Social Justice Spotlight: Camp Yakety Yak
Do you wish you could help make the world a better place, but aren’t sure how? Let’s learn about a local organization making a genuine positive impact on the community.
Camp Yakety Yak (CYY) is a special needs day camp located in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and founded in 2010. Typical summer camp programs are often unable to provide for the needs of neurodivergent kids, and so CYY, a nonprofit organization, seeks to bridge this gap.
Camp Yakety Yak provides an inclusive setting to serve children, with approximately 75% of campers experiencing developmental and physical disabilities. This includes children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, learning and communication disabilities, intellectual delays, cerebral palsy, and other physical disabilities. CYY mainly focuses on children with special needs, however, they operate on a reverse inclusion model, where neurotypical friends and siblings are invited to join in the fun!
They offer four week-long programs during July, each of which has a special theme and related activities. Campers are placed on teams with children of a similar age and attend four 30-minute classes, lunch, and a facilitated recess. These weeks are not only fun ways for kids to spend the summer, but also teach valuable skills. Lessons are centered along the lines of caregiver support, emotional regulation, scientific learning, and social interaction, “with an emphasis on school, home, and community success.” CYY also offers speech pathology and physical therapy for campers with higher needs.
Camp Yakety Yak has trained professional staff for the more technical aspect of teaching, but they also have many “mature teen volunteers [who] round out [their] staff and bring the fun element.” Up to 80 percent of their staff are high school and college students. They also have hundreds of teen and adult volunteers each summer, so you could be a welcome member of their team! They also offer more casual volunteer opportunities, as well as a four-week summer internship. Most volunteers help with children between ages five to 11, with a few working with 12 to 15 year olds. Volunteers provide group or one-on-one support to assist the campers with accessing camp activities and curriculum.
Most summer interns work as team leaders for camps, but can complete other duties such as working with the camp nurse, in CYY’s middle school program, or with IT support to assist campers with technology. A $500 stipend is provided at the completion of the internship to cover transportation costs.
You are welcome to contact Heather Eason at heather@campyaketyyak.org if you have any questions. Eason would like to note that registration for CYY’s intern, volunteer, and staff positions started on January 18, but is still open!
If you happen to know any kids who might benefit from attending Camp Yakety Yak, they also offer a 50% camper discount to any staff, students, volunteers, or interns! That would be $100/week for a neurotypical camper and around $330/week for Special Needs Campers. Camper registration started on Feb 7.
If you have a moment and the passion, get involved!