These kids were the first to participate in the four-day program designed to introduce youth from the Detroit and East Lansing, Michigan areas to the American Youth Foundation programming.

Ambrean Ford, Director of Community Life, Diversity, and Inclusion, said Dare to Adventure aimed to provide more equitable access to the outdoors and the AYF by offering a low-cost, mini-camp experience. To participate, campers must hold at least one historically marginalized identity (including but not limited to Black/African American, Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latinx, Indigenous, multi-ethnic, or LGBTQAI+) and have never experienced a summer camp before.

Ford worked closely with Teen Hype and Detroit Achievement Academy to spread the word about the new program. During Dare to Adventure, these campers experienced traditional camp activities such as swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, high ropes and rock climbing courses, outdoor cooking and camping skills, and lots of fun, active games. They also enjoyed quieter moments of reflection and discussion about their values and what the outdoors means to them.

“Over the four days of camp, we saw campers who had never slept outside, swam in a lake, or hiked a dune find comfort and joy in their unfamiliar surroundings,” Ford said. “Campers spoke of being less scared of the woods and more open to exploring around camp.”

Dare to Adventure was staffed with volunteers and Mulcahy Fellows, seasonal AYF staff who hold similar backgrounds and identities to the campers. The fellows also helped develop and plan the program starting in early 2023.

“Dare to Adventure really wouldn’t exist without Mulcahy Fellows. They worked in different roles and helped to bring the fun!” Ford said. “It helped the campers transition into the new experience to have staff that visibly represented them and their identities. Many fellows worked the eight previous weeks in our other summer camp programs and then found the energy to make another week happen for the Dare to Adventure campers. It was very inspiring to watch our vision become a real program just one year after thinking it up.”

Ford said her favorite moment of the program came during the final Evening Reflection, when campers were invited to share their individual experiences.

“So many campers stood up and said what being there had meant to them,” she said. “And though they were tired from the walking and annoyed with the bugs, each of them said they wanted to return to this place next year to feel that kind of happiness and community again. It was hard to not tear up over their unscripted reflections and how there was so much positive learning that came from them adventuring daringly.”

Ford sees the potential and promise of Dare to Adventure and hopes to watch it – and these campers – grow each year.

“There are so many future campers out there who would love summer camp and just need that first experience,” she said. “The need and want for the program are out there. The passion to staff the program is growing. I have faith that this camp has the potential to enkindle thousands of spirits and create new AYF communities.”

The post New campers dare to adventure at Miniwanca appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

The Dare to Adventure program, which will take place Aug. 8 to 11, will be a four-day outdoor educational experience for youth entering grades 7 and 8 from the Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan areas. Registration is now open.

Director of Community Life, Diversity, and Inclusion Ambrean Ford said Dare to Adventure aims to provide more equitable access to the outdoors and AYF programs by offering a low cost, mini-camp experience. Miniwanca staff and Mulcahy Fellows, seasonal AYF staff who hold similar backgrounds and identities to the campers, will lead traditional AYF activities designed to introduce youth to the outdoors and experience living joyfully in nature.

“The AYF is actively trying to find more ways to provide equitable access to the outdoors to more families each year,” Ford said. “Historically, systemic barriers in the U.S. such as discrimination, cost, and location have prevented people of color from accessing nature and nature-based education. Dare to Adventure programming is created with this in mind.”

To participate in Dare to Adventure, a camper must never have attended summer camp and must hold at least one historically marginalized identity (such as Black/African American, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, or others). Also, their primary caregiver’s household income must be at or below the living wage for Wayne County. Families will pay a one-time $10 registration fee.

“Offering this program for only a $10 fee allows us to bring first-time participants to our camps and show them what positive experiences in nature can do for their lives,” Ford said. “Not all families have the extra funds to send their kids to our summer camp programs, and it’s important we find new ways to make sure those kids still get these experiences.”

Campers will participate in traditional camp activities such as swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, high ropes and rock-climbing courses, outdoor cooking and camping skills, and lots of fun, active games. They will also enjoy quieter moments of reflection and discussion about their values and what access to the outdoors means to them.

Ford said the Mulcahy Fellows created the foundation for Dare to Adventure in spring 2022.

“The foundation for the program was created during the first Mulcahy Fellow summer retreat in 2022,” Ford said. “There we decided how we would provide a brave space for the participants to challenge themselves. During the program, they will be present as direct support for participants each day.”

Ford encouraged anyone curious to learn more about Dare to Adventure to email her directly at aford@ayf.com. “More than anything, we want Dare to Adventure participants to feel the joy that comes from spending time in the AYF community,” she said.

The post Dare to Adventure will expand outdoor access to Detroit-area youth appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

The Mulcahy Fellowship is an initiative to intentionally honor, support, and uplift seasonal staff who identify as historically underrepresented members in AYF program communities. The goal is to address the lack of diversity in leadership positions within AYF programs and recognize that individuals with these identities provide more emotional labor than other camp staff.

The AYF launched the Fellowship in 2019 with an inaugural class of five individuals who worked as seasonal summer staff at Merrowvista, Miniwanca, and National Leadership Conference. Today, there are 25 fellows.

Director of Community Life, Diversity, and Inclusion Ambrean Ford said the retreat, which she hopes will take place annually before summer programs, give fellows a chance to acclimate to camp before staff training.

“The Mulcahy Fellowship retreat gives them an opportunity to bond meet each other and for older fellows to mentor the class of 2022,” she said. “We also did some long-term planning for the next five years, laying out our vision for the future of the fellowship.”

Ford said the fellows hope to offer a future program for youth from the Detroit area. “This mini-camp’s purpose is to allow kids to experience outdoors and nature in a positive way with leaders who look like them and who hold similar identities,” she explained.

Ford, who is also a 2019 Mulcahy Fellow, said the retreat helped her realize how important it is for this community to gather in person. “People need that in-person connection so we can realize we are more than folks on a screen. The retreat was a great reminder that it is important to hold affinity spaces where folks who have similar identities are connected and enjoying each other’s company. When you can actually be together and share those moments in person, you feel you know someone’s authentic self.”

The fellows built on the strength of their time together and left the retreat energized to step into their staff roles and share in the leadership of camp communities.

The post Mulcahy fellows gather for first in-person retreat appeared first on American Youth Foundation.