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Camp Jimbelung Day Camp (QLD)

September 20th – 22nd 2023

Camp Jimbelung is a therapeutic day camp for primary school-aged children between 5 and 12 years, run by Occupational Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists.

Camp Jimbelung provides children with a typical camp experience with additional specialised support to develop skills in areas of challenge such as:

  • social interactions
  • managing emotions
  • whole body coordination

Children get the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone, have fun and learn in a small group, with therapists and outdoor educators guiding and supporting each child in activities such as rock climbing, low ropes, bushwalking and basic animal care.

If you are interested, please read our camper pack.

To register your child’s attendance at Camp Jimbelung Day Camp, submit an application form below.

Apply now 1300 372 439
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Camp Jimbelung is held at the Currumbin Community Farm Campus in the beautiful Currumbin Valley on the Gold Coast.

This program is hosted by the team at Early Start Australia’s Ashmore and Coomera therapy centres. Your child does not have to attend therapy at one of these centres to come to camp.

Volunteer at Camp Jimbelung

If you are an Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology or Speech Pathology student or graduate interested in volunteering at the camp, contact Early Start Ashmore: [email protected]

The Camper Pack

Learn more about Camp Jimbelung and how to apply for your child to attend.

Step 1

Please read our camper skills guide to gain an understanding of the skills that will help your child get the most from the camp experience.

Step 2

Read the frequently asked questions page to learn about how Camp Jimbelung works and the activities your child will have the opportunity to participate in. You can also use the contact page to email or phone us with any other questions that you have.

Step 3

Registration for the 2023 camp is now open, if you would like to register, please fill out the application form below. If you are an existing client, contact your clinic directly.

If your child has never been a client of Early Start Australia, we ask that you bring your child in for a one-off startup session to meet with one of the therapists who will be a leader for the group that your child will be in and to talk together about what you and your child would like to get from the camp experience. Your camp application and deposit will be processed following this meeting.  NOTE: If you live outside the Gold Coast area this startup session can be conducted over the phone or videocall so please just mention this when booking your startup session.

Step 4
Once your application is accepted you will be contacted by Early Start Australia to confirm your child’s place in the camp group. (Yay!)

Apply now 1300 372 439
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How it works

Specific camp programs have been developed for ages 5-6 years, 7-8 years, 9-10 years, and 11-12 years, making sure that experiences, activities, learning, and reflection frameworks are optimised for age and developmental stages.

YELLOW GROUP:  5-6 years old – 10 campers – 9:30am to 2:30pm

GREEN GROUP:  7-8 years old – 10 campers – 9:00am – 2:30pm

RED GROUP: 9-10 years old – 10 campers – attend from 9am to 3pm

BLUE GROUP: 11-12 years old – 10 campers – attend from 9am to 3pm

Our groups have a high ratio of leaders to children to help us facilitate in the moment coaching and support for our campers.

Apply now 1300 372 439
Camp Rock climbing

Who is the camp suitable for?

Please have a read of the skills that your child will need to be able to help them participate in the camp.

If your child has difficulty in any of the areas listed, please contact us to organise to speak with our Camp Director before submitting the camper application.

5-6 Year Olds

  • Minimal assistance required for toileting (e.g., daytime continent with structured bathroom breaks)
  • Have the endurance to get through a 5-hour program each day
  • Able to communicate his/her basic needs to a caregiver through verbal, nonverbal or assistive and augmentative communication.
  • Able to participate in small group activities such as farm-based activities, tadpole fishing, low ropes with support (e.g., visual supports structured daily routine).

7-8 Year Olds

  • Minimal assistance required for toileting (e.g., daytime continent with structured bathroom breaks)
  • Have the endurance to get through a 5-hour program each day
  • Able to communicate his/her basic needs to a caregiver through verbal, nonverbal or assistive and augmentative communication.
  • Able to participate in small group activities such as farm-based activities, bushwalk, low ropes with support (e.g., visual supports structured daily routine).

9-10 Year Olds

  • Independent in toileting, (reminders to go regularly provided).
  • Have the endurance to get through a 6-hour program each day
  • Able to communicate his/her basic needs to a caregiver through verbal, nonverbal or assistive and augmentative communication.
  • Able to participate in small group adventure experiences with support

11-12 Year Olds

  • Independent in toileting
  • Have the endurance to get through a 6-hour program each day
  • Able to communicate his/her basic needs to a caregiver through verbal, nonverbal or assistive and augmentative communication.
  • Able to participate in small group adventure experiences and social interaction with support.
Apply now 1300 372 439

FAQs

Each age group will participate in different activities appropriate to their age.

Camp activities may include:

  • rock climbing
  • group initiatives
  • creek explore
  • shelter building
  • nature play
  • Camp Jimbelung is a therapeutic camp run by registered Occupational and Speech Therapists.  It is a highly supported camp experience that provides experiences and opportunities for children to work towards therapy goals, experience growth and personally develop. Children attending camp are eligible to use funding sources including NDIS, Private Health and Medicare CDM Team Care Plans. If you are using government funding (such as NDIS), please ensure you have sufficient funding available to cover the total costs at the time of the camp.

The cost for Camp this year is outlined below. Please note, this cost includes an end of camp outcome report that our therapists will complete in the following weeks after camp has ended.  

  • Yellow Group: 5-6 year olds – $1987.40 per child 
  • Green Group: 7-8 year olds – $2085.29 per child 
  • Red Group: 9-10 year olds – $2182.28 per child 
  • Blue Group: 11-12 year olds – $2182.28 per child 

Yes. Camp Jimbelung is a therapeutic camp run by NDIS registered provider Early Start Australia and its registered Occupational and Speech Therapists. Children attending camp are eligible to use funding sources including NDIS, HCWA, Medicare CDM Team Care Plans.

Please note, if you are using a Medicare Team Care plan the group fee rebate will apply and will not cover the full costs of camp. If you are using NDIS funding please make sure that you have sufficient funding available at the time of camp. If your funding does not cover the full cost of camp you can pay the difference privately.

No. Children are asked to bring their own Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea in an appropriate container. Refrigeration unfortunately is not available for camper’s lunches, but each group will have a large Esky to put lunchboxes in.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a NUT FREE camp.

Creating a successful experience for each child is our highest goal for camp. To ensure the therapeutic process each group is led by two to three experienced Therapists and supported by Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology students, and an Outdoor Educator from the Farm School. Each group will have a minimum ratio of 1 leader to 2-3 children.  

Prior to camp we will gather information through the application form and a pre-camp meeting or phone call with you and your child, so that our leaders have an understanding of what may be challenging for your child, as well as what you know helps your child if he or she becomes stressed or upset. Throughout camp, we will be mindful of this information and draw on it as well as our skills as Therapists to provide calming input and support to help your child.

Prior to camp you will be asked to complete both an application form and a medical form, including emergency contact details for your child. The Early Start Australia therapists leading the groups, as well as the Outdoor Education staff at the Currumbin Community Farm School are all qualified in First Aid and will be responsible for managing any injuries or medical situations.
We have in place a risk management plan for camp and emergency response procedure and providing training to all therapists and volunteers in these policies and procedures at the campsite on the Tuesday before camp starts. 

Unfortunately, due to legislation our therapy and administrative staff are not able to administer medication to your child.

If your child requires medication during the day, you are very welcome to visit to provide this during the day.

Our staff have all completed and are current with their first aid and CPR training, as are the staff at the Currumbin Farm School, and can provide first responder care, basic asthma and EpiPen administration if required in an emergency. If your child has asthma or allergies, please indicate this in the general and medical forms that you complete prior to camp and provide your child’s Asthma or Allergy Management plan to our staff prior to camp so we can talk through this with you.

We would love to support your child to participate in camp if possible. Your child’s feelings of safety at camp is very important and their ability to communicate their needs is important to this. Some considerations we would discuss with you when you are considering an application to camp include: What communication methods does your child use? Are they learning to use an Assistive or Augmentative communication (AAC) aid?  Is your child at a skill level with their AAC that they can consistently communicate if they are unwell, need to go to the toilet, or are scared or hurt? This is important for their wellbeing during camp.
Depending on the answers to these questions we will work with you to decide if camp will be a good experience for your child.

Our therapists are familiar with a range of assistive and augmentative communication methods and can integrate the use of these into the camp group interactions. Another option could be to provide a support worker or Allied Health Assistant to come to camp with your child and provide individual support to help your child participate and communicate with their communication method.

We are not able to have parents attend with their child during the day. If separation is difficult for your child, we can assist you and your child through preparation for camp and planning the approach we can take together during drop off each morning. In past years we have found that it has taken a big effort and lots of calm support to help a child join a group and leave their parent on the first day, and even the second, but together we have all got there and the child, parent and therapist have been able to feel good about their success – this is part of the therapeutic process of camp.
Some ideas for preparing for camp this include meeting the Therapists leading the group (some therapy appointments with this therapist could be arranged), photos of the camp site and activities can be provided and we also have some social stories that we have prepared about going to camp Jimbelung and the camp activities.

Camp Jimbelung is designed as an independent intensive therapy experience open to children regardless of where or if they participate in therapy elsewhere.
For children who do not attend Early Start Australia for therapy, we do require a short appointment in person or over Zoom as part of the application process, to ensure that camp will be a good fit and to give your child an opportunity to be familiar with the group leader prior to the start of camp. More details about this are located in the Camper Pack in the menu bar above.

Yes. Camp is an experience where children build on their confidence, relationships and skills each day, culminating with our closing ceremony celebration on the Friday afternoon.

Yes. This has been a big request from families over previous years and so we are now including a Summary of Participation brief report for each child, prepared by their group leaders, after camp. This will be written by the therapists in the week after camp. Cost of these reports is included within the Camp Jimbelung fee.

Join Camp Jimbelung

If you have any questions or would like to register your expression of interest, please contact us today.

Apply now

The ESA difference

esa difference

Our dedicated teams of Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Speech Pathologists and Physiotherapists work with our clients to help them meet their growth and development goals.

We focus on supporting clients (and their families) to develop language, motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills, and provide therapy supports for children with developmental delay or disability, including autism spectrum disorder.

Enquire now
1300 372 439

Why choose Early Start Australia

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Multi-disciplinary team

Our multi-disciplinary teams work together with you to understand your needs and develop a plan using evidence-based strategies to help you achieve your goals and aspirations.

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Australian wide network of centres

We have clinics in every state and territory creating a strong community of allied health professionals with the collective knowledge and expertise to deliver you the best outcomes.

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Registered NDIS provider

We are a registered NDIS provider and are here to help you on your NDIS journey.

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Early intervention for all ages

Early intervention is not just for the kids. We offer therapies to cater for all ages, needs and abilities,
and we know the sooner you start your therapy journey the better.

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