Camp B’nai Brith’s Avodah program combines leisure, work

by Anita Szabadi-Gottesman

Forging lifelong friendships and experiencing a true sense of belonging through the magic of summer camp often shapes the lives of youth. Since 2018, Camp B’nai Brith has been growing its unique Avodah program geared for neurodiverse young adults.

“There is now a place at summer camp for these adults,” said program director, Matthew Selvin, who is a special needs consultant and behaviourist. With a short break due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, summer 2022 saw 14 participants, divided equally between women and men, having a two-week overnight camp experience.

Founded in 1921 and located at a lake in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts on wooded grounds, Camp B’nai Brith has offered a camping experience serving the Jewish community for over 100 years. The Avodah program has become an integral part of the camp. (“Avodah” means “work” in Hebrew.)

Selvin hires his team members carefully, ensuring they have backgrounds in speech and occupational therapy, paramedic training, fitness instruction and more.” I am choosing counsellors with a variety of skills in order to stay on top of all the participants’ medical, physical and emotional needs,” he explained.

Participants, who must meet certain basic criteria and be semi-autonomous, use the program to develop employment skills. “We want to impact these special needs adults – prepare them for their year ahead after they leave camp,” Selvin said. To that end, combined with traditional camp experiences such as field trips and nights out of camp for leisure activities, each participant is employed by the camp. Holding an office function or working in the dining hall are some examples of jobs they are paid for.

“Not only do participants forge a true sense of belonging through their work, they [also] truly benefit the overall functioning of the camp,” pointed out Selvin. “The camp provides us with amazing resources, combining work responsibilities with leisure activities – allowing participants not only to feel accomplished but allocating time for building social connections.”

Selvin said that together with executive director Josh Pepin and his incredible team, they are continually looking to enhance participants’ camping experience. For Pepin, the program not only enriches the lives of its participants but sensitizes both campers and staff to the daily realities of special needs adults. “We are witness to a beautiful synergy that develops between the Avodah group and the entire camp,” he said. “We are able to provide much needed respite for the parents of these special needs adults, ensuring a safe and stimulating environment, building their self-confidence and watching them learn about new pieces of themselves.”

“As a life-long camper myself, with memories I hold so dear, I am so happy to be able to direct this very special program,” said Selvin. “I speak not only for myself but for my staff members as well that we all grow as a result of working with this population of young adults.”