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Camp Costanoan

 

About Camp Costanoan

Camp Costanoan is Via’s residential, outdoor education, recreation and learning center for children and adults, ages 5 and older, with physical and/or developmental disabilities and special needs. Camp is located on 13-wooded acres nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Stevens Creek County Park just 15 miles west of San Jose and 45 miles south of San Francisco. The camp facility has six modern and accessible sleeping lodges equipped with bathrooms, showers and heaters, a spacious main lodge where dining and large group programs take place, two pools, one of which is fully accessible, a health center, campfire circle, creative arts and performing arts buildings, a sports court, nature pavilion with an accessible organic garden, horse corral, platform tent site as well as hiking and nature trails. All of these are intended to give campers the most enjoyable and safe camping experience possible.

We offer weekend camping programs during the school year as well as summer sessions ranging from 4 to 9 days. Weekend camping sessions are divided into children and adult weekends in order to enhance peer socialization and age appropriate programming. Campers are assigned into lodge groups based on age, gender and ability levels. We serve approximately 65 campers on weekends and between 75 and 120 campers during summer sessions.

A typical day at camp begins at 8:00 a.m. and continues through 9:00 p.m. with a balanced schedule of activity periods, meals, rest and free time. Campers are given the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities that are designed around Via’s Living Healthy framework. We incorporate health and fitness into every program we create with the hope of educating individuals with special needs and developmental disabilities about the importance of good health decreasing their chances of developing secondary health issues. Our program activities include creative arts, performing arts, aquatics, recreation, outdoor living skills, horseback riding, campfires, gardening, nature hikes, talent shows and other special events. Everyone is encouraged to try new and different activities

We believe that all children and adults can benefit from experiencing the natural world first hand. The outdoor environment provides infinite possibilities for experiencing nature, exploring, playing, problem solving, skill development, and socializing. The combination of these experiences can help campers broaden their views, realize their potential, and become active participants in their communities.

Camp Costanoan recruits a professional team of counselors and program instructors. The majority of our staff are undergraduate and graduate students in education, allied health, recreation, or some field of human services. A limited number of high school juniors and seniors serve as volunteer counselors. A registered nurse is on premises at all times during our program. The camp staff members are dedicated individuals with a sincere interest in serving child and adults with developmental disabilities. All staff is required to complete an extensive training prior to working within the program.

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Summer Camping Programs

During the summer camping sessions, campers participate in a well balanced schedule of activities that rotate through all our program areas. They are also given the opportunity to choose additional activities that target their interests. The camper to staff ratio is based on physical care and behavior needs which are assessed and determined by senior camp staff prior to participation. The supervision for the majority of campers falls between 3:1 and 1:1 ratios. Each camper is assigned to a counselor who participates with him or her in activities, offering encouragement and assistance when needed. Camp sessions range in length from 4 to 9 days.

In the summer we also offer specialty camps that target specific populations with a tailored therapeutic focus. Past specialty camps have included: Autism Camp, designed for campers ages 8 – 20 with Autism that focuses on communication and skill development; Down syndrome Camp, for campers 8 – 20 with Down syndrome, with a focus on skill development and recreational activities that have a high probability of being transferred back into the home and community, like health and fitness; Young Adult Leadership Development Camp, for campers ages 18-30 who want to develop their leadership and independent living skills.

Sign-ups for summer sessions are taken on a first come-first served basis. Camp Costanoan is a very popular and well known program so sessions fill very quickly. A percentage of each session's spots are dedicated to campers who need one on one support. However, these spots are usually taken within the first ten minutes of registration. If you think your child may require one to one attention, please call before the registration date to discuss your child's needs with us.

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Weekend Camping Programs

Our weekend camping programs begin at 5:00 p.m. on Fridays and end at 2:00 p.m. Sundays. We offer 12 weekend sessions between October and May of each year. The camper to staff ratio is based on physical care and behavior needs which are assessed and determined by senior camp staff prior to participation. The supervision for the majority of campers falls between 3:1 and 1:1 ratios. Each camper is assigned to a counselor who participates with him or her in activities, offering encouragement and assistance when needed.

Special weekend themes are planned for each session with activities tailored to accommodate all skill levels. Over the weekend session, campers participate in 2-3 typical camp activities such as creative arts, performing arts, nature hikes and horseback riding. Special themes are planned for each session. Additional activities are planned around each session’s themes exposing campers to new experiences. Past themes have included: Snow Days, Under the Big Top, Valentines Day Around the World and Spring Baseball Bonanza.

Registration for the Spring 2010 weekend camps will take place in January 2010. Please refer to the Weekend Camping Registration Packet for details. A percentage of each session's spots are dedicated to campers who need one on one support. Based on the feedback from many of our parents regarding our 1:1 registration procedure, we will be piloting a lottery system for the Spring 2010 Respite Registration.  Please refer to the Weekend Camping Registration Packet for details. If you think your child may require one to one attention, please call before the registration date to discuss your child's needs with us.

 NEW: Winter Respite Program Sibling Participation Weekend (April 9-11, 2010). This inclusive pilot program is designed for participants ages 5+ and their siblings, ages 7-17.  Participants pay the applicable 1:1 or 1:3 fee, and the cost for each sibling is $150 (fee due at time of registration).  Please refer to the Registration Deposit Policy flyer located in the Weekend Camping Registration Packet. 

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Employment Opportunities

Via is looking for qualified applicants for Camp Costanoan’s summer and weekend camping programs. We offer wonderful opportunities for growth and development working in a fun, outdoor setting. Students interested in medical fields, allied health, nursing, social work, education, recreation, and human services can gain valuable “hands on” experience in working with individuals with developmental disabilities. In addition, many schools accept the work you will be doing as fieldwork hours for occupational therapy courses, education, social work and a variety of other fields of study. If you want to make a meaningful and direct impact on children, learn and develop new skills, and work with a culturally diverse staff, we invite you to join our team.

We are currently looking for a Director of Recreational Services. Please see our Employment Opportunities page for details.

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Volunteer Opportunities

Camp Costanoan could not exist without the countless efforts of hundreds of volunteers each year. Their selfless giving of time and love to individuals with developmental disabilities make them tremendous role models and mentors. For ways to give your time and resources to Camp Costanoan, please check out our Get Involved section.

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Community Service Program

Camp Costanoan works with several local high schools to provide more than 150 students with the opportunity to serve their communities. The purpose of the program is to give students a chance to engage in direct “hands on” service to individuals with developmental disabilities. The program focuses on disability awareness, leadership and personal skill development, opportunities to make a difference and learning community service.

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