To promote true diversity, equity, and inclusion for neurodiverse and neurotypical kids, through shared experiences and peer support, and to serve as a pathway to fostering friendships lifelong friendships. We are building a community that recognizes the central importance of friendships and connections in all our lives.

* Play it Forward, Snack & Chat, Join & Learn, and Rest & Relax. Our 4-Pillar framework was created to support and help participants be more accepting of, and responsive to, other children who may relate and engage in different ways and provides the foundational tools and opportunities for developing social emotional growth, empathy, and resilience.

We host a neurodiverse Camp for cohorts, consisting of both neurotypical and neurodivergent children ages 5-12. Our child to counselor ratio is 3:1.

Please See Our Events Page for additional information. *Note some session times may vary due to field trip, location, etc. and notifications will be sent out weekly.

*Please see Our Events Page for Camp Schedule, Dates, and Locations.

Please see our Schedule & Registration page for more info.

The Friendship Factor is partnering for the 2nd year with the ioby crowdfunding platform to raise funds for the six-week camp sessions. We encourage and appreciate all participating families to share the fundraising efforts with their friends and families and join us in creating real change and opportunity for all our children. Learn more about ioby here . More than just crowdfunding. Community-led positive change.

Camp registration deadline is Tuesday, December 13th, and payment is also due at this time.

We want every camper to get the full experience, however, we understand schedules can fluctuate and families have obligations. There is no mandate that you must attend every session or participate for the full 2-hour time allotted. *Visit Our Program Page for Special Events & Field Trips.

We welcome parent participation at outdoor events where interactive and team-oriented activities will take place. However, we encourage parents to take this 2-hour time for themselves; run an errand, get some pampering, take a nap under a shady tree—your kids are in good hands. We are also curating helpful tips & guides for parents with insights provided by community educators, clinicians, and other professionals in the field of child development, education, health, and well-being. Note: Parents with children having more challenging behaviors are required to be present during sessions.

Many of the participating children attend El Rincon Elementary School in Culver City and we welcome children from nearby schools within our community.

Yes, please visit us on Instagram @thefriendship_factor, also Facebook TBD.

We use images and videos on social media to amplify our organization’s mission and believe it is an effective tool for promotion and communication. Using the framework of children and staff participating in healthy socialization, physical activity, creative projects and friendship development, we reserve the right to utilize images of all camp participants and parents when feasible in the best possible situations. Please contact the Executive Director to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

The health and safety of our campers and staff remain our highest priorities. A dedicated email will be sent to all registered/participating families with a summary of actions we are taking to help ensure we are lowering COVID-19 risk as much as possible.

We do collect a brief, non-invasive, medical information form as part of the registration process. The purpose of the form is to identify medical conditions and food allergies of individual campers, to prepare staff to deal with these issues, and to ensure that specific protocols are in place for treatment and follow up.

The best defense against any emergency is preparedness and proper risk assessment for each activity planned. At least one on-site camp personnel will have Standard First Aid training, which includes CPR, Level C. We follow these Basic Steps in the event of a medical emergency: Make victim and others safe from further harm. Summon first aider. Describe event to first aider. Assess victim as having a life-threatening emergency or a non-life-threatening emergency. Life-threatening emergency: Administre first aid. Activate EMS (911). Notify Camp Director. Notify victim's parents. Call Poison Control, if poisoning is suspected. Non-life-threatening: Give first aid. Notify Camp Director. Notify child's parents. Activate EMS (911), if needed.

We recruit staff who have completed or are studying in the fields of education, social services, and psychology. Our 5-day training ensures staff members learn our camp culture and our belief in diversity, equity, and inclusion with unconditional acceptance of every kid for who they are, where they are. Staff is experienced in First Aid training and capable to deal with all first aid situations that may require additional assistance. *Visit Our Program Page to learn more about our Program Director-Tymera Hines

We utilize multifaceted screening and best in practice methods of background checks for all staff and volunteers including: Driving histories Education records/academic degree verification Reference Checks Work history verification

Yes—Denise Lemons can be contacted by phone during camp sessions and from 3pm-7pm weekdays at this number 323-397-9817. Texts are also welcomed at any time.

They can take a break and join later. We can assure you activities and events planned will be engaging, entertaining and enjoyable. If your child is not feeling well, parents will be contacted immediately.

Focusing on child development is a priority that we want to have a long-term positive impact on children’s lives. We partner with parents to help campers grow and understand issues of attention seeking, building friendships, and skill development. Priority number one is positive discipline and to make a huge deal out of positive behaviors. “Connect before you redirect"—by using positive words, we teach staff how to redirect behavior to a more positive focus when a child makes a choice different from what is in their best interest. The key is to emphasize the positives with campers and to manage the negatives, not to over emphasize the negatives. If we set high expectations from the first moment, our campers will rise to them. We make sure expectations are set for campers when they first arrive at camp, and that camp staff are clear on how to reinforce positive behavior.

Wear comfortable clothing that can get dirty. Wear athletic shoes or sturdy sandals. Bring Camp Kit backpack and all contents provided inside. Special dietary requirements—contact Executive Director ahead of time for special arrangements. No Electronics/cell phones, iPads-leave the gadgets at home and let campers live in the moment.

We do not provide transportation to or from designated camp venues.

14 or more days prior to start of camp: full refund of payment Between 6 and 13 days prior to start of camp: 50% refund 5 days or fewer prior to camp: No refunds. We appreciate your donation to The FRiENDSHiP FACTOR