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Gaining Work Skills Virtually

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Becky Birch7.23.20
The news of Camp Ramah Darom’s closure this summer was difficult to process for campers and staff alike. At Camp, our Tikvah Vocational Program (TVP) participants would have worked as tzevet (staff) in the gan (daycare for staff children), omanut (art), rikud (dancing), in the Camp office or at Café Darom. The opportunity to build independence and gain valuable work skills was something these former Ramah Darom Tikvah supported campers had been looking forward to all year. We knew how important it was to offer these staff members opportunities to build independence and gain valuable work skills during Ramah Darom Kayitz 2020 BaBayit, our four-week long online summer at home program.

During each Kayitz BaBayit (Summer at Home) online session, volunteer and professional staff created a space for TVP participants to have fun and learn. We discussed the importance of physical and mental self-care and spoke about the many aspects of professionalism–how we present ourselves and how we approach a difficult situation in the workplace. We also covered topics like social media and the differences between in-person and online social interactions. Participants are looking forward to using the new skills they learned at Camp Ramah Darom next summer.

To show their appreciation to all who made Kayitz BaBayit possible and give back to this special community, TVP participants made a virtual Shabbat-O-Gram with staff volunteers and Gesher counselors in training. We hope their smiles and love bring joy to all who watch this special video!

Ramah Darom’s Henry and Annette Gibson Tikvah Support Program supports children, teens and young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, communication disorders, ADHD, anxiety disorders and other disabilities.

The Tikvah Vocational Program (TVP) at Ramah Darom is designed to provide former Ramah Darom campers who require extra support the opportunity to return on staff with their peers.

Since the first Ramah Tikvah program opened in 1970, the Ramah Camping Movement has continued to be a pioneer in the inclusion of Jewish campers with disabilities. Tikvah programs now operate in all Ramah camps across North America, offering the inspirational Ramah experience to Jewish children, teens and young adults with a wide range of intellectual, developmental and learning disabilities. Click Ramah Tikvah Network to learn more.

Ramah Tikvah Network. Celebrating Tikvah's 50th Anniversary and the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Image of Tikvah logo and ADS30 logo.

This summer, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the first Tikvah program in 1970 at Camp Ramah in Glen Spey, as well as the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In celebration of these two important milestones, the National Ramah Tikvah Network has planned a series of virtual events.