Camp Hope 2022

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Camp Hope 2022

Camp Hope is a safe environment where children have the opportunity to meet and connect with kids who are coping with similar challenges, while getting all of the benefits of psycho-educational sessions in the form of bi-monthly sessions (Club Hope) and a traditional summer camp experience.

Through various activities they learn about hopefulness, optimism, perseverance, and empathy . Under the guidance of professionally trained staff, they will have the opportunity to share stories and reflect while exploring skills that will help them with coping.

Target Group:

School age children living in New Providence and Grand Bahama  between the ages of 7-15  who have been negatively impacted by trauma, Hurricane Dorian and/or the Covid 19 pandemic. 

The Club Hope experiences will include:

• Duration: Winter (January -May 2022):  Monthly Sessions

• Time: Saturdays 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

• Bi-Monthly Therapeutic Check-In

What Is Camp Hope

Camp Hope was birthed out of the need to help children cope and build resilience. The original idea was in response to the number of kids we interacted with who had experienced loss. At that time, it was due to a peak in murders in the country, but since we originally launched in 2018, we have had two disasters, Hurricane Dorian and now COVID19 pandemic that have significantly impacted our communities.

Although generally resilient, research shows that children who are exposed to adverse experiences are negatively impacted and without effective intervention services, the effects of these experiences can persist into adulthood.

The goal of Camp Hope is to create a safe environment where children can process these adverse life experiences, candidly express their thoughts and feelings while also having fun.

Camp Hope utilizes therapeutic approaches to engage children who have been exposed to traumatic or adverse events. Play is our primary mode of program delivery, recognizing that play is developmentally important to children and because of the nature of many of their experiences; these kids are less likely to have consistent opportunities to play and have fun.

We believe that providing a safe space, where the children are free to process difficult experiences and emotions, while also engaging in activities that develop certain virtues (e.g. hope, gratitude, mindfulness) will improve their ability to cope and by extension improve life outcomes (resilience).

ACEs

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA),  adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events, including abuse and neglect. They may also include household dysfunction such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up with family members who have substance use challenges. ACEs are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems throughout a person’s lifespan, including those associated with substance misuse.

ACEs include:

• Physical abuse

• Sexual abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Physical neglect

• Emotional neglect

• Intimate partner violence

• Mother treated violently

• Substance misuse within household

• Household mental illness

• Parental separation or divorce

• Incarcerated household member

• Death of a loved one

Need/Rationale

Trauma impacts development causing challenges that impede coping across domains: academic, social, personal and home environment.  More specifically, children who have experienced trauma are more likely to have social-emotional issues that often present as behavioral concerns, poor academic performance and inability or challenges with relationships.  Unfortunately, when these are unaddressed, these challenges sometimes worsen as the individual moves into adulthood.

Camp Hope is committed to helping children gain parts of their childhoods that have been lost to trauma and abuse. In order to address the social and emotional issues of children, Camp Hope will help build confidence, encourage laughter and allow them to navigate their grief/trauma through friendship, teamwork, athletics, and the common bond of loss. The underlying theme of Stories of Hope Inc is to ensure that individuals have hope that they can lead safe, healthy and productive lives.