24 Apr Summer Program Services Highlight: Goodwill’s Integration Program for Children with Autism
Goodwill’s day camp integration program, one of several Summer Program Services for youth, serves children ages 6-15 who have been diagnosed with autism at no charge to their parents. Participants maintain skills learned in school and learn new ones. But, most of all, they have a good time playing and interacting with other kids while Goodwill provides adults to help guide them during the day.
Autism is a disorder that affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills. “Some of the children in our program don’t know how to get along with other children, and that is why we bring them here every year,” explained Joann Jones-Smith, a program assistant with the day camp who has spent the last 25 summers working with Goodwill’s program. Twelve of those years have been at West Park Community Center. “We spend time with the other kids every day, which is important for the development of the children in our program.”
At least two days a week, the kids leave the park for a day of fun. “We go to the movies every Tuesday, and swimming every Wednesday,” says Jones-Smith with a smile. “We also take field trips to Chuck-E-Cheese and Opry Mills Mall.”
Being a kid should be a fun time, and these experiences are what one participant’s mother believes has made all the difference. “It’s unbelievable how much my daughter has grown since she started coming to this program three years ago,” she recalls. “It is just a great place to be.”
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