Coming to camp is a big experience for a lot of people and a big change in their day-to-day routines. With all the excitement of getting ready for camp – packing, travelling, meeting new people onsite – CNIB Lake Joe staff noticed a lot of people being overwhelmed, especially after the pandemic.
Thanks to special funding from the Enabling Accessibility Fund’s Youth Innovation grant, we were able to transform underutilized space in the Wellness Centre into a brand new Multi-Sensory Room. Spearheaded by Emilee Schevers, Coordinator, Sports and Active Living with the endorsement of the National Youth Council, this multi-sensory space at CNIB Lake Joe includes light, sound, tactile and mobile experiences, offering participants a variety of sensory experiences.
“This new space will help guests fully enjoy and be successful in the camp environment,” explains Emilee who is also a certified Practitioner of Multi-Sensory Environments. “If someone tells us they’re feeling overwhelmed or we notice a change in their behaviour, we can invite them to the Multi-Sensory Room to decompress.”
CNIB Lake Joe has two Inclusion Specialists on our staff team who will ask guests how they feel on a scale of 1-10 (1 being calm – 10 feeling like a panic attack) and ask them to name their feelings. This dialogue helps guests, especially children, learn about emotions and how to express themselves in new situations. Building relationships with staff in this setting can also help kids feel less alone and reduce feelings of homesickness.
“Everyone has different sensory preferences,” Emilee explains. “On the way to the Multi-Sensory Room, staff ask guests how they feel about certain sensations like swinging or feeling vibrations. We want to start them in this space with something they’re really comfortable with.”
Once in the Multi-Sensory Room, the guest works one-on-one with the inclusion specialist to explore the many features available and to discover what works best for them. A family member, friend or support worker is welcome to join. Each piece of equipment can change brain arousal levels in different ways.
If a guest needs some calm, they may choose to sit in a swinging chair under a weighted blanket while playing with colourful fiber optic strands (as seen in the photo above). Others may want to blow off steam by jumping on a mini trampoline while listening to music and watching big, colourful, high contrast images projected on the wall. There is also music, exercise balls, fidget toys, squishy balls, and bubble tubes which have a similar appears to lava lamps, that can channel a guest’s energy in a positive way.
“This is a space where guests of all ages can come to learn new ways to cope with their feelings and emotions,” explains Emilee. Sessions can last 15-45 minutes and can be offered once or twice a week, depending on what the guest needs.
Time in the Multi-Sensory room can be booked in advance or as needed. Some of the resources are portable and can be brought to guests wherever required. We want to meet the guests where they’re at.
The Multi-Sensory Room is one more way CNIB Lake Joe offers unique leisure and recreation opportunities. We want to help guests be successful at camp and to share skills that they take home with them, like understanding their body better, practicing deep breathing, and talking about emotions.