Halfway through nine days of activities, the 24 students participating in the 2024 Camp Courage program are learning skills necessary to become a paramedic.
“I definitely think this could be a possibility of what I want to do,” said 17-year-old Isabelle Peart.
She signed up for the program after seeing posters at work and school, and after hearing from a previous Camp Courage student about how much they enjoyed their time.
“I like the aspect of being able to help people and just to be giving back to the people around me,” said Peart regarding the possibility of choosing a career in first response.
“Also, the adventure is really exciting and the adrenaline, that would be really cool.”
The program takes female and gender-diverse youth aged 15 to 19 through first responder training, with the hopes of educating and inspiring them towards careers in the field.
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“They’re doing things that are very challenging to them,” said Camp Courage founder Andréa Speranza. “We’re building community leaders.”
Speranza first began Camp Courage 18 years ago, hoping to inspire underrepresented groups to explore careers in fire, policing and paramedics.
With days dedicated to coast guard training, paramedic response, fire training and police drills, more than a dozen agencies and 150 volunteers are now involved.
“We want to empower them, give them confidence and courage moving forward in life,” said EHS advanced care paramedic Donna Reid.
As a woman in paramedicine, she said diverse background and experience helps in responding appropriately to emergencies.
“As a female myself, I know how hard it can sometimes be to be able to step out of those comfort zones and find those people who can support you and help you move and go higher in life, and really want to do fantastic things.”
Speranza said having more diverse first responders means a better toolbox for helping the community during difficult times.
Camp Courage looks to provide students with skills that are transferrable and life-long.
“If they can climb a hundred foot ladder, if they can deliver a mechanical baby, if they can de-escalate a situation or learn self defence, then it’s not going to be a problem to do an interview for a job,” Speranza said. “It’s not going to be a problem to do a presentation.”
Many of the Camp Courage students even return to the program as mentors.
“It’s just so great to let them have the opportunity that I had when I was a young woman,” said EHS emergency medical responder Lisa Holman.
Holman attended the camp in 2015 and never looked back after the experience.
“There definitely needs to be a lot more representation,” Peart said. “Seeing so many girls and women that have fulfilled a job like this, it really inspires me to do the same.”
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
