Grand Valley State University’s Statewide Autism Resources and Training (START) project has developed a summer camp guide for families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are seeking summer camp opportunities.

The START project, made possible for the past 10 years through the funding and support of the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services, provides training and technical assistance to educators and families throughout Michigan.

Amy Matthews, director of the START project, said the need for a guide stemmed from the fact many parents don’t have an easy way to identify camps for their child with a disability among other benefits.

“Children with ASD deserve to have, and can benefit greatly from, these same positive camp experiences,” Matthews said.

Matthews said that now, more than ever, there is a need for summer recreational programming in Michigan for individuals on the autism spectrum.

START recently completed a statewide survey that showed nearly 50 percent of families with children who have ASD said they needed more access to recreation and non-school summer programs. Even more of these families – 57 percent – reported they needed more access to peer-supported social opportunities for their children with ASD.

“Studies show that including children with ASD into settings where they can learn and interact with their typical peers is very beneficial, and including children with ASD in a typical camp setting teaches their typical peers at camp to become more accepting of people with differences,” Matthews said.

She added that feedback from typical campers and their parents suggest that children develop social skills that help them make new friends, grow more independent, show more leadership qualities and becoming more adventurous and willing to try new things.

The online guide can be found at www.gvsu.edu/autismcenter/summer-camps-383.htm

For more information, contact Amy Matthews at (616)331-3513

[email protected]