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Comeragh Boys Camp is a wilderness camping programme
in development stages, located near Rathgormack, Co. Waterford. We
aim to provide a therapeutic and educational environment
where boys can address their problems and learn life skills for participation
in their community. The whole boy will be engaged by the wilderness camping program at CBC. The adventure of the outdoors, coupled with the challenges and camaraderie of a small group, supplies the boy with many opportunities to learn and discover both his inner world and the world around him. |
Objectives
CBC aims to:
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Wilderness Camping
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Mountains, woodlands, lakes, and streams
seem to awaken a boy`s natural curiosity and desire to explore. The wilderness
environment is an important part of the therapeutic milieu at Comeragh
Boys Camp. Plans Wilderness camping provides an abundance of activity potential, and the group chooses their own program of activities. They sit down each week to outline their choice of plans for the next week. This helps them organize their activities in such a way that goals and objectives can be met. A sense of pride is created as boys plan, carry out, and evaluate their initiatives. The Campsite The group is most often found at their campsite, which is a cluster of log frame huts of varied shape and size connected by carefully maintained paths. They design and build the shelters, and keep it maintained. The simplicity of the group-built campsite and boy-planned program, allow the boys to take ownership for "our" campsite and "our" plans. Routines A day at camp includes routines such as raking trails, sweeping tents, and cleaning lanterns. This helps maintain an orderly environment, which encourages positive behaviour and is an aid to emotional health. Times of activity are balanced with regular times of relaxation and evaluation. Wilderness Trips We encourage the group to plan occasional canoeing or backpacking trips. Adventure is a great motivator to accomplish all the planning work to make a trip happen. In the process, boys are learning writing and math skills, as well as learning how to utilize community and government resources to gain essential information for their trip. A group finds that learning new skills in remote areas connects them in a unique way, and encourages a positive group spirit. "We planned it, we did it, and we had fun. Aren`t we something?" |
Group Therapy
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Everything that happens in the wilderness camping program is based on
a cooperative group process. The group sets its own expectations for
behaviour, and constantly evaluates them. With shared planning and decision-making,
each member is personally responsible to contribute to the process. Democracy
is not just a theory we learn about, it is the way we live. Members join and graduate individually, so a core group shares their experience with newer members. Positive peer pressure is a powerful motivator in the learning process at CBC. Problem Solving Everyone comes to camp with problems, and the group atmosphere is a safe place to solve them. Any time a problem comes up, the group will "huddle" on the spot to discuss the behaviour or attitude. Boys and counsellors work together to identify the problem and find a satisfactory way to resolve it. When problems are seen as a basic tool in therapy, they are not dreaded. Adult Role Model At camp, the primary resource for change is the relationship the counsellor builds with a boy. As trust develops and the relationship matures, a boy opens to learning from his counsellor. As the boy then teaches others, an atmosphere of positive peer pressure develops. Counsellors are called chiefs, and boys come to see them as a friend and coach, as chiefs find creative ways to meet the individual needs of each boy. Evaluation Throughout the day, the group evaluates their present functioning, and winds the day up with a final evaluation session. In this meeting called pow-wow, boys reflect on what they have seen in each other, and evaluate their day`s plans and performance. |
Outdoor Education
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Camp education is quite different from the traditional classroom. Here,
academics are such a part of everyday life, that boys rarely think about
it as school. Writing skills are developed as boys outline daily plans,
make up menus for cookout times, or write articles about discoveries. Mathematics
become practical as they plan menus or design tents and build tents. Many
spontaneous learning opportunities occur as we encounter nature in the
woods. Chiefs facilitate these experiences, and encourage discussion, research
and writing about these discoveries. Themes of study often develop, and
the group plans field trips to pursue their interests. Often a boy`s emotional
problems have caused a failure in educational achievement, so learning
new academic skills boosts his confidence, and builds hope for his social
and economic improvement. Individual Tutoring We see the boy`s return to a classroom as necessary, so we take measures to ensure his academic fitness. Specific learning needs are addressed, and tutoring and textbook work is used as needed. |
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Organisation
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The program at CBC follows the wilderness therapy model pioneered by
Campbell Loughmiller in the 1950s. This Wilderness Road model has been
used and developed in a growing number of therapeutic camps.
Bald
Eagle Boys Camp, a member of the Wilderness Road Therapeutic Camping Association,
has offered consulting and experienced staff to adapt this model to Irish
history and culture. The Wilderness Road model is a residential model, and we hope to adapt that model fully for use in Ireland. If you are interested in this programme, feel free to contact us. We welcome your input. Comeragh Boys Camp Ltd is a non-profit organisation. |
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Contact
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If you have questions about our wilderness camping program, you can use our online form or contact us at: Comeragh Boys Camp Ltd. Ballynob Carrick on Suir Co. Waterford Ireland info@boyscamp.ie Webdesign: NETZKAHL Webdesign www.kahl.ie |