A decade welcoming children of different abilities at summer arts camp in DDO

By Anita Szabadi-Gottesman 

For over 30 years, the Dollard des Ormeaux Centre for the Arts (DCA), part of the DDO Civic Centre, has offered a fine arts summer camp for children from the age of four to 14. Managing director Patrick Charron saw the growing need to provide fine arts activities for neurodivergent children and children with disabilities, and for the past 10 years, the camp has been developing an integrated approach for a wide variety of special needs campers. 

The father of an eight-year-old autistic son, Charron recognizes the cognitive and behavioural challenges that children on the spectrum are faced with and has seen the camp fully integrate neurodivergent campers. “Every year our program and its reputation grow,” he said. 

The comprehensive programming is an integral part of the summer Fine Arts Program. “The participants have their own resource room, their own tools, their own staff of social integrators and are led by a special education technician with many years of experience,” said Charron. “The resource room, aptly named ‘The Nook,’ has become a beloved gathering place for all our campers, where they can relax, regroup and refocus. 

At the helm is Caroline DiNunzio, adapted services director, who has been part of the camp staff for nine years. She is also a special education technician with the Lester B. Pearson School Board. Through her expertise, the DCA has made the neurodiverse offerings an essential part of its summer camp programming. “My job is to create a safe atmosphere for all our campers. This includes Social Emotional Learning training for the staff to foster emotional literacy and self-regulation through mindfulness for our campers,” said DiNunzio. She said that art should be a safe place for everyone. “Our camp allows everyone to express who they are, as they are.” 

For more information: www.centreartsdollard.com.