Moving Beyond Awareness: Setting Neurodivergent Campers Up for Success

You can’t “wing it” when it comes to inclusion — especially not when the wing in question is attached to a sensory-sensitive, schedule-loving, routine-dependent camper who’s about to face an unannounced, overstimulating outbreak of competitive frenzy. Join Emily for a session that goes beyond “Neurodiversity 101” to explore what research and lived experiences tell us about supporting a wide range of brains and behaviors. We'll dig into the real-world side of supporting neurodivergent campers in camp programs: the structures, staffing, and systems that make success possible (and sustainable).

Why You Should Attend

We’ll talk about what neurodivergence actually looks like in camp life, how to tweak policies and environments before small issues become big ones, and what your staff wishes you’d tell them before day one. Expect facts, humor, strategy, and a few “oh wow, we do that!” (or "we should!") moments, because building welcoming camp environments isn’t about special treatment 3 it’s about thoughtful design. 

Registration for this webinar includes:

• Access to the live webinar
• 30 days of on-demand access to the recording

Stay Engaged

We look forward to seeing you at our live event on January 7, 2026! While you wait, check out these ACA resources to dive into key insights, explore the trends shaping today’s camp challenges, and get a head start on the conversation.

• Building a Truly Inclusive Team: Why Disability Inclusion Is Everyone’s Job

• 7 Tips for Working with Exceptional Campers

Meet the Presenter

Emily Golinsky 
Emily is a keynote speaker and presenter whose sessions get called many things, some of her favorites being: “tremendously helpful,” “definitely not the same-old-same-old,” “fun and informative,” and “not to be missed — a reason to come to the conference!” Following her retirement from a 15-year role as executive director at the therapeutically based Camp Starfish (NH), Emily founded Bright Moose, LLC (brightmoosetraining.com) to provide training, coaching, consultation, and professional development to camps, schools, towns, and youth organizations, guided by the motto “Help others shine bright!” Emily is an education advocate for youth with special needs and a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, and is honored to be the recipient of the Peter Kerns Award for the Advancement of Professional Development. She holds a BS (Health Psychology) and MS (Camp Administration & Leadership) and recently completed her Higher Education Teaching Certificate through Harvard. She is president of the NH Camp Directors Association, and she is active as an accreditation visitor and Board Stewardship committee member for ACA, New England. You can find her in Camping Magazine, ParentingNH, on the Project Real Job blog, and on multiple podcasts. Fair warning: she is also a member of the National Sarcasm Society and an avid collector of terribly awesome puns.