Empowering the disabled
Minutes later after some welcome remarks, six individuals surround a stack of wood doused with kerosene and torch it, bringing a handsome bonfire roaring to life and marking the start of campfire night, metres away from the front entrance of Methodist College Kuala Lumpur. “Gimme a P!” hollers the young emcee. “P. you gotcha P, you gotcha P!” chants the audience as they clap simultaneously in rhythm, before continuing with the complete name: “M-D-CAMP! M-D-CAMP! Ohhhhh ..Yeahhhh!!!”
Everyone immediately waves their little Malaysian flags, concluding the catchy cheer led by Camp Commander Sherrene Teh, while her colleague and Camp Director Prakash Ravindran supervises by the sidelines. The event has only just begun.
“Camp can be a scary thing for people who have never camped before,” begins Prakash, turning to me, before adding: “So we wanted a mix to get that camping feel and not to be too outdoor-ish.” About half of the participants, whose ages fall between 16 and 30, have never stayed away from home, let alone for two nights without their parents. platform for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), an umbrella term used to cover individuals with autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and learning difficulties like dyslexia.
“I work with a wide range of age groups,” shares Prakash, who is a Clinical Psychologist at Oasis Place, the organiser of this unique camp. “For young adults, it’s more about life skills, social interaction, and exposure to these kinds of things. So the camp is a very organic way of getting that opportunity. “
In addition, there’s value in them being away from their parents at this stay-over camp. Besides getting them out of their comfort zone and doing things differently, one of the goals includes giving parents or caregivers some much-needed rest. “They’re always with them, taking care of them. We said send them here for this camp, we know what it takes, we have the manpower, we’ll make sure they enjoy themselves, you guys can rest,” continues the camp director.
The application process has to be strict and thorough. Parents must provide details about their child’s special needs, their level of independence and what daily living skills they possess, for instance. “The reason is because when we recruit volunteers, we don’t want them to be babysitters, having to feed and change clothes,” explains Prakash. “Their role is to be a peer buddy. The person that befriends them, interacts with them. Some of these young adults can be close to non-verbal. Language skills are poor but understanding is there so they can follow instructions and do tasks.”
The camp organisers have implemented a same gender, one-to-one pairing system. Everyone has a peer buddy and both sides are taught to be accountable to each other. When Prakash briefs the volunteers, he works on breaking down any barriers or concerns. “Treat them as if you’re their friend, so talk to them, ask them questions, help them out if they need it. They’re independent but you’re there as a peer buddy to make sure they enjoy their experience and also to be our extra eyes.” girls and boys. They have to bring their own sleeping bags or other beddings and though they sleep on the floor, the airconditioning provides some comfort.
This year’s team-building theme puts the focus on fostering teamwork or a platoon environment. Scouts from the Bukit BIntang district were invited to join and hence scouting activities have been incorporated into the programme. Since arriving, the campers have taken part in music, dance and movement sessions facilitated by multi-disciplinary therapists from Oasis Place, with the aim of using what they learnt for a group performance at the closing ceremony. And just like a school sports day or team-building course, they get to experience outdoor fun in the form of a telematch, tug-of-war and a scavenger hunt.
When I ask Prakash to share a common misconception about individuals with learning difficulties, he replies: “They can’t do what other people can do. They’re different and they need to be treated differently. But in this camp, we have inclusion. You find ways to bring out their