Welcome

BDA & IDYA proudly present the IUK Deaf camp for 13-17 years old. 

in ENGLAND.

August 4th to 11th 2012

The camp venue will be in Boreatton Park In Shropshire, have a beautiful new built the dorm which we will be first groups to staying all the week.

HISTORY OF IUK CAMP

What was the first IUK Camp?
It was an activity camp but also an opportunity to allow young people from Ireland and the UK to meet, network, establish friendships and connections. It was also hoped that these young people would learn more about themselves as young Deaf people and that the camp would produce future Deaf leaders.

The camp was the brainchild of Camp Co-ordinator and former board member of the Irish Deaf Youth Association Sean Herlihy from Cork in Ireland. At the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section (WFDYS) Camp  in Canada in 2003, Joe Murray, the then president of the WFDYS remarked to Seán on the fact that there was no regional camp for Ireland and the UK. On his return from Canada, Seán proposed that there should be a camp for Ireland and it was agreed that the IDYA and the Deaf Youth Workers Forum (under BDA) would work together to set up the first IUK camp in Ireland in summer 2004.

It was decided that the IUK camp would be for 13-17 year olds as ‘we thought it was best to start with teenagers and build the foundations for future Deaf leaders. 

Previous Camps:

• 2004 – Ireland
• 2005 – Scotland
• 2006 – Northern Ireland
• 2007 – England
• 2008 – Wales
• 2011 – Ireland
• 2012 - England

Seán Herlihy and his experience...

Seán Herlihy, Camp Co-ordinator and member of the Irish Deaf Youth Association was made President of the IUK Camp in a joint decision by the IDYA and DYWF announced at the Closing Ceremony of the Camp.

SIGNMatters asked him about his experience at the camp and how he felt when he was made President of the Camp.

Speechless! I’m only 23 and now I’m the President of a camp! I’m delighted with how the camp went. A strong network has been established between the camp participants. Lots of the Irish youth had never met UK deaf people and vice versa and now they have friends in different countries and regions. I think there was some hesitation in the first few days due to different communication methods but people quickly broke through these communication differences and mixed very well in the end. We had good role models in the Camp and I think some of the youth will go on to be Deaf leaders.

It was a very big responsibility being Camp Co-ordinator. But the leaders were fantastic. I learned a lot from them and we worked well together. The Camp has brought the IDYA and DYWF together and a lot of Irish people are going to the DYWF Conference in September. We have the same philosophy and goals and I think this will ensure that we will work together in future.

I hope the camp will continue and grow bigger and continue to develop Deaf identity in young people.

Sean served on the IDYA board for 6 years and is now working as a full time teacher in St.Joseph’s School for Deaf Boys.