Child 1 Age 10 (Male)
Program(s) focused in Arts & Crafts, Leadership (multi), Writing
(5) Overall experience
My child has special needs. His disabilities make it difficult for him to make friends or engage with people. Sometimes, too, he would refuse to share his work before a crowd.
While at the Wholesome Character summer camp in August 2024, my son was very excited. He gladly went to camp every morning. He was happy to engage with new kids. He also was happy to compose a poem and read it in front of the entire group.
Since attending the camp, my son has been very happy. He is now eager to make new friends. During our last vacation, I watched from a short distance as he struck up a conversation with a boy his age at the water park.
My son had so much fun at the camp that his sisters have pleaded to attend the camp with him in 2025.
(5) Reason for choosing the camp
My son was initially going to the Oakville city camp. I pulled him out of that camp so he could attend the Wholesome Character. The reason is that Wholesome Character has a mandate that is focused on helping children develop good communication and leadership skills. Knowing my son would need help learning to communicate his feelings and advocating for himself was the main driver of my decision to register for the camp.
When I discussed my child's needs with Ife, I requested that he be provided with one-on-one support for the entire duration of the camp. Ife immediately conducted an intake assessment for him and ensured that for the whole program, she assigned a volunteer to support him so he could participate in all the activities.
What I love the most about the camp is that the one-on-one support was provided at no additional cost to me. This was a welcomed, and much appreciated, development, a real treat for special needs families who always have to pay additional costs to place their special kids in regular programs.
(4.5) Program quality and activities
The program was highly impactful; however, it ran only for half a day. This limited duration was an inconvenience. A full-day camp would have been better aligned with my work schedule.
My son loved every activity, including playing indoor basketball while waiting for pickup.
The program had many volunteers which meant that registration and pickup were seamless everyday
(5) Social dynamics and experience
Yes, my son made new friends during the camp. He continues to put the skills he learned while at the camp to good use. He has been able to use these to strengthen existing relations both at school at in the church. The progress he has made is phenomenal.
No, there were no incidents of bullying, exclusion, or other inappropriate behaviours.
(5) Skills and growth
My child composed an acrostic poem with the word courage. Not only did he compose a lovely poem, but he also read it out loud in front of everybody. This activity definitely pushed my child out of his comfort zone as he would usually decline to share his work before a group of people.
Making new friends too is a skill that requires effort for him, and Wholesome Character helped him to get comfortable with the skill
(5) Staff/Instructors/Counsellors
All the staff and volunteers at Wholesome Character were friendly and eager to help. At the end of the day, I got an email that detailed what my child learned and did during the day.
There was no conflict or any incident that called for resolution. Everyone was nice, kind, and respectful.
(5) Advice and tips
Is there anything I wished I knew before sending my child to this camp? NO
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