When I applied for camp for summer 2008 I had no background in disability whatsoever or any care in general, I ticked it on my application, not necessarily wanting to do special needs but not being too fussed, when I ticked yes a box appeared asking me why, I said something a long the lines of how I imagined it would be a really rewarding position and would like to help people achieve thing they thought there disability would always restrict them from achieving. In February 2008 I went to a London job fair hoping for a job at a camp doing some sort of media, (I was in my 2nd year at University studying Film and Journalism), one camp was left that had media vacancies (other 2 or 3 had already hired media staff), anyway approached Loyaltown and was offered the job. Cut to June 2008 and I'm at camp. It was the best thing I had ever done and I LOVED IT, it was hard work but so fun and so rewarding. I knew when I was there that I would return and thats exactly what I did, I finished my degree and went back in 2009, loved it again. I moved back home having graduated and I couldn't get a job in the media in my little home town and couldn't afford to move to London where all the big jobs were, so I had to stay, after brief period on the dole I got a job as a care assistant at a day centre support adults with learning disabilities. I loved it I worked there for a few months and amazing my managers agreed to let me have the summer off and return to camp in 2010 which I did, I returned back to work in September 2010. Talking with nursing students from Nottingham university who were studying Learning Disability Nursing at my work on placement I thought it looked interesting, I spoke about it with my manger who thought I would be great at it. So I applied but instead of leaving work in September 2011 for university I decided to leave in June so I could have another summer at camp. I moved to Birmingham in October last year and am now a full time student studying LD Nursing, I'm on placement now and I'm so happy, I also have a great job working with people with disabilities. As cheesy as it sounds camp has honestly changed my life, if an 'ordinary' camp had hired me I may have not enjoyed it and only went once and be working in the media somewhere. It's another three years in education and my 2nd degree but camp has given me my calling in life. People sometimes say, would you try another sort of camp or something different but they don't understand. There's a quote at camp which sums that up perfectly: "from the outside looking in you could never understand it and from the inside looking out you could never explain it"  I can't go back for a few years as nursing degrees are structured differently academically so I only get 4 weeks off, it means I can't return until camp 2015 and I'm absolutely devastated about it but it will be worth it.  Yes it is hard and it's a big decision to make, when I'm doing interviews people ask me about my experiences and when I tell them thats my background people are often surprised and what camp has done for me. I love camp and I would honestly recommend it to anyone. If anyone is thinking about it give it a chance, the work is hard but equally if not more rewarding.  Search Loyaltown on Youtube and see what it's like. No one has ever had a remotely negative experience about camp. Also just remind people how it's not like you get there and then straight away the kids come and you need to know how to deal with them. Orientation fully prepares you whether you have a background or not, it gives you training on conditions and behaviours, abuse, how to lift people and transfer, how to help people with toileting, showering, dressing and feeding. I think people avoid it as there worried they can't help the kids but you get trained to do it, as long as your willing to learn then that's good. I think there's this assumption that care is a predominantly female profession so men avoid it like the plague (i'm the only guy on my course now and was at my old work) but men are just as good if not better.

Working at a special needs summer camp is the best thing you will ever do!  Do it!!!