Start Date
17-6-2025 2:00 PM
End Date
17-6-2025 3:00 PM
Abstract
Camp Abilities is an educational sports camp for children and youth with low vision and blindness. The first Camp Abilities was held in Brockport, NY in 1996, for one week overnight. Since 1996 the sports camp movement has expanded all over the world with over 28 Camp Abilities word-wide as well as many other similar programs. These camps vary in length, geography, and sports offered. What is consistent is the mission 1. To empower children and youth with low vision, blindness or deafblindness to be involved in sports, 2. To train future teachers to teach physical activity and sports, 3. To conduct research, 4. As a respite to parents, and 5. To change perceptions of the community related to the abilities of youth with low vision and blindness. This presentation will illuminate the variety of sports camps for children and youth across the world through the eyes of directors who have been running their camps for a few years to those who have run camps for many years. Participants will be encouraged to consider the benefits of a Camp Abilities in their communities. Resources and instructional materials such as books, videos, web sites, tip sheets, and power points will be shared.
Recommended Citation
Lieberman, Lauren j.; Por Einarsson, Ingi; Caron, Valerie; Barrett, Ursula; Blaine, Jane; and Armstrong, Molly, "Camp Abilities: An Educational Sports Camp for Children with Low Vision and Blindness: Perspectives of Directors from Around the World" (2025). International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness. 53.
https://sword.mtu.ie/isapa/2025/day2/53
Camp Abilities: An Educational Sports Camp for Children with Low Vision and Blindness: Perspectives of Directors from Around the World
Camp Abilities is an educational sports camp for children and youth with low vision and blindness. The first Camp Abilities was held in Brockport, NY in 1996, for one week overnight. Since 1996 the sports camp movement has expanded all over the world with over 28 Camp Abilities word-wide as well as many other similar programs. These camps vary in length, geography, and sports offered. What is consistent is the mission 1. To empower children and youth with low vision, blindness or deafblindness to be involved in sports, 2. To train future teachers to teach physical activity and sports, 3. To conduct research, 4. As a respite to parents, and 5. To change perceptions of the community related to the abilities of youth with low vision and blindness. This presentation will illuminate the variety of sports camps for children and youth across the world through the eyes of directors who have been running their camps for a few years to those who have run camps for many years. Participants will be encouraged to consider the benefits of a Camp Abilities in their communities. Resources and instructional materials such as books, videos, web sites, tip sheets, and power points will be shared.