Child 1 Age 5 - 8 (Female)
Program(s) focused in Traditional (multi activity) , Acro Dance
(5) Overall experience
1) Daughter has been excited, happy, confident, tired after some camps.
2) Proud of some achievements, happy to make friends.
3) Enhances our connection to the neighbourhood, school, friends, and community.
4) Happy to always send her to GNAG camp. Excellent, invested staff and counsellors that are well trained and supported. Diverse programming that is focused on a positive and fun experience. Very close to our house - sense of community. GNAG has by far the best run camps we have experienced throughout the city.
(4.5) Reason for choosing the camp
1) Close location to our house.
2) Excellent staff and facilities; daughter has friends that also attend; daughter loves participating.
3) The experience is overall worth the investment, but we are slowly getting 'priced out' of the camps. We must now balance these experiences with others for budgetary reasons.
(5) Program quality and activities
1) Program quality is excellent. Very much aligns with children's interests and meets expectations.
2) Daughter loves the pottery and arts programs - given their popularity it would be good to have more spaces in these.
3) Quality and effectiveness - Well-run camps. One suggestion could be like Carleton and Ottawa U - half-day sports and half-day arts/pottery (so that you could run double the numbers).
(5) Social dynamics and experience
1) Strengthened existing friendships. Didn't really make new ones - probably because she already had friends there that she planned to go with.
2) No issue with bullying and inclusion. My daughter has ADHD so sometimes needs help to burn off excess energy or with listening - but after working with GNAG staff - they have been excellent at understanding and supporting her. She feels very much 'part' of the community centre and that she belongs. Also, there are a couple of counsellors that she very much trusts.
(5) Skills and growth
1) Most important skill/growth is that my daughter is extremely confident at the Centre, and very much feels like it is a second home. She shares her opinions on things they could consider doing; wants to participate in every single event held by the community centre; and loves every minute of it.
2) So far, none of the activities have really challenged her - but that's also out of our choice of her activities - there is plenty of opportunity for her to do so.
(5) Staff/Instructors/Counsellors
1) Counsellors and staff are well supported in their growth from volunteers to full-time staff.
2 & 3) They always clearly communicate - more than any other program I've ever seen. They also take the time to actively listen to my concerns and work with me to problem-solve. It provides me with the confidence and trust to engage with the staff openly and honestly.
(5) Preparation and packing
GNAG is always very clear to indicate what is required to pack. They also provide the pre-camp phone call and there is often a pre-camp email with a list of what's required. It's always clear and concise. The lists are always accurate so nothing is ever missing.
(5) Advice and tips
1) The advice I have shared with others is that the camps are excellent for extroverted kids who can 'roll with things' easily. It can be a little overwhelming for more introverted kids as the overall 'personality' of the GNAG camps and the Centre is around being active, having run, and also building independence to run around the centre. the only drawback of having such an active centre is that there are not very many quiet spots if your child needs to take a break from it all, or a break from another child.
2) Sign up early because the spots for the most popular camps run out so quickly!
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