YMCA Helping Hands
1:1 support for your child (ages 5-12 years)
The YMCA of Niagara strives to provide an inclusive Day Camp environment and welcomes children with additional needs and differing abilities into our programs.
Our Helping Hands program offers 1:1 support for children with physical and/or, developmental disabilities, mental health or behavioural considerations so they can enjoy a positive and supportive camp experience alongside their peers.
In the Helping Hands Program a support staff helps children integrate into the camp program with their peers while allowing for breaks and support when needed. Please note, while we do our best to support all children, we recognize that we may not be able to meet the needs of every child. Limited spaces overall and a limited number of weeks are available and subject to securing qualified staff.
The 1:1 Helping Hands program may be a good fit for your child if:
- Extra support is required at school
- Extra support is required at home for basic care such as dressing and toileting
- A disability exists that may affect their safety in our program
- They require frequent breaks from group settings to support their self-regulation
- They are unable to remain in a group setting in a 1:12 ratio independently
It is also important to also consider the following when choosing Day Camp for your child:
- Camp programming runs full day, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Changes in program and/or routine may occur last-minute (i.e. weather changes)
- Camp is offered in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments and some camp locations share space with the general public
- New COVID-19 protocols
We expect campers to treat each other, staff, and themselves with respect at all times; solve problems collaboratively, include others in activities, and use non-offensive language at all times. The safety of our campers and staff members is a key priority.
Contact
To discuss the criteria and the potential of additional support for your child please:
- email us at [email protected]
Helping Hands spaces are limited and assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.
The YMCA of Niagara is committed to providing an inclusive environment. Through the support of our Stronger Together Campaign and other philanthropic efforts, the YMCA is able to offer the Helping Hands program to participants at a fee less than the true cost of a one to one support program. The weekly fee for the campers in the Helping Hands program will be $350/week, prorated for shorter weeks impacted by holidays.
Register
To express interest and to add yourself to the Helping Hands waitlist for camp, please register for “Helping Hands Intake” online here when camp registration is open.
This does not guarantee you a spot in the program but puts you on the waitlist. We will work through the waitlist and contact you if a spot becomes available.
Subsidy information
Families who are applying for subsidy from the Niagara Region should first complete the subsidy process for Helping Hands prior to contacting the YMCA.
Personal Support Workers:
If the YMCA is unable to support a camper in the Helping Hands program due to availability or the child’s unique needs, some families may be eligible to provide their own 1:1 support worker for their child. Personal Support Workers are arranged for and paid directly by the families and are subject to meeting specific YMCA requirements. Arrangements for Personal Support Workers must be finalized and approved by the YMCA by February 9th, 2024. For more information on this option please contact the Integration Team at [email protected].