October is Black History month

Black Lives Matter

October is Black History Month, we are using this to kickstart our extended efforts to get more people of colour on cultural exchange programs.

FireSide Camps works in the summer camp sector, across the board there is not the diversity at many camps that reflects the diversity of society. In the US there has (rightly) been a reaction to this, and work is being done to right this. As a cultural exchange organisation we need to act.

The idea of cultural exchange has people at the heart of it. People from different ethnicities and different places and cultures. People come together, learn, forge lasting friendships and become better people from it. This is why we do what we do.

The Black Lives Matter movement clearly highlights how, as a society, we all have a significant responsibility to ensure people are treated fairly, equally, safely and much more.

In recognition of both BLM and October being Black History month, we'll be doing the following;

• specifically looking at how we can share the summer camp experience with a much wider audience from the UK.
• engaging community groups who work with people who traditionally do not go to camp. We want to help share this opportunity
• speak to black camp counselors to understand what barriers there are regarding participation and work hard towards breaking them down

BLACK LIVES MATTER. We will find more great people to send on cultural exchange programs from a much wider audience.

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***update*** It is a small start but here is a podcast Ami put together for us, talking about summer camp and race with people who lived the experience, happy listening; racetalk/summercamp

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