Camp Shout Out: Youth Who Stutter is:
- A therapeutic program in a residential summer camp setting for young people ages 8 through 18 with fluency disorders.
- A leadership training program for teens entering grades 9-12.
- A hands-on professional training opportunity for speech-language pathologists to improve their clinical skills in working with youth with fluency disorders.
- A unique training experience for graduate students to interact with other students, speech-language pathologists, and fluency specialists while learning about working effectively with youth of various ages with fluency disorders.
Background:
Stuttering is a communication disorder occurring in up to 5% of all school-age youth which may result in significant emotional & social consequences, including communication withdrawal, bullying, & shame. A survey by the National Stuttering Assoc. revealed that 80% of youth who stutter reported being bullied & 40% of adults had been denied a job or promotion. Youth who stutter can evolve their communication skills throughout their lifetimes and be effective and confident communicators when provided with adequate support services.
Challenge:
Kristin Chmela M.A.CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Co-Founder, and Director of Training and Therapeutic programs at Camp Shout Out has spent her entire career advocating and serving youth who stutter. Over the course of the pandemic, she has identified an urgent and unmet need and created a solution focused project.
Young people who stutter spend a significant portion of their time in school interacting with one or more teachers. However, teachers and other school personnel are not provided with the education or appropriate tools that would help them provide positive communication experiences to their students who stutter.
Students who stutter report a variety of school-based interactions that have negative consequences including being put in lower reading classes due to reading fluency assessments, being marked down when giving an oral presentation due to their stutter, and being passed over during classroom discussions because they take too long to talk. These experiences may result in lower self-confidence, withdrawal, anxiety, and decreased participation in school activities.
Project:
The intent of this project is to support kids who stutter as they advocate for themselves by educating and providing relevant and powerful information for teachers about students who stutter.
Long-Term Goal:
Support kids using technology in their advocacy efforts to teach their teachers about stuttering, increasing their overall positive communicative experiences in the school environment.
Short Term Goal:
To create an easily accessible video-based product in order to help guide teachers in supporting students who stutter in the classroom
Objectives:
Through video representation, “Branch Out” seeks to:
- Provide information for teachers about students who stutter using a variety of modalities of expression, the accessibility of technology, and the respect of time (short and powerful)
- Influencing knowledge of the variability of stuttering and experiences around it within the classroom environment
- Increase understanding of how teachers can help students have more positive communicative experiences in the classroom
-Talk (variability & approach)
-Teach (resources & format)
-Support (ideas to help)
Summary:
Camp Shout Out: Branch Out video will be short, powerful, and easily accessible to interested stakeholders. It will provide a framework of understanding for teachers who interact with students who stutter and allow them the opportunity to empower students who stutter while also empowering themselves.
Use of Funds: ($10,000)
- Filming at Camp Shout Out: (near Grand Rapids, MI) for 2 full days of 4K video production: $3500
- Transfer: of all footage to Vimeo and selection of best clips: $400
- Narration and Studio: $1200
- Additional Shoot for Wraparounds: $1200
- Editing 3 days: $3200
- Music Licenses: $500
- Wraparound Shoot and Editing: Kristin Chmela agrees to donate her time to ensure the best possible product
Project Leaders:
Kristin Chmela M.A. CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Learn more about Kristin and her significant contributions to the stuttering community at https://www.chmelacommunicationcenter.com
Video Design Productions, Bob O'brien: Learn more at https://www.videodesignproductions.com
Please watch this short video to witness the magic of Camp Shout Out and support this critical program by making a donation of any size.
Video credit: Keen Eye Productions, LLC
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