UOAA Youth Rally

UOAA YOUTH RALLY
A program for young people with bladder and/or bowel alterations

For over 25 years the Youth Rally has been a place for adolescents with ostomies and continent diversions, or who are preparing for surgery, to come together and meet other young people who deal with similar life experiences.

The Youth Rally can have a profound impact on a young person's life, taking in young people at many ages, at varying stages of social development, with the hope of producing confident young adults who are able to live independently despite any potential medical obstacles. The youngest age for new campers is 11, and at 17 campers graduate in a special ceremony during the themed dance on the last night of camp.

The Youth Rally is staffed by a dedicated group of counselors and WOC nurses who are at least 20 years of age. Counselors In Training (CITs) make up a small group of younger, first-time counselors who benefit from observing established counselors and their interactions with campers. Many of the counselors and CITs were once campers themselves, and this adds to the already strong bond of understanding developed from the similar medical, personal, and social differences and experiences they share.

Each year, the Youth Rally is held at a different site from the previous year, rotating through an established pattern of campuses that has developed over the years. The Youth Rally selects campuses and regions that best suit the needs for the camp, such as proximity to a hospital, a large airport, an amusement park or other local attraction, and the necessary campus facilities. Camp attendees get to experience a taste of college campus life, living in same-gendered, roommate pairs for the five days, experiencing residential dining, and experiencing some of the independence of student life.

Educational and discussion sessions are at the formal learning core of camp. These sessions focus on specific issues that campers may face, including self-esteem issues, fitting in at school, medical issues, and the psychological effects of dealing with personal differences and medical diagnoses. By breaking into various discussion groups, by diagnosis, age, and gender, campers are able to have their specific questions answered, receive focused attention to their specialized needs and concerns, and, above all, campers are able to hear other stories, from both other campers and counselors, about confronting and dealing with adversity.

These rap sessions provide one of many opportunities for campers to realize that they are not alone, that others their age are going through exactly what they are going through, and that they have people they can turn to for help, support, and answers.

In addition to the rap sessions, other large group learning sessions are directed at every camper in attendance. Motivational speakers inspire the campers and encourage them to strive for their dreams and overcome adversity. The staff will often facilitate other sessions that are both entertaining and educational, such as skits and game shows, to address the difficulty of being different and any self esteem issues that might come along with that struggle.

One of the most popular camp events is the day trip, usually to the local theme park, or, when in sunny San Diego, to the beach. It is a chance for the campers to have some independent fun and go off on some new adventures.

To cap it all off, the camp closes with a dance and graduation. It is a time for fun, reflection, and tears, as the camp recognizes the graduating campers and provides finality to the five whirlwind days of the Youth Rally.

Over the course of the Youth Rally countless bonds are made between the campers, as well as between the campers and counselors. These bonds stand as healthy, positive connections that help to further develop campers’ sense of growth, independence, confidence, and learning while at camp, as well as after camp ends.

The friendships, knowledge, and experience gained from camp endure with each camper even after the last day of camp. From the plane ride home, through the remainder of summer, all the way until the first day of camp the following year, campers, and counselors alike, seem to build on their experiences, eagerly anticipating reuniting with their friends at next year’s camp. The lessons, friendships, confidence, independence and support systems found at the Youth Rally grow into a strong, healthy, life-lasting experience.