Programs: Texas 4-H Mission Possible Camp
Photo Credit: B. Darlene Locke
Mission Possible is a co-educational, inclusive program that provides a residential summer camp experience for youth of differing abilities, bringing youth together to improve their abilities and to learn from each other. The three primary objectives are to include youth with medically-diagnosed disabilities in a traditional summer camp environment, educate 4-H members about disabilities, and prepare 4-H members to advocate for the disabled community. The program began in 2004 with funding from National 4- H Council’s Building Community Inclusion initiative aimed at providing an inclusive 4-H experience. In total, 538 youth have participated in the 13 camps; 238 youth with medically diagnosed disabilities and 300 4-H members serving as mentors. Mission Possible wins on two levels: campers have fun, just like any other youth, and 4-H youth who serve a s mentors gain valuable interpersonal skills. “These experiences have taught me to be a different kind of leader. I also learned that though people with special needs are often viewed as ‘disabled,’ their only real disability is a lack of acceptance.” – 4-H mentor.
Institution: Texas 4-H URL: https://texas4hcenter.tamu.edu/services/youth-camps-and-retreats/missionpossible/
Understanding Collective Impact
Since the 2011 Stanford Social Innovation Review article introduced the concept, collective impact has been widely adopted as an effective form of cross-sector collaboration to address complex social and environmental challenges. Though collective impact has proven to be a powerful approach in tackling a wide range of issues in communities all over the world, many practitioners are searching for the tools they need to be successful in this work. The thought leadership and resources in sections of this website will help you build a foundation for doing this work. URL: http://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/getting-started
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