Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities often do not have any friends. They don’t have birthday parties because they do not have anyone to invite. They don’t get invited to other children’s parties because they don’t know them. In New Jersey, and our area in particular children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often isolated; we see a large portion of such children in segregated education programs. More than 500 children attend school at the special services school in Atlantic County. Hundreds of others are educated at smaller, specialized schools. Even students who attend their neighborhood school are often in segregated classes with inclusion occurring only for lunch and art or music classes. There is very little opportunity for children to interact with their non-disabled peers.
Some wonderful exceptions exist. The Arc of Atlantic County has been partnering with the Jewish Community Center for the past seven summers to support children with disabilities so they can attend a regular eight-week day camp program (Camp by the Sea) with their non-disabled peers. With the help of support counselors it is possible for these children to participate in this inclusive camp program and enjoy the same activities as everyone else. They are able to improve their social skills, confidence, have opportunities to make friends, and even get invited to birthday parties and play dates.
The Arc and the JCC have enjoyed great success with this program as children at all levels can experience achievement and success. The support counselors help make that possible. Some campers share a support counselor while others have their own. The 1:1 counselors have expertise in working with children with disabilities, and the 1:1 relationship allows the counselor and child more flexibility to participate in camp activities according to the child’s interests and needs.
The camp program is very comprehensive and includes a wide array of activities including arts and crafts, sports activities, drama, music and dance, swimming lessons, beach visits, field trips to places like New York and many other educational and recreational offerings.
A parent of a camper with developmental disabilities shares her observations:
My son Kyle has autism and is a very active eight-year old. With the help of a one-on-one counselor funded by The Arc, he was able to attend the JCC Arts Camp. Kyle’s counselor helped him create the best summer of his life complete with field trips, swimming, art classes, tumbling, social interaction with typical peers and a chance to be by himself whenever he needed it.
Now my son is in a typical third grade class and the teachers and staff cannot get over the change in him. He says hello to everyone he sees, and is more consistently talking in sentences. He makes play dates with real friends from his class, and I credit The Arc and the JCC for bringing Kyle into the world of inclusion.
Kyle’s camp counselor gives his perspective:
The benefits that this camp provides for these children are beyond words. In my time with The Arc I have seen children experience success for the first time, seen them realize that they are just as important and just as beautiful as other children, and watched them make their very first friends. Witnessing first-hand their increase in self-esteem and self-worth is something that these children and I will remember forever. It only takes one person who cares enough about them to make a difference, and The Arc of Atlantic County has many extremely devoted, caring people in its ranks.
Funding for The Arc’s camp support counselors comes from the generous donations of individuals, businesses, organizations and charitable foundations. The cost to support one child with developmental disabilities for the eight-week camp is $5000. The Arc recently received a grant from the Bubel/Aiken Foundation that will fund one camper and partially fund another. If you would be interested in making a gift in support of the inclusive summer camp so that more kids can have a chance to make friends, please complete the attached coupon and mail it to The Arc of Atlantic County with your check or credit card information. You can also donate on-line through our website at www.arcatlantic.org.
Deborah Davies, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of Atlantic County and has served in this capacity since 1983. She holds a Ph.D. in mental retardation and cognitive development from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. As CEO of The Arc of Atlantic County, Davies has led the agency from a small, grass roots organization with an annual budget of $400,000, to a diversified social service corporation with a $9 million budget. During Davies’ twenty-four years at The Arc, she and the agency have become industry leaders in integrating people with developmental disabilities into Atlantic County communities, and advocating for their human rights.
Among many other volunteer roles, Davies was appointed a charter member of the Atlantic County Advisory Commission on Women, is a charter member of The Women’s Leadership Initiative in Atlantic County and has been a member of Soroptimist International of Atlantic City since 1986 serving as their president from 1991 to 1993. In 2005, Davies was inducted into the Atlantic County Women’s Hall of Fame.
www.arcatlantic.org