Photo of volunteers
This entry involves informing the world about our summer camp. CASA Promoción Juvenil has been summer camps for years now, if I’m not mistaken this is the 11th edition. This is my third year coordinating a summer camp and I am glad to say we have worked hard in making every year better and better!
We began this year planning a few months ago with general ideas of what we wanted to work on this year. My training at the East Side Institute really influenced how we did our summer camp this year. Last year in our weeklong training course for our young volunteers we were very concerned about providing them with the knowledge and skills needed for working with kids, and although it was valuable to have that this year we approach it totally different. For starters we developed the training course with our volunteers as an exploration of childhood, learning and development and community, so we spend more time playing and having conversations which was very refreshing for our young crowd who expected a lecture. These conversations were so rich they covered the topics we talked about last year and then some. In terms of skills, we played and performed different scenarios with kids, so rather than just giving steps regarding how to play, we actually played and performed, which was very valuable. The five days went flying fast!
We are half way through the summer camp! (already!) and I will be sharing more as I get a chance to write. For know I’ll just add we collectively composed a theme for our camp. The song was performed by Claudia, Ponce and Mario on voices, Agustin on guitar, my self on percussion and editing, and screams by volunteers and children in the camp. Click here to down load “¡Lo vamos a lograr!”
Dear Miguel,
I am very positively surprised that you pulled the whole thing together, knowing that you were worried about not having enough finances to support the camp. And I would really like how you did that? I know that in this moment looks amusing. I have especially liked this aspect of mutual exploration of childhood, and your joined creating…
Keep on creating and developing…I remember a very good summers spent in working and creating with various groups of young people.Than their exploration sense arise, because of course they are not constrained by school, they are relaxed, more open and alow themselves to enjoy.A lots of times, young people do not know what to do during the summer, and if they are not engaged in this way, they will rather be stacked in their homes or in their streets So for me, I think that in this period, young people relieved from their school constraints can be very active in the community. So maybe this kind of camps are beginning of their community support in the summer, because this young people, especially that comes from poor surroundings, have to find a way to face the world in a creative and constructive way.
So hope, that you will spread this creative environments into their homes and neighborhoods.
I wish you and them incredible time together.
Best,
Radmila
Comment by radmilaZ — August 2, 2008 @ 8:14 am
Thank you Radmila for your wonderful words. Soon I’ll have an update on how the camp went, and will add more pictures. Did you download the song?
I can relate to your description of working with youth and how important it their participation in the community. I was talking with a group of teachers about how little opportunities youth have to show their talent and their capacity to help their community. I feel privileged that we were able to achieve this summer camp with a group of caring and extraordinary youths.
I’ll keep you posted
Comment by Miguel — August 12, 2008 @ 4:41 pm