For a child with a disability, going to a summer camp at the same time as a brother, sister, or friend hasn't always been a possibility -- if he or she is able to go at all. But now, thanks to a grant from the National Inclusion Project, YMCA's Camp Manitou-Lin is better equipped to give all children the opportunity to attend camp when and with whomever they want, and they can participate in nearly every activity while there.
The National Inclusion Project was co-founded by entertainer Clay Aiken to help bridge the gap between children with disabilities and those without by creating recreational programs and training to make after school programs, summer camps, and classroom activities inclusive for everyone. Its Let's ALL Play program gives special needs children the same experience as other children in recreational activities.
Greg Dodd, the executive director of Camp Manitou-Lin, says he heard about the project from another YMCA camp in North Carolina where the National Inclusion Project is based. This year is the second year the camp has been awarded a grant from the organization and last year's $10,000 grant allowed them to fund additional summer staffing positions and receive inclusion training.
Dodd says partnering with the National Inclusion Project last year to make the camp more inclusive included a five-hour staff training session that "let it hit home" how important inclusion is. He adds that the training was not just about how to deal with the children with special needs, but how to teach the other children ways to include them.
"The training was an eye opening experience for the staff," says Dodd.
During the training, the camp's staff learned more about the different disabilities they may encounter and also how to improve collaboration with other organizations in the community.
This year, Camp Manitou-Lin received a grant for $8,000 and they plan on using the funds for additional staffing and inclusion training again.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Camp Manitou-Lin offers day, overnight, horse camps, and school group camps throughout the year, annually serving around 7,000 children from ages 4-17. Its 10 weeks of summer camps start mid June and run through August. More than 2,000 children visit then, with around 8-10 percent having some sort of disability, from mild to major.
Last year, the camp had children with disabilities stay for its overnight camps and prior to then, Dodd says they looked at all activities and modified them so everyone could participate. "How do we set up games so everyone can play?" was the question asked and the staff came up with answers for every activity.
Their goal was to give the children with disabilities the opportunity be involved in the same way as everyone else and, at the same time, encourage the other children to interact with these children the way they would any other child. Some of the repeat campers questioned why activities were changed, so the staff took that opportunity to educate them about inclusion.
Camp Manitou-Lin is not yet 100 percent accessible but Dodd says they are working on that. He wants to take the camp to the next level and make sure every child can attend and be included in everything.
To help with the specific needs of the children with disabilities, the camp gets assistance from volunteer para pros and students from local colleges and universities. Dodd says they are always looking for more volunteers -- for a day, week, or longer -- and those who are interested will receive full training.
"They just need a kind heart and a willingness to work with kids," he says.
The camp also offers scholarships to children who cannot afford to attend the camp, so any donations are always appreciated.
If you want to find out more about YMCA's Camp Manitou-Lin, they are having a family fun date on March 24 and here are some other ways you can involved:
- Volunteer your time. Contact the camp at (888) 909-2267 if you are interested.
-
Donate so a child who can't afford it can attend camp.
Source: Greg Dodd, Executive Director at YMCA's Camp Manitou-Lin.
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor
Images provided by Camp Manitou-Lin.