Interning at Shutaf includes getting to work with many great people at an awesome organization. It’s also offered a combination of experiences, in particular, unpredictability and being flexible. Prior to starting at Shutaf I thought I’d be working on social media but have to come to realize my role is much more diverse than that. Every day you have no definitive idea of what will be asked of you or what you’ll be doing. This is not a bad thing in my opinion because it means you can look forward to every day being a new adventure. You can never get bored with repetition and at an environment such as summer camp being able to adapt is a good quality to have. Being flexible means getting to enjoy the short time you have with the kids that much more.
When I was told I would be going to camp, I figured I would just be on the sidelines, watching and observing. While I do end up doing that (my shyness always gets the best of me), I also get to interact with the kids – today, I got the opportunity to get involved with other activities. I made a purse out of newspaper which was really fun, and I also had the opportunity to dance again.
The best part? Trying to improve my people skills. I am being forced to break out of my shell and talk to people. The language barrier makes it a little difficult but it is still really fun.
Even more so, I get to experience in a small way, what it is like having a disability in day-to-day activities. Not being able to join in an activity, or feeling left out of something, are experiences that everyone feels at some point but for people with disabilities, they face that exclusion every day. I know I’ll never be able to truly understand the struggle but being at Camp Shutaf is helping me learn. The unpredictability and flexibility required is all a part of this process. Even though I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing tomorrow, I’m still excited!
By Stephanie Reynolds, Shutaf summer intern
August 2015