I hope this message finds you well. My name is Heather Bowns, and I am the Assistant Director of Recreation Therapy at Bradford Woods, Indiana University’s Outdoor Center. I am reaching out to share exciting opportunities for recreational therapy students who are seeking fieldwork or internship experience in a therapeutic camp setting that meets all NCTRC requirements. This includes the utilization of the APIED process, supervision by a CTRS, and meeting the 14-week, 560-hour minimum requirement.
Bradford Woods has proudly provided therapeutic recreation summer camps for over 70 years, with this year marking our 71st year. We are fortunate to partner with Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis to host eight sessions of Camp Riley, each tailored to a different disability population or chronic illness. The staff-to-camper ratio adjusts each week based on the needs of campers. In addition to our partnership with Riley Children’s Hospital, we also work with other organizations such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Little Red Door Cancer Agency, and many more to provide a week of summer camp for their clients.
Camp activities include a wide range of therapeutic options such as high and low ropes courses, adaptive ziplining, archery, swimming, pontoon boats, canoeing, adaptive water skiing, scuba diving, arts, and crafts, nature programs, fishing, games, and campfires, among others. Recreational therapy students will gain invaluable hands-on experience working with a diverse range of diagnoses, providing personal care, adapting activities to meet individual needs, and creating and implementing camper care plans.
Bradford Woods is committed to inclusivity and accessibility, with all our facilities universally designed to meet the needs of each camper. For example, our adaptive zipline can accommodate a variety of wheelchairs, allowing campers with different mobility levels to enjoy the thrill of ziplining. Our Switchback Trail is a fully accessible hiking trail, giving all campers the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of our wooded landscape. Additionally, our amphitheater is designed to be accessible to all with seats that fold up to accommodate for wheelchairs and other mobility devices, offering a welcoming space for campfires, performances, and group gatherings. This year will also be the grand opening of our new zero-entry pool!
I have attached an information packet about our recreational therapy internship at Bradford Woods. I would greatly appreciate it if you could share this information with your students. If any of your students are interested in learning more about Bradford Woods or wish to apply, I encourage them to reach out to me directly. My contact information is included at the bottom of the informational packet.
For students who are not yet at the internship stage, we also offer several summer employment positions that can fulfill the 300-hour fieldwork requirement, including roles such as cabin life staff (cabin counselors or cabin heads) and program staff (creative arts program instructor, recreation program instructor, music program instructor, etc.).
Please feel free to share the following links with your students for more information and to apply:
Recreational Therapy Homepage: Recreation Therapy: Programs and Activities: Bradford Woods: Indiana University [1]
Summer Employment Opportunities: Summer Camp Employment: Employment: Bradford Woods: Indiana University [2]
Online Application Link: Careers [3] (type ‘Bradford Woods’ in the search bar to view available positions)
Thank you for your support, and I look forward to the possibility of working with some of your students this summer. Have a wonderful day!
Best Regards,
Heather
Heather Bowns, MS, CTRS
Assistant Director of Recreation Therapy
Bradford Woods
5040 State Road 67 N
Martinsville, IN 46151
765-349-5118