VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES

Vision

  • To foster an environment of tolerance, compassion, respect, and understanding of those whose lives have been touched by HIV/AIDS.

Mission

  • Camp Dreamcatcher provides free comprehensive trauma-informed care throughout the year to youth impacted by HIV/AIDS, trauma, and mental health challenges.  We offer an equitable, inclusive safe place for youth to develop leadership skills and a sense of agency and control over their lives.  

Core Values: Safety, Respect, Acceptance, Inclusivity, Friendship and Love

  • Safety: We provide a physically and emotionally safe environment in which HIV/AIDS impacted youth can be themselves.
  • Inclusivity & Respect & Acceptance: We promote values of inclusivity and mutual respect to encourage acceptance and the celebration of differences.
  • Friendship: We forge friendships that last a lifetime.
  • Love: We believe that unconditional love fosters compassion and understanding for one another.

  • Strategies & Objectives:

    1. Provide a physically and emotionally safe environment in which HIV/AIDS impacted youth can be themselves, explore new horizons, grow and thrive.
    2. Provide opportunities and programs that allow all to attain the highest level of physical and emotional health.
    3. Eliminate barriers to mental health equity by providing a variety of free therapeutic modalities and sessions throughout the session.
    4. Eliminate barriers to physical health equity by providing a full team of health center volunteers to dispense all medications and provide medical care in a safe and confidential environment.
    5. Provide Trauma-Informed Programming that offers a predictable schedule, interactions with caring adults, and opportunities to enable youth to develop a sense of agency and control over their lives.
    6. Use Restorative Practices to build community, restore relationships and repair harm in our community. These tools provide a non-punitive approach for responding to harm through the lens of repairing relationships and restoring community and promote inclusivity by inviting all members of the camp community involved in the conflict to have a seat within the circle, express their feelings, and to be actively involved in the decision-making process of how to repair the harm and restore justice within the community.
    7. Offer programs that explore the barriers to HIV medication compliance, and strategies to overcome these barriers. Increase knowledge about HIV/AIDS, explore attitudes and values around HIV/AIDS, and support the mental health of children struggling with the stigma related to HIV/AIDS.
    1. Provide youth mentoring programs to build resiliency and self-confidence. Key focus areas include support for physical and mental health, career development, education, and financial stability.