Youth participating in the Campership program are currently receiving help from one of Hillside Family of Agencies full-range of strength-based services including preventive, emergency, or residential treatment home and community-based programs, non-secure detention, residential treatment, day treatment education, foster care, emergency services, outpatient mental health services and customized services. The Campership program isn’t funded through our traditional funding streams and we seek private support to provide this valuable experience for the children at Hillside.
The Campership program is divided into eight one-week sessions running from late June to the end of August each summer and serves over 300 kids. There is a pond, hiking trails, fields of wildflowers, a huge barn for crafts and great open space. Camp Possibilities is truly a special place where emotionally troubled youngsters can laugh and play. Most of Hillside’s children have never before experienced summer camp in their young lives due to life circumstances or their special needs and Camp Possibilities becomes their first introduction to summer camp.
Camp Possibilities is the only summer camp in Monroe county that is equipped to accept children with severe emotional problems. Our staff is specifically trained in anger management, sexual abuse counseling, and behavior modification and attachment issues. Staff members often tell stories about children that after spending a day at camp have made breakthroughs which help them in their healing process. For example, a boost of self esteem after catching a fish or canoeing for the first time, or new sense of trust in an adult or fellow camper after a game of Earth Ball, or quite simply a smile never before seen from a youngster. In some instances camp may be the only time of day that a youngster is calm and distracted from the variety of issues he or she may be struggling with.
Traditional camp activities such as archery, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and arts and crafts are taught. Also emphasized are physical education programs that teach the importance of fitness and nutrition, which are often incorporated into special theme weeks. All activities are designed so that all levels of physical and emotional abilities can be accommodated in small groups with trained compassionate counselors who know just how to help when things seem hopeless. Children leave the Campership program with a sense of belonging, accomplishment, self-confidence and peace, and this helps them prepare to become productive and healthy citizens of our community.
