Junior LITs & LIT Belong Build Confidence With New Equine Partnership
We love finding local partners who can add new and meaningful experiences during our campers’ time at Camp Kirk. This year, we began a partnership with Sami’s Place at R&J Stables to offer our Junior LIT and LIT Belong programs an Equine Therapy program.
Junior LIT and LIT Belong are two of Camp Kirk’s newest programs, designed to help older campers take their next steps toward independence and leadership. Both programs give teens opportunities to try new things, build practical skills, and challenge themselves with the support they need to succeed.
R&J Stables’ mission goes beyond providing horseback riding facilities. Owner, Heather Matile, creates a safe and welcoming environment where individuals of all ages, can find connection and joy. Like Camp Kirk, they believe in creating a welcoming space where neurodivergent people feel included and free to be themselves.
That shared commitment to inclusion and belonging made the partnership a natural fit and gave our younger LITs another space where they could build confidence, try something new, and feel supported while doing it.
But the experience is about more than learning to ride. Working alongside horses can offer a different kind of opportunity for connection, confidence and personal growth. As R&J Stables explains, “Horses have a magical ability to provide a sense of calm and introspection.” Heather’s team ensures a safe and supportive environment for all participants.
Our LITs began their sessions at the stables by taking some time to get to know the horses before riding. This helps campers to understand these large but beautiful animals before being asked to ride. Heather and her team were on hand to gently introduce the horses, by letting campers learn to approach them, brush and saddle them, and lead them outside before even trying to go for a ride.
The day before the program, a couple of campers said they had never been on a horse and were nervous for the experience. By the end of the session, both campers had worked through their nervousness and climbed into the saddle. Our visits were a great success and will undoubtedly be a highlight of the camp experience for these teens.
About the Camp Kirk LIT Belong and Junior LIT Programs
As our newest program additions to our Leader in Training (LIT) Camps, the Junior LIT and LIT Belong programs were designed to help transition our older campers into leadership roles.
The Classic LIT Program is an experience for campers who are looking to take on a new challenge. The program is designed to provide practical work experience in a safe and nurturing environment, while providing ongoing tailored support and mentorship. The program runs in stages over two to three summers- participants attend camp for 18 days each summer.
Junior LIT is a first step into leadership and acts as a bridge between being a camper and becoming an LIT. The program is designed for younger teens aged 15-17 who are ready for a challenge, and it focuses on building life skills and independence without the focus on employability. There is a gentle introduction to leadership skills, and it is the classic path to the LIT program.
The LIT Belong program is designed for teens interested in the LIT experience, but with a more gradual step into leadership. The program includes daily opportunities to be leaders at camp, valuable skills sessions, and team building challenges to support conflict resolution and communication development.
At Camp Kirk we know the transition into adulthood doesn’t happen all at once. It happens through experiences that give young people the chance to try, learn, and discover what they’re capable of. Whether they are building their leadership skills at camp or climbing onto a horse for the first time, our LIT programs are designed to give neurodivergent teens the skills and support they need to take that next step.
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