Summer Camps 2024
PATHWAYS 2024 SUMMER CAMP OPTIONS:
Scroll through this page to find all the details for our 2024 Summer Camp options. We are proud and excited to offer Authentic Connections + Authentic Connections Jr., Authentically Me, and Pathways Storytellers.
We aim to be as thorough as possible in our details and registration process so you know exactly what each camp is all about and exactly how to register! If you ever have any questions about whether a camp is a good fit for your child, or need any assistance with registration, please contact our team!
** PLEASE NOTE - CAMP PRE-REGISTRATION PROCESS LAUNCHED ON MARCH 15 TO OUR CURRENT/RETURNING CLIENTS. AS SUCH, MANY CAMPS HAVE ALREADY FILLED. IF YOU WISH TO BE ADDED TO A CAMP WAITLIST, SHOULD A SPOT BECOME AVAILABLE OR IF AN EXTRA CAMP IS ADDED, PLEASE CONTACT US WITH THE DETAILS OF THE SPECIFIC CAMP TO ADD YOUR CHILD’S NAME TO THE WAITLIST**
Important Camp Details: Please Read!
All camps run Monday through Friday of their scheduled week
All camps involve a two-hour session scheduled on each of the 5 days of the camp (i.e., each program is a total of 10 hours)
Full payment for the camp fee is due in advance, at the time of registration. We require a valid credit card on file, or added to your account in your intake forms, for processing the camp fee. If you do not have a credit card on file, and/or we cannot process your fee, your child will not be considered as registered in the camp.
Receipts will be provided so you can claim up to the full amount* on your health insurance/funding (*depends on individual family coverage amounts) once the camp is attended. We cannot issue attended service receipts for services that have not yet happened; detailed receipts for insurance/funding can ONLY be sent out AFTER the camp is completed.
All of our service providers are on the Autism Funding Registry
All camps are drop-off programs, meaning that a caregiver does NOT stay with their child. As such, we have respectfully developed requirements for camp participants (detailed below) to ensure each registered participant is able to be safe + successful in our camps at a 1:4 staff ratio.
If you feel your child is outside the targeted age for a camp, but best-suited for a group outside their age, please reach out to our team to discuss their registration options: ally@pathwayslearning.ca
Cancellation/Refund Policy: The program fee is refundable, minus a $75 cancellation charge, until three weeks before the program’s start date. Cancellations made within three weeks of a program’s start date WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. Missed sessions during the program are not eligible for reduced fees or refunds. Programs may be cancelled if sufficient enrollment is not achieved; refunds will be given in such a case.
AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS CAMP
You are looking for a group program that both welcomes and accepts your child AND that can help your child to enhance their abilities to connect with others. You’ve found other “Social Skills” programs out there, but those programs target skills that may not seem appropriate or comfortable for your child (e.g., forced eye contact, sitting still to “listen,” not talking about special interests) or that use methods that you don’t agree with (e.g., rewards for good behaviour, consequences for being dysregulated or “bad behaviour”). Instead, you’re looking for a place for your child to be social while also being their own unique self, while building their skills at the same time.
You want your child to be successful in groups and to connect with others positively, while staying true to who they are. If this sounds like you as a parent, you are looking for the Authentic Connections Group at Pathways.
THIS PROGRAM RUNS AT PATHWAYS YEAR-ROUND; LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM HERE.
Authentic Connections for ages 7-12 years will be led by a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and offer a welcoming and inclusive group environment to build group engagement and participation, social communication, friendship, and self-confidence. Participants will be led through a variety of fun and engaging activities to learn about and embrace their own authentic selves, while being guided to participate in the whole group if they choose, work cooperatively with others, win and lose at games, advocate for themselves and their individual needs, and to ultimately connect with others in a group environment in positive and meaningful ways. Authentic Connections Junior for ages 4-7 years will offer the same goals and experience of the Authentic Connections group for the older ages; however, the sessions will alternate between a SLP and Occupational Therapist to provide more learning opportunities and support for understanding body cues, navigating regulation needs, building self-advocacy specifically around co-regulation needs, and supporting emotional regulation as well.
AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS, AGES 7-12yrs
July 15th - 19th, Monday-Friday (AFTERNOON CAMP) with Julia, 1:00-3:00pm | CAMP FULL, please contact us for waitlist.
July 29th - August 2nd, Monday-Friday (MORNING CAMP) with Meghan, 10:00am-12:00pm | CAMP FULL, please contact us for waitlist.
AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS JUNIOR, AGES 4-7yrs
July 15th - 19th, Monday-Friday (MORNING CAMP) with Julia SLP + Pam OT, 10:00am-12:00pm | CAMP FULL, please contact us for waitlist.
August 12th - 16th, Monday-Friday (MORNING CAMP) with Eden SLP + Pam OT, 10:00am-12:00pm | CAMP FULL, please contact us for waitlist.
STORYTELLERS CAMP
You are looking for a group program that both welcomes and accepts your child AND that can help your child to enhance their foundational skills for literacy and language. Pathways Storytellers will help support skill development around narrative skills, such as retelling stories, sequencing, finding the plot, understanding the story, and phonological awareness (pre-reading skills) while honouring each child’s differences in learning. Your child will experience creative and engaging activities all while growing their language and literacy skills!
If you want your child to be successful and confident in these foundational skills, while being supported in their interests and accepted for who they are, our Pathways Storytellers Camp is what you are looking for!
THIS PROGRAM RUNS AT PATHWAYS YEAR-ROUND; LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM HERE.
Storytellers Camp is for children ages 6-9 (or grade 1-3 developmental/education level) and is led by a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and a Licensed Specialized Teacher. This camp offers a welcoming and inclusive group environment to build group engagement and participation, phonological awareness skills, narrative language, sequencing, identifying plot and main events, re-telling stories, and story comprehension. Participants will be led through a variety of fun and engaging activities to build their foundational literacy skills.
STORYTELLERS CAMP, AGES 6-9yrs
July 22nd - 26th, Monday-Friday (MORNING CAMP) with Eden and Amanda, 10:00am -12:00pm | CAMP FULL, please contact us for waitlist.
August 12th - 16th, Monday-Friday (AFTERNOON CAMP) with Eden and Amanda/Dani, 1:00pm - 3:00pm | CAMP FULL, please contact us for waitlist.
AUTHENTICALLY ME CAMP
You are looking for a camp where your child can be celebrated for their unique strengths, talents, and perspectives. In the Authentically Me camp, we understand that every child is wonderfully different and we embrace this diversity wholeheartedly. Rather than focusing on deficits or challenges, we believe in identifying and nurturing each child's individual strengths and abilities. Through a strengths-based approach, we empower campers to recognize and cultivate their talents, interests, and passions. This camp is designed to build social-emotional well-being, resilience, self-acceptance, confidence, and identity exploration in a supportive and inclusive environment.
If you are a seeking a fun group environment that will also build your child’s social-emotional strength, individuality, and give them a safe space to explore and gain pride in their identity, Authentically Me is it!
Authentically Me for ages 7-12 years will be led by a registered Social Worker who has expertise in child development, neuropsychology, and neurodiversity. Our carefully crafted program offers a wide range of activities tailored to engage and inspire children of any neurotype, neurodivergent or otherwise. From creative arts and expressive activities, to cooperate games and team-building exercises, every activity is designed to promote social interaction, communication skills, and collaboration in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. In addition to structured activities, our camp provides ample opportunities for self-expression and personal growth. Through guided discussions, expressive arts, and reflective exercises, campers are encouraged to explore their emotions, build self-awareness, and develop coping strategies for managing stress and anxiety. Throughout the program, our experienced staff members provide individualized support and guidance, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance for every camper. Whether it's offering a listening ear, providing gentle encouragement, or celebrating achievements, we are dedicated to helping each child feel valued, respected, and empowered. Above all, Authentically Me is a place where children can thrive, make meaningful connections, and discover the beauty of their own uniqueness.
AUTHENTICALLY ME, AGES 7-12yrs
July 8th - 12th, Monday-Friday (MORNING CAMP) with Kasey, 10:00am-12:00pm
August 19th - 23rd** Monday-Friday (AFTERNOON CAMP) with Kasey, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
**This group is respectfully reserved to be an all-girls group, and is open to registrations by any female-identifying youth.
How to Register:
We aim to make this process as smooth as possible through the magic of online booking through our Jane Booking Page, but please read these steps CAREFULLY in order to register successfully! Please make note of the camp date/time options you want and then follow these steps to register:
To register, click the button below to go Pathways Online Booking system through JANE.
Choose the specific therapist’s name that is listed, in bold, with the SPECIFIC camp in which you want to register.
Choose THE CORRECT CAMP NAME and then jump ahead in that therapist’s calendar to the START DATE for that camp week.
Complete the online booking for your child through the online booking prompts.
An intake form will be emailed to you upon completion of the booking. You MUST enter your payment information to be processed. Your camp registration will not be complete until you enter this information.
***** Please note the camp registration process reserves your spot and copies the booking for the entire week once the camp is full. This means you will receive a booking confirmation for JUST the first day of camp immediately, and for the remainder of the camp dates at a later time. Do not worry, your spot for the entire week is booked!*****
Can I register my child in a camp? (Participation criteria explained here)
At Pathways, we offer a few specialized summer camps each year from our small clinical team. We do not receive any financial support or subsidies to hire additional support staff to provide 1:1 support and we do not offer respite or recreational programming. We aim to offer summer camp programs that are intervention-focused and we care deeply about ensuring a safe, positive, and successful experience for every child. While we absolutely believe in inclusion for all, we know that true inclusion must be framed around a safe and meaningful experience for each individual and we know that some children need more support than others to participate in busy environments. With all of this in mind, we respectfully ask that each parent/caregiver reads the following participation criteria with careful consideration prior to registering your child in our camps. If you are looking for summer programming for your child, and they need 1:1 support, we encourage you to reach out to the Autism Resource Centre to learn more about their summer programs!
To participate in a Pathways Summer Camp, a child must:
Be able to participate in the group safely and meaningfully with a 1:4 staff ratio; we cannot provide 1:1 support for any child at any time. Each group has two adult facilitators and a maximum of 8 children.
Show an interest in being in the group environment; children who do not want to be there, or are more interested in exploring individual play/sensory experiences, are likely better supported (and would have more fun!) in an individualized and/or smaller-group setting
Be able to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and needs, via speech or other modalities, and understand language in a way that they can benefit from the information and strategies being shared and so that they can successfully follow instructions and participate in the group activities
Not typically become very dysregulated, destructive/aggressive, or unsettled by larger group environments; children who become overwhelmed and/or avoidant of large group settings may be better supported (and more comfortable) in an individual or small-group setting instead.