Local San Luis Obispo based nonprofit, Camp Natoma, which provides week-long summer camp sessions for youth on the Central Coast, is honored to announce that they have been awarded a grant from the Pony Barnes Foundation to host an LGBTQ+ Teen Leadership Camp this year.
Camp Natoma will be welcoming local youth, ages 15-19 who identify as LGBTQQIP2SA, to a two night and three day weekend camping experience where participants will explore the natural world of Camp Natoma through hikes, geocaching, and archery, while coming together as a community of current and future LGBTQ+ leaders. Participants will learn valuable leadership skills in a safe and welcoming space dedicated to fostering a sense of community. Many of these leaders will be inspired to continue their journey in the outdoors, providing youth leadership and mentoring, while simultaneously reaping the mental health benefits of immersive nature activities.
Thanks to the generosity of the Pony Barnes Foundation, Camp Natoma will be able to provide this life-changing experience for local youth at an affordable cost to families, with sponsorships available to campers who would otherwise not have the privilege to partake in such an experience. Camp Natoma will also be partnering with local queer youth serving entities to promote access to the program.
Camp Natoma is one of the premier outdoor experiences for youth in San Luis Obispo County and understands that our local community of queer-identifying youth need to connect with positive role models, foster leadership skills, and immerse themselves into an outdoor camp setting that promotes independence, resilience, empathy, and friendship through challenges and relationship building.