We asked our volunteers what they wanted more training on, and they said communication strategies! Ask and you shall receive! We had an incredibly impactful training with Speech Language Pathologist, Megan Romanczyk, from the Boston Ability Center on Neurodiversity with an emphasis on Autism and communication strategies for our volunteers. We learned about AAC devices, how people process and understand language, and so much more.
You can also read more about neurodiversity on BAC’s blog!
https://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog-Cover-Photo.png13582418Jacobhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngJacob2024-03-27 09:47:142024-04-01 09:49:59Neurodiverse Communication Strategies – A Training for Volunteers
Here at Waypoint, we continue to enjoy outdoor adventures! In fact, winter hiking, biking and snowshoeing trips can be exhilarating and fun with proper clothing, the right equipment, a mask, and a bit of social distance. Let’s be real, even a stroll around the block on a gray day can refresh the mind and raise our spirits. We are excited to venture into the outdoors with you if you are up for the adventure! Our new online registration process is up and running – click on ‘The Adventures’ tab on our website to sign up or give us a call and we’ll find the best program fit for you and your goals!
We understand that the pandemic can sometimes make travel, or even getting out of the house feel challenging. The good news is that opportunities to virtually enjoy nature, as well as resources and inspiring stories are available at the tap of your device or computer. Studies have shown that even virtual nature can improve our health and happiness. Here are some websites and links to virtual adventures that might get you dreaming of post-pandemic outings.
Try a virtual nature hike or “visit” a national park at one of these links:
ProArtInc’s Virtual Hikes via the 4K Virtual Outdoor Hikes Playlist on YouTube – Immerse yourself in a trail for several hours, listening to the sounds of nature as the camera moves along a hiking trail at walking speed
As winter arrives and daylight grows a little shorter, the brambles and thorns of life might tug at you and try to hold you down or keep you indoors. Nature has a way of affording us a literal view of the forest through the trees. Science has proven that nature (even virtual nature) can contribute to happiness and boost our moods and state of mind. Come join us on a Waypoint Adventure; and if that isn’t possible at the moment, try experiencing nature virtually!
Please contact us via email or phone to let us know about other virtual nature experiences that you like or to request that Waypoint run a virtual experience
Volunteer Training this year got an upgrade. Not only did we do our typical “soft skills” session Friday night and our “hard skills” kayaking session on Saturday, like we’ve done in the past, but this year, volunteers had the option of TENT CAMPING too at Camp Chickami in Wayland! We love how this Volunteer Community is always up for a grand adventure! It was an awesome weekend full of good questions, curiosity, positive risks, and learning about adaptive strategies among a supportive community.Our session on Friday night at the Waypoint office covered Disability Awareness and Sensitivity as well as our signature “CAP Sauce.” Volunteers got to hear about the three ingredients that go into every program to give it that Waypoint flavor. We had a cookout, watched a video, and got to dive in to important topics such as inclusion, language, statistics, etiquette, and those three key things: Community, Access, and Preparation.
Then the crew camped at Camp Chickami (thanks for letting us use your site, Camp Chickami friends!) and played a thrilling game of “Waypoint survivor.” You all know this fun night was dreamed up and designed by our very own Volunteer Coordinator Extraordinaire, Steve Dastous.
Lastly, on Saturday morning, we kayaked at Wayland Town Beach. We used task analysis techniques to teach 3 basic skills, (putting on a life jacket, getting in and out of the boat, and paddling), practiced transfers, got to use adaptive set-ups for seats and paddles, and practiced a t-rescue scenario. Volunteers got the basics of adaptive kayaking and walked away with a better understanding of their role on Kayaking programs in general. We couldn’t have had a more engaging group of volunteers and more perfect day to train. Thanks also to our new Trip Leader, Kelsey Gross for leading us! Check out pictures!
Friday night at Camp Chickami playing Waypoint Survivor.
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2019-06-28 13:58:392019-06-28 13:58:39Volunteer Training 2019
This year we had the privilege of returning to southwestern Connecticut for a series of adventures with our friends from STAR, inc. Between June and October we spent three days training volunteers, rock climbing, kayaking and hiking.
As you’ll see from the pictures below, these programs were full of community, challenge, success and learning. With every adventure came new and familiar faces. People who had never had this experience before, those that wanted to hone their skills and some that just wanted to come meet new people and be a part of these diverse and unique communities!
These programs take place in an area of New England that holds so much beauty in it’s landscape and its people. These programs have quickly become true highlights in our year and we couldn’t imagine them not being in our calendar. Enjoy the photos!
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2018-11-15 19:55:502018-11-15 19:55:50Another Amazing Season in CT!
Your partnership makes these life-changing experiences happen!
Choose from one of the following options that best fits your companies goals and philanthropic ability — Choose your adventure!
1. Be a sponsor: Make Adventure Possible AND Give Your Team an Unforgettable Experience!
For these adventures to be available to as many people as possible, Waypoint charges its participants only 25% of the actual cost of the programs – and even offers needs-based scholarships to further offset these costs when necessary. The balance is raised through investments from individuals, organizations and companies like yours!
As a sponsor of Waypoint, you have the opportunity to receive public recognition at any or all of our fundraising events, on our website, social media channels, email blasts, signage at the event and in printed marketing materials.
Additionally, as a sponsor, your team will have the opportunity to actively support these adventures as volunteers! It is a great chance for your team to take a step out of the work environment, share leadership responsibilities and touch the lives of program participants. We offer many opportunities for team volunteering on weekdays, weeknights, and/or weekends, through a variety of programs including kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, snowshoeing and school programs.
Sponsorship Levels
LEAD ($20,000)
Inclusion in a full-year’s event marketing materials
Acknowledgement of sponsorship on our website and social media
Company logo on sponsorship slides during fundraising events, and acknowledgement during presentations
Sponsorship table at each event for you to showcase your involvement & marketing material
Lunch & Learn with our founders. Your team shows up, we bring lunch and a presentation about Waypoint and the impact your sponsorship is having
A featured email blast write up about your sponsorship (Impact Story) to our Waypoint community
A featured article in our newsletter as well as your logo displayed
Opportunity for 10 – 15 employees to volunteer on 4 programs
GUIDE ($10,000)
Inclusion in 2 event’s marketing materials
Acknowledgement of sponsorship on our website and social media
Company logo on sponsorship slides during each event, and acknowledgement during the presentation
A featured email blast write up about your sponsorship (Impact Story) to our Waypoint community
A featured article in our newsletter as well as your logo displayed
Opportunity for 10 – 15 employees to volunteer on 3 programs
FACILITATOR ($5,000)
Inclusion in 1 event’s marketing materials
Acknowledgement of sponsorship on our website and social media
Company logo on sponsorship slides during 1 event, and acknowledgement during the presentation
A featured article in our newsletter as well as your logo displayed
Opportunity for up to 15 employees to volunteer on 2 programs
SCOUT ($2,500)
Acknowledgement of sponsorship on our website and social media
Company logo on sponsorship slides during 1 event, and acknowledgement during the presentation
Opportunity for up to 15 employees to volunteer on 1 program
2. Be a volunteer: Aren’t interested in all the perks of a sponsor? We still need you!
Have your team join us on any one of our programs and experience the transformational power of adventure programming first hand! Simply contact us at the information listed below and we’ll work with you to find a program day that best fits your group.
Hear from past corporate volunteers:
“You spend a day in a pool teaching a bunch of kids how to paddle a kayak and the next day you’re back in the office swapping stories and laughing about how much fun you had. You definitely get to know your co-workers better after an experience like that! It’s perfect for corporate team building.” ~ Carl Robinson – Senior Private Client Advisor, Wilmington Trust
We had such a wonderful time volunteering with Waypoint last week! I can honestly say it was our favorite volunteer event of the year thus far.” ~ Elissa Bosley – Director-Marketing, Commonwealth Financial Group
Waypoint Adventure makes it easy for our employees to give back. They are highly-organized – giving advanced notice for what it takes to have a successful outing, quickly orienting volunteers, leveraging our individual skills to make the project successful and integrating us with the Waypoint program participants quickly. Just as important, the facilitators ensured that everyone – children, teachers, and volunteers – had a lot of unnecessary fun! Our organization will definitively continue to work (and play) with Waypoint for the foreseeable future.” Kurt Anderson – Director of Human Resources, Definitive Healthcare
Join These Great Companies:
Have questions or interested in getting your team on board?
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2018-09-20 17:47:002018-09-20 17:47:00Get Your Company Involved!
Usually, when you go kayaking, you want to be on top of your boat sitting in the seat ;). But occasionally, whether by accident or on purpose, you might find yourself in the water instead. You’ve done a wet exit! This can be fun and exciting and it’s also a good skill/scenario to practice.
On Waypoint programs, our goal for participants is always simply this: That each individual would challenge him/herself in some way – whatever that means for them. When it comes to kayaking specifically, this may mean paddling from point A to point B, experiencing the social dynamic of a group, putting on a life jacket, or trying the wet exit. Wet exits and re-entries DO happen on Waypoint programs and they’re a lot of fun! (Especially on a hot day when it’s nice to get in the water and cool off!)
Waypoint staff spend a lot of time practicing getting people back in their boats or the “re-entry” for all different scenarios and body-types.
We spend a lot of time demonstrating this process to others.
And our participants spend a lot of time practicing their wet exits and re-entries! Check out some wet exits!
*Note, in the world of kayaking, technically a “wet exit” is when your boat goes over while you’re wearing a spray skirt. For our purposes, even though program participants do not wear spray skirts, we use the term “wet exit” most often instead of “capsize” because it helps frame the experience as fun and intentional.
On the weekend of June 8 – 9, 2018 we kicked off a summer of adventure’s down in our neighboring Connecticut! This weekend was made up of a volunteer training and rock climbing with our friends from Star Inc. — a social service agency that serves individuals of all ages who have developmental disabilities, as well as providing support services to their families.
This weekend was the first of a three program adventure series taking place throughout the summer in southeastern CT in partnership with Star. If you’re in CT this summer, sign up to join us as we kayak on August 11th and hike on October 13th. A big thanks to our friends at Rock Climb Fairfield for access to the climbing gym and Christ Community Church for hosting the training! These adventures wouldn’t be possible without partners like you!
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2018-06-13 17:34:042018-06-13 17:34:04Kicking things off in CT!!
