Red Roof Retreat and Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre team up for Summer Communication Camp

Integrating Communication Skills for Non-Verbal Children is Goal

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON (June 9, 2008) – Steffanie Bjorgan, Executive Director of Red Roof Retreat is pleased to announce the launch of a new summer camp aimed at improving the skills of children who communicate without speech.  Partnering with the Communication Assessment and Support Team of the Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre, these camps will incorporate traditional summer camp activities to encourage natural communication, form new skills and build self-confidence. This alternate camp takes place from July 28 through August 4, 2008 at Red Roof Retreat’s Ranch location at 1594 Concession 6 in Niagara-on- the-Lake.

The Communication Assessment and Support Team are comprised of speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and two graduate students. They will teach children practical ways to use their current communication devices such as: bliss symbols, dynavox device, verbal and eye cues. “They do this by way of traditional camp activities such as crafts, recreational games and animal care”, says Steffanie Bjorgan , “the kids experience giving responses in ways that help them to be clear in expressing themselves and  learn consequences of their decision-making”.

This alternate camp differs from many others because it allows and encourages the children to use communication devices for the duration of the camp. According to Bjorgan, “other camps aren’t always able to incorporate the diverse communication devices and therefore they may be abandoned and skills may be lost”.

This camp also marks the beginning of diverse camps to be offered by Red Roof Retreat in the coming years. “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to encourage a variety of abilities in our kids”, states Bjorgan.

Red Roof Retreat is a regional charity that provides respite care and specialty camps for children and young adults with special needs. The Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre is the provider of rehabilitation services to children and teens with communication disabilities and special needs.

For more information on this camp or Red Roof Retreat's programs, please contact Steffanie at:
Tel: (905) 684.0235 or email: office@redroofretreat.com