How will CampOut fill a gap and help these kids, and work with their families and other services?
“No one at Camp Out will tell the kids that what they feel is wrong or unacceptable. The experience will be about giving them a place where they can be affirmed and develop a sense of respect for themselves and others. It’s also about character building, and getting something out of life by giving something. Our kids will learn the importance of connection and reliance on others, so that they can see beyond the pop culture icons and discover something terrific in themselves. “
– Hector Perez, Founder
CampOut will provide a mix of services, driven by values and experiences of CampOut’s founder, Hector Perez, the best evidence about what kids need to develop and what works, and common sense to fill in the gaps. CampOuts service design will emphasize:
• A safe environment where teens can address questions of identity and grow in a physically and emotionally secure place. This includes only working with appropriately qualified/trained, supportive adults.
• Relationships and connections with peers and adults that are committed and consistent over time and that foster a sense of belonging and guidance.
• Opening possibilities through fun, exploring nature, and adventure, including outdoor activities that foster a connection to nature and relieve stress, and cultural activities that introduce teens to the diversity of LGBT history and experience.
• Opportunities for extensive family involvement that helps parents address their children’s sexuality in a positive way and aims to strengthen family relationships. Families, not services, are the most important influence on most kids’ lives.
• Cooperation and coordination with the other supports and services in kids lives, with school being the most important.
CampOut is currently consulting kids, families, experts and practitioners about the details of its service model, but the core service offering will include:
Summer CampOut
Camps are an essential element of American culture, providing young people with recreational opportunities, exposure to the outdoors, personal development and lifelong friendships. Yet for many teens who are LGBT or questioning the sense of fellowship that is so critical to the camp experience can be much harder to achieve, and even the prospect of attending summer camp, with its close quarters and emphasis on group activities, is often a daunting prospect.
Summer CampOut will focus on an activity and learning program including nature based experiences; building leadership, confidence and character; understanding the diversity of LGBT life and history; forming friendships and relationships; ameliorating ‘summer learning loss’; and fun. There will be opportunities for parent involvement at the beginning and end of camp, in part to help parents build relationships with and get support from other parents. Over time, it is envisaged that Summer CampOut alumi will take a big role in guiding the direction and development of Summer CampOut.
Ongoing Mentoring with LGBT Adults
Well run mentoring has been shown to improve school connection and attendance, reduce drug and alcohol use and other destructive behaviors, and strengthen kids’ relations with parents and friends. Young LGBT people face an environment that is more likely (than their straight peers) to be lonely and isolated, with fewer trusted and supportive adults, and without accessible individual role models or clear life pathways. The potential benefits of mentoring to these kids are significant and clear.
Who makes a good mentor, and what social and learning activities mentors and mentees do can vary wildly. CampOut will focus on what we know are the critical factors behind successful mentoring: sound recruiting and selection of mentors, matching kids and adults well, ensuring family support of the relationship, and supporting mentors through the life of the mentoring.
Sustain relationships for both kids and families
The relationships kids form at camp can last lifetimes. CampOut aims to explore these in two ways:
• Supporting an online community of CampOut alumni, and potentially their friends. This will provide a forum for kids and their parents who have shared the Summer CampOut experience to remain connected and able to share support, information and ideas. The precise shape of this will evolve rapidly through consultation with and use by kids and parents.
• Decals signifying safe spaces. We know that even in many schools LGBT kids don’t always have safe spaces to go when they need it. This is a developing area, and as the CampOut brand grows we will join advocacy efforts to make schools and communities safe and welcoming places for LGBT kids.