When 15-year-old Amari first came to Camp Williams this summer, life felt incredibly heavy. Amari, who has autism and learning difficulties, had spent years feeling like he didn’t fit in. Despite everyone’s best efforts, he struggled to make connections, felt misunderstood, and eventually became unable to attend school at all.
At home, Amari was being homeschooled but continued to feel isolated, low, and unsure of where he belonged. His mum worried about what else she could do to help him thrive.
From the first day of camp at The Becket School, Amari came home with a smile – something his mum said she hadn’t seen in a long time.
He talked about how kind everyone was…
How he’d made friends for the first time in years…
How he felt understood, accepted and safe to be himself.
His mum immediately booked him in for more weeks, and thanks to a scholarship, Amari was able to continue experiencing this positive turn in his life.
For three weeks, Amari woke up excited – sometimes as early as 6am – getting himself showered, dressed and packed for the day completely independently.
And when he was awarded the Core Value Champion trophy – his mum said the pride on his face said it all.
“He’s trying his hardest to be himself more since camp.” – Amari’s Mum
We are incredibly proud of Amari and honoured to have been part of his journey.
This is what Camp Williams is all about – creating spaces where young people feel they belong, build confidence, and discover just how amazing they truly are.
This Christmas, we want more young people to experience that same joy. Donate towards our scholarship programme today and give the gift of confidence.