Eluna’s Expert Voices – Importance of Access & Awareness

The Eluna Resource Center is proud to present Eluna’s Expert Voices! Using the framework of the 7 C’s, we have interviewed 19 Camp Mariposa Experts across the country including mentors, caregivers, clinicians, and camp directors. The interviews have been woven together into a series of videos with the goal to elevate expert voices and expand resources within the field of addiction prevention and mentoring support. In this video, Camp Mariposa Experts talk about the importance of camp access and awareness.

As mentor Steve shares from Nashua, “I think in general in the community – is making more awareness of programs like Camp Mariposa.” So, how do we go about increasing awareness and access to Camp Mariposa for families across the country? Here are three tips from Eluna experts:

Local Outreach

“I think there is still a lot of need for education on what is out there for the rest of the family. We spent a huge chunk of this fall going to resource fairs and back-to-school nights. We always say, this may not apply to your family, but surely you know someone whose family it does apply to. So, please take our information and share it with people if it’s not applicable to you.” – Stacey, Mentor & Therapist

Speak at Conferences

“Camp Mariposa is one of the only evidence-based prevention programs that is in the Nashua area that is actually going on right now. We have something called SOS Recovery Conference that we are having in April and I’m putting in a proposal to present on Camp Mariposa. We have maybe 50 kids involved in the program. And, I can’t imagine that there are only 50 youth who have been impacted by familial substance misuse in the state of New Hampshire. So, how do we grow the community, because it’s a need for the community. We know that substance misuse happens in families. We know that kids need prevention tools and kits. Here’s camp that’s one of the only programs that’s really doing that. So, want people to know what we are doing. that we are out there, get referrals. How can we take this model to other areas.” – Leah, Lead Clinician & Mentor

Remove Barriers

“One of the barriers being in a rural community is transportation. We have tried to give out gas cards. We ask churches to use their church vans to transport the kids back and forth. I try to always take an agency car so that I can transport if someone can’t get a ride through a church or gas card. Transportation is huge. Being in a rural community, people don’t have money to do extra things. This camp provides so many opportunities for children that otherwise don’t have money to go to a Cincinnati Red’s ball game. Or last year we took the bus from Kentucky and met the Tennessee campers at Dolly Stampede. The bus driver said that the kids were so excited about the TV on the bus that they’ve could of just sat in the parking lot. He said it was precious and they were so well behaved, and they were just mesmerized.” – Renee, Director

Click here to see a full list of Expert Voices videos!