an activity you do not want to do. You can participate, adapt an activity, simply observe, or leave the room. You are always allowed to leave. There is one distinction if you're attending Leadership Camp and want to earn your Joymaking Certificate: you must be present in the room to observe required activities. You still do not have to actively participate. If you choose to leave the room during a required activity, that is completely okay, but you will forfeit your certificate eligibility.
A media creator may document the experience so you can stay present without pulling out a phone. If you prefer not to appear in social media, marketing materials, or published content, let us know in advance and your preference will be strictly honored.
Investment & Policies
After you apply, you will book a free Joy Boost call with Jacques.
It is a short, fun, casual conversation designed to give you value whether or not you end up coming to camp. Jacques will ask a few questions about the rooms you lead, where you tend to hold back, and what you want to become better at.
By the end of the call, Jacques will identify the #1 skill that could help you bring more rooms to life and give you some direction for developing it.
The call also helps determine whether Joymaker Camp will actually be worth your time and money. Jacques will be fully honest if he does not think the camp is the right fit for you.
It is not a sales call. There is no pressure to buy. The goal is for you to leave with more clarity about what would make you a stronger Joymaker, whether you join us or not.
Ready to explore it? Choose your camp:
Both programs include accommodation with your own bed, healthy vegetarian meals cooked communally, access to the venue amenities, participation in the program, and the alumni community. Leadership Camp includes a structured curriculum that progresses day by day. Facilitation Camp includes a dedicated environment for facilitation practice and feedback. Travel to camp is not included in tuition.
Leadership Camp awards the Joymaking Certificate. To earn it, complete camp, stay present for the required curriculum, and complete one Joymaking Mission afterward. For your mission, head out into a public place and ask a small group of people if they'd like to create a little joy with you. Then lead a shared moment using what you practiced at camp. The point is to take the skills into everyday life and give them a go with real people. There's no deadline for your mission. Completion is assessed through video documentation, so you must record it. At camp, you never have to actively participate in an activity you don't want to do. To remain eligible for the certificate, you do need to stay in the room and observe required activities. You're always free to leave, but leaving a required activity means you won't be eligible for the certificate. Facilitation Camp doesn't award a certificate. It's a place to practice, experiment, get feedback, and keep improving your craft.
Yes. Flexible payment plans are available during registration. Credit card payments include a 3% processing fee, and you can avoid that fee by choosing INTERAC e-transfer or ACH bank transfer instead.
When you register two spots together, both people receive a 10% discount on tuition plus one complimentary early arrival night where the venue allows it. Attending with someone you trust is a great way to take the leap together.
Camp tickets are nonrefundable. If your plans change, email Jacques@thepartyscientist.com at least 30 days before your original camp starts to request a transfer credit.
Your full ticket value can be applied toward a future Joymaker Camp. The credit expires one year after your original camp’s start date. If the future camp costs more, you’ll need to pay the difference.
The Joymaker Guarantee is separate: if you complete your program and feel you didn’t receive your money’s worth, you can attend a future Joymaker training at no cost.
Read the full refund policyEvery participant agrees to a phone restricted, substance free, consensual, and growth oriented space. To protect psychological safety and group wellbeing, we reserve the right to remove any participant whose behavior significantly disrupts the safety, sobriety, or boundaries of the group without a refund. Read the full Terms of Service →
Still have a question?
Apply and you'll get a 10-minute Joy Boost call with Jacques. He'll identify the #1 skill that could help you bring more rooms to life and honestly help you decide whether camp is worth your time and money. No sales pressure.
Choose your camp →