Inclusive Summer Camps

603 Stories Podcast Inclusive Summer Camps Conversation 

The summer may be long gone, but those in charge of running the show are still hard at work!  

For years, summer camps have been the place where kids spend their time when school is out. They are an environment where kids are encouraged to grow creatively, get active, and build lifelong friendships. Summer camps help to foster kids’ sense of independence with new activity options daily, and encourage collaboration through group activities. Each year these programs serve thousands of youth and although the experience is great for most, in some programs, kids with emotional or behavioral needs are falling through the cracks.  

Whether the first day of camp was too overwhelming and they didn’t return or there are behaviors leading to suspension, and everything in between, there are solutions! 

In the latest conversation on the 603 Stories Podcast, we speak to Whitney, a long-term camp employee whose goal is to make sure summer camps are inclusive for all youth! In this episode, learn how summer camps can be adapted to make all youth feel safe and welcome. Whitney shares about new programs that were created for kids with emotional and behavioral needs in mind, as well as how to make youth who are new to camp feel welcomed and how to empower all campers to be responsible, caring community members and friends.  

We hope you give it a listen, as the lessons shared in this episode are thought provoking and powerful, even outside of summer camp. Bundle up for now and know that camp staff is already planning how to make summer 2023 the best one yet!