Camp Shriver is A Free Inclusive Summer Sports Camp for Children with and without Disabilities
For the past seven years, Camp Shriver at the University of Massachusetts Boston has welcomed over 700 children, half with and half without intellectual and developmental disabilities, ages 8-12, from low income families in the Boston area to a free inclusive summer sports camp.
While recreational programs offered by schools and community agencies may accept children with disabilities, few are designed to enroll an equal number of children with and without disabilities. Camp Shriver at UMass Boston was established to reverse this lack of affordable inclusive recreational opportunities so that all children can play, learn and interact in meaningful ways with their peers—as equals—no matter what their disability status.
Camp Shriver’s mission is to use sports as a vehicle to bring children with and without disabilities together so that they have the opportunity to improve their motor skills, social skills and self-esteem, while developing positive peer relationships and making new friends.
Why Do We Need Camp Shriver?
For most children, attending summer camp is a typical life experience where children can learn new skills, build friendships and experience personal growth in unique ways that only a recreational setting can provide. For children with disabilities, however, many barriers can impede their ability to take part in camp.
While recreational programs offered by schools and community agencies may accept children with disabilities, few are designed to enroll an equal number of children with and without disabilities. Additionally, many camps for children in the Greater Boston area are prohibitively expensive. Camp Shriver is unique as a free summer sports camp that serves an equal number of children with and without disabilities. Last summer the Camp had an extensive waiting list—350 applications for 100 slots—demonstrating the great need that Camp Shriver meets in the community.
The lack of inclusive recreational opportunities places children with disabilities at a disadvantage, as numerous studies have demonstrated that inclusive camps improve the self-esteem and social interactions of children with disabilities (Marsh, 1999; Brannan et al., 2000). For campers without disabilities, inclusive camps provide the opportunity to develop a realistic understanding of what it means to have a disability and increase peer acceptance (Brannan et al., 2000). Additionally, an inclusive recreational setting can reverse the stigma associated with disability that results in social rejection. A study of Boston-area children (Siperstein et al., 2007) found that children with disabilities were three times more likely to be rejected by their classmates than their peers without disabilities.
Camp Shriver was established to reverse this lack of inclusive recreational opportunities so that all children can play, learn and interact in meaningful ways with their peers no matter their disability status.
What does Camp Shriver Offer?
Camp Shriver creates an inclusive recreational environment so that all children can play, learn and interact in meaningful ways by implementing 1) a supportive team model with a 4:1 camper-to-staff ratio and a balance of ages, genders and campers with and without disabilities and 2) inclusive sport instruction in swimming, soccer, basketball and more by coaches who have graduate degrees in adaptive physical education.
Additionally, Camp Shriver offers free and reliable transportation, as many parents work or are unable to provide/afford transportation on their own; nutritious breakfast and lunch to encourage campers to eat healthy and be ready for physical activity all day; and on-campus field trips that promote art, dance and additional team sports—such as lacrosse—to expose campers to the many opportunities that their own community offers.
How Can I Help?
You can support Camp Shriver by joining our Team for the Boston Marathon, helping to raise funds to support our program while participating in one of the world’s most prestigious road races!
Download an application from the Camp Shriver website here.