Project Description:
2.09 Family Support Network
Objective 2.09: The Family Support Network (FSN) is a support for families who have children with disabilities; the FSN strives to assist families in obtaining the support, information and skills needed to make informed decisions.
The FSN has training activities designed to bring families together to learn as well as offer each other support and information. The FSN offers consultation and referrals throughout the year. During the school year the FSN has a conference focused on bringing information to families. The FSN also provides families respite opportunities with Camp LIFE.
The FSN Director is a Texas A&M University student group called Project Sunshine. Project Sunshine focuses on providing kids with disabilities recreational opportunities as well as 'buddies'. Aimee Day is currently the university advisor for this organization.
The FSN also sponsors two weekend camps each year. Camp LIFE (Leadership, Independence, and Friends through Experiences) accomplishes several goals. The first goal is to provide an integrated setting for children with disabilities to participate in a true camp experience. The children with disabilities and their non-disabled siblings, ages 5 to 18, are placed into two groups designated by age. The campers are then paired with a counselor for the weekend. The campers engage in activities including swimming, canoeing, ropes course, horseback riding, fishing, archery, making S'mores, and more. The camping facility that the FSN utilizes for Camp LIFE was designed and built for people with special needs and is a barrier free facility. Camp LIFE has medical staff present for the duration of the camp.
A second priority of Camp LIFE is to provide parents with a weekend of respite. This is one reason why the non-disabled peers are invited to attend camp. Another reason siblings are encouraged to attend is to provide a more integrated environment for Camp LIFE and another is to provide the non-disabled peers a counselor/buddy for a weekend paying specific attention to them.
A third focus of Camp LIFE is to provide Texas A&M pre-service teachers an opportunity to experience what it is like to care for a child with a disability. The counselors at Camp LIFE are largely comprised of Texas A&M pre-service teachers acquiring field-based hours for university classes. The counselors are required to attend training on disability awareness, ethics and care prior to camp. The counselors have full access to assistance during Camp LIFE is situations arise, thus far none have. The counselors are required to complete a journal about the weekend and the descriptions of their experiences validate the growth experiences that occur during this weekend. The camp served 204 campers, 110 TAM students, and provided over 40 families respite.
The FSN also distributes a monthly newsletter to over 800 families, educators, and professionals each month. The newsletter offers local support groups the ability to reach this population as well as an avenue for sharing pertinent information with the community. Our communication specialist also notifies the local media of meetings and events reaching an unknown number of people as well as maintaining a FSN website.
The FSN also provides input on special education issues to families and educators. An average of 25 calls each month are received querying various educational issues, resources, and policy. Some queries evolve into one-on-one meetings.
The FSN also participates on local and statewide advisory councils including the Bryan-College Station Mayor's Committee on Disability, the Advocacy, Inc. Board of Directors (P&A), the Texas Developmental Disability Council, the Disability Policy Studies CAC, the Texas Education Agency advisory councils, and the Disability Policy Consortium.
Project Sunshine has 162 Members and serve 150 families
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, General Public
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote, Geographic Area - Other, Other
