Join a 2023 Next Step Summer Campference!

Part camp, part conference, our free, residential Summer Campferences foster friendships and community with peers who “get it.” Next Step Campferences are open to ages 16-24 and will be held at the Warren Conference Center & Inn, in Ashland, MA. We hope to see you this summer!

Here is what you will experience at a Next Step Campference:

Engage in educational workshops designed with the help from your peers
Recharge with new friends
Join the music and art mayhem
Create fun, life-changing moments
Empower yourself with information and resources
And SO MUCH more!

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Next Step's Face Forward Conference 2015

Sounds good?! Spots for our popular Summer Campference fill up fast so we encourage you to submit your application below as soon as possible to secure your spot!

In Their Words

Our participants say it best. Read stories from young people who have attended a Next Step Campference!

Which Next Step Campference is right for you?

Cancer Community: Thursday, June 15th to Sunday, June 18th

Rare Genetic Disorder & Chronic Illness Community: Thursday, June 29th to Sunday, July 2nd

HIV Community: Thursday, July 27th to Sunday, July 30th

Questions before signing up?

Email Casey Casey, Next Step Nursing Director & Partnership Coordinator, at casey@nextstepnet.org or Kepler Jeudy, Next Step Program Director, at kepler@nextstepnet.org if you have any questions about joining a 2023 Next Step Summer Campference.

Summer Campference Application 2023

Please fill out this application if you are interested in joining a 2023 Next Step Summer Campference

What Campference are you applying for:*
- Cancer Community: June 15-18
- Rare Genetic Disorder/Chronic Illness Community: June 29-July 2
- HIV+ Community: July 27-30
Next Step Summer Campferences are for 16-24 year-olds and are held in Ashland, MA at the Warren Conference Center.
Have you been on a Next Step Campference before?*
- Yes
- No
How did you hear about the Next Step campference?*
- Website
- Another Participant
- Medical Staff
- Other
If medical staff, please include name, position and hospital:*
Name*
First Last
Nickname
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
Phone*
Alternate Phone
Email*
Preferred mode of contact?*
- Email
- Cell Phone (Call)
- Cell Phone (Text)
Current Occupation
Employer or School
Age
Birthday
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Gender
T-shirt size
Hospital or Clinic where you receive medical care?
What do you hope to get out of the Next Step campference experience?
What topic(s) do you most want to learn about at Campference?
PARENT/GUARDIAN AND EMERGENCY CONTACT
Name*
First Last
Relationship
Phone
Email
Medical Overview
Diagnosis
Date of Diagnosis
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Are you on active Treatment?
- Yes
- No
Food Allergies & Reactions
Environmental Allergies (bee, latex, etc) & Reactions
Do you carry an Epi-Pen?
- Yes
- No
Are there are any special accommodations you would need (dietary, mobility, equipment, etc.)? Please explain:
Are there any activity limitations?
Please list any medications you take, and how often.
Please take a moment to describe what symptoms you display if you’ve overextended yourself or are starting to get sick. How can we best support you in such a situation?
INSURANCE INFORMATION
(Please bring your insurance card to the program)
Insurance Co:
Policy #:
Name of Insured:
First Last
Prescription
Plan #:
Telephone #:
Over the Counter Medications: I—or my child, if under the age of 18—has permission to take over-the-counter medication, for the dosage amount suggested by the pharmaceutical maker, if feeling unwell due to symptoms such as headache or stomachache. Please check appropriate boxes and provide your signature below:
I—or my child, if under the age of 18—may take over-the-counter medication that I brought:*
- Yes
- No
I—or my child, if under the age of 18—may take OTC medication provided by a staff person:*
- Yes
- No
I—or my child, if under the age of 18—should not, under any circumstances, be given the following OTC medications:
Please indicate:*
- I consent
- I do not consent
CONSENT AGREEMENT
AUTHORIZATION AND RELEASE This Consent Agreement, Authorization and Release must be read and signed to be eligible to attend Next Step's Young Adult Campference. RELEASE OF LIABILITY I understand that occasionally accidents occur during campference activities and that participants may sustain serious personal injury and property damages as a consequence thereof. Knowing the risks of campference activities, nevertheless, and in consideration of my acceptance for participation at a campference, I hereby agree to assume those risks and to hold harmless Next Step, and all campference agents, representatives, employees and volunteers, from any and all liability, claims for personal injury and/or property damage, costs, expenses and damages arising out of or connected in any way with my participation in campference activities. Further, I acknowledge that Next Step accepts no responsibility for the loss, damage or theft of my personal property. I acknowledge and understand there is an increased risk that Covid-19 and other communicable illnesses can be transmitted in any public place, including an in person Next Step program. Next Step seeks to protect its staff and participants during any and all in person activities. By attending a Next Step in person program, I agree to assume these risks. Additionally, as a precondition to participating in a Next Step program I understand to participate in person I must be up to date on my vaccinations against Covid-19, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, and Pertussis (unless medically exempt with a doctor's note). I must also have my provider complete a medical application every 12 months to participate in person at a Next Step program.
Please indicate:*
- I consent
- I do not consent
CONSENT FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
The undersigned hereby grants permission to the medical staff or consulting physicians at Next Step to administer medication and provide medical care for me, including any medical emergency care required. I also give my consent for any emergency transportation deemed necessary.
Please indicate:*
- I consent
- I do not consent
Community Agreement/Rules of Conduct
The young adult campference is a close-knit community; therefore we ask that you agree to a few things that will promote being together in a safe manner. Please sign this Community Agreement, which asks that you agree to conduct yourself ethically and respectfully while living in the program:*
- 1. Delegates are to demonstrate a high degree of maturity and self-respect, taking into account the rights and feelings of others.
- 2. Delegates are responsible for charges incurred, e.g. vandalism and breakage of property, etc.
- 3. Delegates are to adhere to curfews, directives and designated schedule times.
- 4. Suitable attire is to be worn during the campference workshops and activities.
- 5. Smoking is prohibited indoors.
Please select as an indication that you will adhere to the code of conduct.
The Following Behaviors are grounds for Immediate Dismissal:*
- 1. Physical confrontations or assaults. This means harming, attempting to harm, or threatening to harm another person, with or without a weapon or dangerous object
- 2. Bullying. As defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Social bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships and can include leaving someone out on purpose, telling other’s not to be friends with an individual, spreading rumors, embarrassing someone.
- 3. Stealing or damaging property
- 4. Possession or use of drugs and alcohol
- 5. Sexual misconduct or sexual assault
- 6. Leaving without permission
- 7. The possession of any type of weapon
Please select as an indication that you understand the behaviors that are unacceptable at the program.
Please indicate:*
- I agree to the community agreement
- I do not agree to the community agreement
PHOTO AND INFORMATION RELEASE
I give Next Step permission to photograph and use pictures or visual and/or audiotapes of me in professional or fundraising activities. On occasion, with this permission, participant photographs may be included on the Next Step website, on a bulletin board, video, newsletter, campference album, or in personal photographs. Next Step respects the privacy of participants and does not allow unauthorized visitors to photograph the campference or participants. In addition, by signing below, I give Next Step permission to give my name, address and/or phone number to groups or individuals wishing to support Next Step by inviting me to an event or by sending me information related to Next Step. This list will not be sold or given to anyone else for any other reason.
Please check appropriate box and provide your signature below:*
- I agree to the photo release
- I do not agree to the photo release
Please Sign
By signing below, I hereby acknowledge that I have read and fully understand the terms and expectations of the program. All information provided is current and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Name*
First Last
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Please check this box to indicate that the above signature will serve as your electronic signature
- (Delegate or Legal Guardian if the Delegate is not over the age of 18)

Experience
Next Step

COMMUNITY
MUSIC
MENTORSHIP

Next Step Summer Campferences are coming soon!

Retweet on Twitter Next Step Retweeted

; Ethan Conley @Ethanconley_3 ·

17h 1639275037252280322

Thank you next step for this opportunity. To speak on how isolating it can be with someone with a chronic illness especially since I haven’t met anyone with Prune Belly syndrome. https://twitter.com/nextstepfund/status/1639261570415878145

Next Step @nextstepfund

Sharing his experiences and working on Come and Walk a Mile was very important for Ethan, a Next Step participant. He wants to speak up for those living with a #raredisease, give them a voice, show them that they are not alone and they are part of a wider community. Find out why!

Reply on Twitter 1639275037252280322 Retweet on Twitter 1639275037252280322 2 Like on Twitter 1639275037252280322 8 Twitter 1639275037252280322

nextstepfund

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Mar 24

Open

One of the challenges that many young people with a chronic illness may face is difficulty in expressing themselves. Finding it hard to share their experiences or to advocate for themselves.

Last year alone, we hosted 161 Song Studio sessions. One-on-one sessions with our music therapist in which we aim to let these young adult participants find their voice. to discover new ways to advocate for themselves.

#IBelieveInMe #Teens #YoungAdults #Cancer #HIV #RareGeneticDisorders #ChronicIllness #MusicTherapy ...

11 0

nextstepfund

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Mar 24

Open

Sharing his experiences and working on ‘Come and Walk a Mile’ was very important for Ethan, a Next Step participant. He wants to speak up for those living with rare and chronic diseases, give them a voice, and show them that even if they feel isolated, they are not alone and they are part of a wider community.

Ethan joined our collaboration with @pfizerinc and @kendallsquareorch and some of his Next Step peers to record a live version of our song, Come and Walk a Mile. Find out more from Ethan!

Please share so more young people like Ethan know they have a safe community at Next Step to practice using their voice.

#RareDisease #OriginalSong #RareDiseases #RareDiseaseCommunity #Boston #CambridgeMA ...

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Next Step young participants say it best! Learn about the magic of our popular Summer Campference program from past attendees.

Upcoming Events

15 June

2023 Summer Campference for young cancer survivors

Thursday, 12:00 AM

529 Chestnut Street
Ashland, MA 01721 United States

View All Events

Join a 2023 Next Step Summer Campference!

Summer Campference Application 2023

PARENT/GUARDIAN AND EMERGENCY CONTACT

Medical Overview

INSURANCE INFORMATION

CONSENT AGREEMENT

CONSENT FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT

Community Agreement/Rules of Conduct

PHOTO AND INFORMATION RELEASE

Please Sign

ExperienceNext Step

Next Step Summer Campferences are coming soon!

Upcoming Events

15 June

2023 Summer Campference for young cancer survivors

Stay in touch! Sign up for news and updates.

Experience
Next Step