Inclusion and Belonging

Our friends at Camp Fire share how the choices camp professionals make to create a sense of belonging for campers who are disconnected or afraid can help campers experience their first taste of camp magic.

View the digital issue . Features DEI Snapshot: Assessing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategies across Camps Lisa Meerts-Brandsma, PhD Welcoming International Counselors...

Belonging is a concept that has long been held as a solution for redressing the exclusion of diverse people. On the surface, this concept makes sense. The assumption is that if all...

An interview with nonprofit Brooklyn to Alaska.

As summer camp professionals, we’ve all experienced those unexpected moments when a camper or staff member raises a comment or question that catches us off guard. It could be...

“A society grows great when elders plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.” — Greek Proverb. Growing up, my family always said it takes a village to raise a child, and it...

Think about your camp songbook. If you don’t have one, create one! It’s the best way to formalize your song collection and to recognize songs that may have outlived their...

In the summer of 2014, I was the association director of inclusion for the South Shore YMCA in Massachusetts, with oversight of the inclusive day camp sites. It was officially our...

When I attend ACA conferences (which I do as a US Department of State Designated J-1 Sponsor for the Summer Camp Counselor Exchange Visitor Program), I make a point to attend...

Imagine a camping experience where individuals of all abilities can connect with the beauty of nature. The demand for facilities that are compliant with the Americans with...