Personal Philosophy - Development Through Play
Intentional Programming/
Youth – Centered Approach
I sit on a national subcommittee for the Arthritis Foundation whose goal is to standardize the camping programs nationwide. We don’t want campers to come to camp and only leave with more knowledge about their arthritis, we want them to attend camp and leave with knowledge and the empowerment to be self-advocates for their own care, to increase their leadership abilities, to be better communicators, and to feel better about themselves and their diagnoses. This youth-centered approach is best done through experiential learning and development through play. Experiential learning is a great way to children to develop their skills in a challenging yet engaging way. It sets children up for real world success and increases their motivation to learn.
This intentional programming and youth-centered approach model has shaped the activities that we implement in our camp settings. With a focus on outcomes, I take our goals and design activities and a programming structure that will ultimately help achieve them.
Larger Picture
Nationally, the staff at the Arthritis Foundation are not trained to deliver these specific outcomes, however we are currently designing this training curriculum. Many employees are hired under a public health or fundraising pretext, and asked to run youth programs on the side. “Too often, recreation is seen as a soft environment where they can put anyone,” according Barcelona, Hurd, and Bruggeman (2011) . This thinking reflects a competency gap that threatens to yield negative developmental outcomes in youth unless proper training is developed. A culture shift needs to occur. My nonprofit colleagues need to see the camping and youth programs as a means for growing successful and strong young people as well as future donors, advocates, board members, and volunteers. We are lucky enough to have parents allow their chronically ill children to participate in our activities; now we must prove that we have what it takes to give them back stronger and more vibrant individuals. We need to show the rest of the Arthritis Foundation, that while camps and our youth programming is a fun way for children to network, we also use a systematic and intentional approach to achieve the outcomes that ultimately lead to our mission.
2015 Arthritis Foundation Camp Video
Eight Features of Positive
Youth Development Settings
The programs and actvities I've designed are based on the Eight Features of Positive Youth Development Settings as explained by Jacquelynne Eccles and Jennifer Gootman (2002). At camp physical and psychological safety is paramount, and while we obviously have risk management procedures and health safety procedures in place, the psychological safety is something I take particular care to promote. We train the staff on bullying, civility, and advocacy. We provide supportive relationships. I created a Counselor in Training Program in order to not only encourage efficacy and mattering, skill building, and opportunities to belong after their time as a camper has ended, but also to ensure that there are people working with campers that understand their journey. Camper’s mentors are traditionally former campers, or someone also diagnosed with arthritis or related conditions.
At camp we change the definition of social norms. Camp is a place for these kids to feel and be normal. In the real world, these children are slower than their friends, they miss school, they are often tired, and they take more meds than their classmates. At camp, they are the same as everyone else. They are challenged to see that while everyone is different, it is a part of who they are, and they are not alone. They are given the tools to go back to their community and educate others, and to self-advocate and communicate with adults regarding their disease.