Camps for Youth Program

Camp to Belong (Aust)

National Administration OfficeUnit 3 / 8 Callistemon Close, Warabrook NSW 2304PO Box 177, Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310Ph: 02 4967 7777 Fax: 02 4967 7000Email: info@lifestylesolutions.org.au

Sydney Regional Office111 / 33 Lexington Drive, Bella Vista NSW 2153Ph: 02 8801 3200 Fax: 02 8801 3232Email: sydney@lifestylesolutions.org.au

www.lifestylesolutions.org.au

Camp To Belong is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to reuniting siblings placed in separate foster homes and other out of home care for events of fun, emotional empowerment and sibling connection through Summer Camp Programs and year round events since 1995.

Founded in Las Vegas in the summer of 1995 by Lynn Price, Camp To Belong Summer Camp was created to offer siblings in foster care and other out of home care the opportunity to create lifetime memories. There are almost 600,000 youth in foster care in the United States, with 75% separated from at least one sibling when placed in care. Add to that the numbers from other countries including youth separated by adoption and kinship care, and there are countless brothers and sisters grieving their birthright, their sibling. The flagship events are week long summer camps. The Camp To Belong Summer Camp Program is approaching its 11th camp season and has reunited over 2,000 siblings at camps and reunions since 1995.

Lifestyle Solutions is a member of the Australian Camps Association (ACA) and is currently undertaking the voluntary accreditation process offered by ACA to ensure that each camp program is delivered to standards that meet best practice in outdoor education and recreation and provide a safe, enjoyable and nurturing environment for children and young people who have complex needs.

Camps for Youth Program Overview

Lifestyle Solutions has developed a range of residential camps for children and young people living in out of home care who have complex needs and are not readily accepted by mainstream camping organisations. Known as Lifestyle Camps for Youth the Program encompasses a range of one, two and three night residential camps that aim to develop, educate and empower children and young people living in out of home care so they can achieve goals that they have identified as part of the case planning process.As part of the Lifestyle Camps for Youth program Lifestyle Solutions has assimilated with Camp Care (a non government organisation that has extensive experience in the provision of camp programs to children and young people with complex needs particularly those living in out of home care). The Lifestyle Camps for Youth Program facilitates camps that aim to develop relationships, educate children and young people to self manage their behaviour and empower them to make positive life choices for children aged from 7 to 17 years old.Lifestyle Camps for Youth offers highly structured camps that are managed by staff who are experienced and highly trained individuals who have a commitment to meeting standards of best practice so that each camp participant feels safe, cared for and is able to reach their potential. Referrals are accepted from within our own agency as part of our time limited structured wrap around support services as well as referrals from NSW DoCS and other non-government organisations.Camps are held during every school holiday period, on weekends and during the week particularly where family reunification forms part of the case plan. Most of our camps run for three days and two nights. Our experience has shown us that this length of time allows children and young people who have complex needs to have a great camp experience without causing too much interruption to their stable routines at home. Lifestyle Solutions operates camps in small groups with a staff ratio of one camp carer to three young people ensuring that each child or young person is provided with personalised care that focuses on their well being and positive development.Lifestyle Solutions has an agreement in principle with Scouts Australia to use their camp sites throughout NSW to facilitate our Lifestyle Camps for Youth Programs.

Life Seminar Program

Campers, 14 years and older, are given the opportunity to participate in the Life Seminar Program. This program is designed to support teenagers in out of home care as they approach their emancipation from the foster system and educates them about life choices available after high school.

During camp, teens enjoy a “field-trip” type excursion and visit a local TAFE campus. Career planners and representatives from various service organisations, present the teen campers with information on different paths available after high school. Often, this is the first time they have been on a TAFE campus and marks the beginning of their dream of higher education. Skills for successful adult living are also discussed, emphasising pride and excellence including conflict resolution, anger management, diversity tolerance and relationship building

This program is facilitated by a team of Future Planners who have established and ongoing relationships with the young people who attend Camp To Belong, and forms part of the case planning process.

Sibling Enhancement Program

The Sibling Enhancement Program is designed as an intervention tool for sibling groups who are struggling to communicate with each other. With innovative strategies, our experts facilitate discussion and subsequent healing between brothers and sisters whose relationship has been fragmented due to their separation.

This program is facilitated by a team of registered psychologists from Alpha Counselling Services who have entered into a partnership with Lifestyle Solutions to provide ongoing clinical support to children and young people who access our services.

Therapeutic Art Program

Designed especially for Camp To Belong, this event has aided hundreds of siblings to express themselves in a unique and positive format. By creating a travel-size pillow, customized with a personal message to their sibling, this arts and crafts program helps brothers and sisters to reflect and release their innermost feelings toward their siblings. Our “Sibling Pillow Project” has become a signature piece of Camp To Belong and goes towards establishing and maintaining Life Story Work between siblings who live in out of home care.

This program is facilitated by a qualified and experienced art therapist who is supported by a team of camp carers and future planners who will ensure that the each young person can complete their art project in a an environment that is safe and nurturing and encourages artistic expression.

Siblings may not have the opportunity to read bedtime stories together at night, have breakfast together, cheer for each other at school functions or share precious holidays – all the things that typical siblings get to do each day. Siblings are often taken for granted. Yet, the sibling relationship can be our longest relationship in life.

Our primary goal is to provide a sense of belonging to youth as individuals, and as siblings, giving them opportunities to share childhood memories together and among other youth in the same situations. CTB is not about finding a brother or sister. It is about reuniting siblings that may live in the same town, maybe even go to the same school, but live in separate homes.

Lifestyle Solutions will run Camp To Belong as part of its time limited targeted wrap around support services. Camp to Belong will form part of the case planning process for children and young people living in out of home care and will have a focus on the development and ongoing promotion of Life Story Work for children and young people living in out of home care.

Lifestyle Solutions Camp To Belong Program will focus on a number of areas that promote family relationships. These include but are not limited to:

•Positivefamilycontactbetweensiblingsinasafeandnurturing environment

•Positivefamilycontactbetweenchildrenandyoungpeople living in out of home care and their birth parents through our ‘connection day’ during the CTB program.

•FacilitationandongoingdevelopmentofLifeStoryWorkfor individual children and siblings

Children and young people who attend Camp To Belong will have the opportunity to participate in a range of activities that promote independence, resilience, team work and family relationships. These activities include but are not limited to outdoor adventure activities and sports programs.

Reuniting Siblings Placed in Separate Out-of-Home Care placements

Camp To Belong (Aust)

To complement the Camp To Belong experience, CTB offers three programs, implemented during the camp session. These signature programs are the Life Seminar Program, the Sibling Enhancement Program and the Therapeutic Art Program.