Many years ago, a shining example of inclusion happened at my home camp. Sam was a long-time camper who had autism. What was noticeable about Sam was that he wandered and very rarely hung out with the other kids in his group. He always seemed happy enough with his one-to-one counselor and a bit of redirection. His experience was “inclusive enough.”

Then Evan, Sam’s counselor, entered the picture. Evan totally got Sam and built a relationship with him, which was evident in how Sam loved to tell Evan jokes. It was also evident one afternoon when Sam was again wandering. His group was playing basketball, and he was not into it. His preferred activity? Cloud watching.

Evan, could have encouraged or even insisted that Sam get up and play the scheduled activity which was basketball but instead he lay on the ground next to Sam and asked him what he saw. It seemed uneventful for Sam; he was just being Sam. But the other campers noticed, and one by one they left their basketball game and lay on the ground as well. Some pretty cool observations were made and talked about.

Suddenly, Sam was part of something that interested him and that others could join. Kudos to Evan for embracing that moment. It became the beginning of something significant for Sam and for the others, as the boys now had common ground with him. Friendships developed as this connected Sam to them. He was no longer the boy who didn’t stay with the group; he was now the boy who saw dinosaurs and monster trucks in the clouds and when you’re an eleven-year-old boy, that was cool.

This is one story that encapsulates the meaning of intentional inclusion. The foundation had been laid, and Evan had been trained to first get to know your campers; to build relationships. Evan did that and he brought the nature of inclusiveness alive. Evan chose to create an environment of inclusion. He chose the activity that brought everyone in. It was not just about Sam; it was about supporting the group and bringing them together.

Intentional inclusion is about everyone. It is about the sense of belonging felt at camp for those with and without disabilities. It is about allowing people to show up and be themselves, meet them where they are and provide support as needed. 

Sam came to camp for years after the cloud watching experience. He loved it. In fact, he became known for his quirky sense of humor. He made people laugh and not just his one-to-one counselor. He learned to stay with his group a bit more, often on the edge of the activity, but camp became home for him. He knew he was welcome there and that he could be himself.

Peace,

Angi