Knowing how much Daniel loves his holidays, his support team helps him make the most of his holiday fun.
Supported Independent Living resident, Daniel, is a happy man by nature. The one thing that makes Daniel even happier though, is his regular holidays at Camp Breakaway on the NSW Central Coast.
Run by volunteers, Camp Breakaway offers four-to-five-day retreats for people with disabilities, their carers and siblings. The camps are run multiple times a year with different themes.
The ritual of Camp Breakaway begins weeks before the actual holiday. Daniel becomes more animated and is excited in the weeks leading up to his trip. Daniel, who normally does not communicate by speaking, will often say, ‘Norma’. Sharon Cornish, Daniel’s Key Worker, says that 'Norma' is one of the people who used to volunteer at the camp, and Daniel connects Camp Breakaway with her.
As the holiday approaches, Sharon supports Daniel in his preparation for the trip. She does extra planning and preparation to ensure he has everything he needs while away. Sharon provides the camp volunteers with a handover including explaining his medication and fluid requirements.
Daniel does not waste any time getting into the holiday spirit. He sings, plays bingo, dances at the disco, goes on picnics, does puzzles, enjoys candlelit dinners and attends church services. But you won’t find Daniel fishing - fishing is not his idea of fun! (Same here Daniel!)
After camp, Sharon and Daniel extend the magic by making scrapbooks of each holiday. They reminisce over the photographs and relive the good memories until the next trip comes around.
A person's story is precious. We take storytelling seriously. Sometimes people are able to tell their own story, and we love that. We always make sure they give us their ok, and we will always honour the trust placed in us to bring their story forward.
