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Camp for people with autism coming to Boardman in August
BOARDMAN
Though the Mahoning Valley has some excellent resources for families dealing with autism, many are not offered year-round.
“August typically is a really, really rough month for families with autism in it,” said Lisa Robinson of Poland, whose 14-year-old son is autistic.
“He needs a schedule, he needs predictability. If you have other children, school shopping is difficult,” she said. “It’s just really hard [for parents] to offer the structure that the school day offers.”
Robin Eisenbraun, 23, and Megan Key, 26, both intervention specialists at Boardman schools, have found a way to bridge the gap: PROJECTABILITY, LLC.
PROJECTABILITY’s mission is to provide “young adults with autism the opportunity to engage in fun camp activities that define, model and shape life skills for a successful home, employment and community life.”
“We have seen this crazy need in our community for the lowest-functioning,” said Eisenbraun. Her passion for the issue developed after “one of the boys I worked one-on-one with was denied service because of the severity of his disability,” she said.
“You have to be accepting of all disabilities and severities, and the families who are being denied service are the ones who need it the most,” she said.
The camp, which is accepting applications from campers and camp counselors, runs Aug. 3-21 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at Potential Development on Market Street. The schedule also includes two Saturday events.
The camp is geared toward those age 14 to 22, but Key and Eisenbraun say they are open to applicants outside of that age range. They also will try to offer assistance to families who cannot afford the cost of the program.
A tentative camp schedule includes a yoga/meditation cool-down session, activity boxes, a gym activity, a community outing, behavior assessments, life-skill sessions, lunch and a session titled “Look Your Best: Hygiene Activity.”
The focus on practical life skills is crucial, Key and Eisenbraun say, because many with autism find that opportunities for development end after they reach a certain point in their schooling.
“Their goals are just like ours. They want to work and live independently and make friends,” Key said.
PROJECTABILITY also aims to raise awareness about autism.
“We want to stretch this out and teach people in our community that this is how you cope with someone with autism,” Eisenbraun said. “They’re a part of our society, just like us.”
To learn more about PROJECTABILITY, visit the “Projectability LLC” page on Facebook or contact Key and Eisenbraun at projectability.llc@gmail.com.
“They speak autism,” said Robinson, who knows Key and Eisenbraun personally. “There are some people who have the knack for connecting with kids, especially kids with disabilities, and they certainly have that.”