The Canadian Summer Camp Research Project
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The Canadian Summer Camp Research Project Examining the outcomes of the Canadian Summer Camp experience 1 The Canadian Summer Camp Research Project Research Team Troy Glover, Ph.D. Principal Investigator. Professor, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Special Thanks The research team would like to acknowledge the Amy Chapeskie, M.A. Ph.D. Candidate, University support of our piloting camps, Camp Wenonah and of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Camp Tawingo, as well as all the programs that participated in the survey portion of the study. Steven Mock, Ph.D. Professor, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Roger Mannel, Ph.D. Professor, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Contents Hannah Feldberg, M.A. Executive Summary.................................................3 Introduction...............................................................4 Funding for the project Project Overview......................................................5 The Canadian Summer Camp Research Project In-depth Interviews.............................................5 was made possible by support from: the Canadian Outcome Logic Models.......................................5 Camping Association/Association des camps du Survey Research..................................................7 Canada (CCA/ACC), the University of Waterloo/ Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Survey Research Findings......................................9 of Canada seed grant program, and University of Waterloo Robert Harding Humanities and Social Overall Findings.................................................9 Science Endowment Fund. Social Integration and Citizenship...................10 Environmental Awareness................................11 Attitudes Towards Physical Activity.................12 Advisory committee CCA/ACC Emotional Intelligence......................................13 Stephen Fine, Founder/Director of The Hollows Camp, Ph.D. National Research Committee Chair Personal Development and Self-Confidence....14 for the CCA/ACC, Co-chair of the Research Conclusions and Recommendations..................16 Symposium at the 9th International Camping Congress, Hong Kong 2011. Appendix..................................................................18 Jeff Bradshaw, Owner/Senior Director of Camp References...............................................................20 Wenonah, Past President of the CCA/ACC John Jorgenson, Director at Camp Tawingo and Outdoor Centre. Past President of the Ontario Camps Association and the CCA/ACC. 2 Executive Summary higher on the observation instrument, indicating greater development in the areas examined. Female The Study and older campers also tended to experience more In its exploration of the benefits offered by growth in most of the observed areas over the participating in summer camp programs, the course of the camp session. Canadian Summer Camp Research Project has progressed through two stages of investigation: Significant relationships between the demographic direct interviews with camp directors and a survey variables and the outcomes demonstrated by the instrument used to observe camper behaviours, campers were found in certain areas: attitudes, and values. • Male campers showed more positive attitudes Direct interviews with Canadian camp directors towards physical activity and showed a greater revealed five themes in the outcomes they increase in their attitudes by the end of the witnessed in their campers: (1) social integration session and citizenship, (2) environmental awareness, (3) • The age of campers had no significant impact self-confidence and personal development, (4) on the overall scores or the rates of change emotional intelligence, and (5) attitudes towards with regard to environmental awareness and physical activity. attitudes towards emotional intelligence. These themes were then used to create a survey • New campers showed lower rates of social instrument in which camp counsellors observed connections but appeared to experience a and reported on their campers’ behaviours, attitudes greater increase in their social integration and values at both the beginning and end of a camp scores by the end of camp. This finding suggests session, allowing the research team to examine any that new campers made more connections their changes that may occur while at camp. first time at camp and that returning campers potentially retain the connections Higher average rates made previously. for returning campers Our Findings in all areas seems to Perhaps one of the indicate that changes Analysis of these surveys indicates that positive most significant experienced at camp development in all five areas appears to occur over overall findings of persist beyond that the course of a camp session. Detailed analysis this study was that individual session. further revealed that camper gender, age and the higher average whether or not the individual had attended that rates for returning campers in all areas seems to camp previously indicate that changes experienced at camp persist Analysis of the survey found influenced the beyond that individual session. that positive development impact of camp Having identified groups that seem to experience appears to occur in all five participation. different outcomes of camp participation, follow-up areas over the course of a research in this area could offer further insight into camp session. On average, all how or why these demographic variables seem to groups experienced alter the impact of camp. significant positive growth in all five areas but female campers, older Further information about the study can be found campers and returning campers all tended to score at: http://healthycommunities.uwaterloo.ca/camp/ 3 Introduction “Research is paramount in establishing the Goals of the CSCRP: credibility of summer camp.” - Peg Smith, Chief 1. To understand in what areas campers Executive Officer, American Camp Association. experience positive outcomes based on their camp For decades, Canadian camps have offered campers experiences. a wide range of experiences supporting positive 2. To measure the degree of developmental change growth and development. Those involved in these programs have witnessed the positive outcomes in these areas experienced over the course of a camp can offer individual campers. Until recently, camp experience. however, there has been little to no empirical research into the impact of camp on general child Outcome logic models follow an “if-then” process development. that links concrete program attributes to the broader outcomes we hope to see. The Canadian Summer Camp Research Project (CSCRP) was undertaken to help address this Creating the models: Using program attributes known to lack of research by exploring the outcomes of exist, a logical sequence of events is followed leading to summer camp participation. This project has been different stages of possible outcomes for participants: a collaborative effort between the research team 1. Immediate outcomes: what participants learn. at the University of Waterloo and the Canadian 2. Intermediate outcomes: what participants do based on Camping Association/Association des camps du what they learn. Canada. This reports our findings. 3. Long-Term outcomes: who participants become based on what they do. In-depth interviews with 65 camp directors were conducted in 2007, and analysis of those interviews These models allow us to draw connections between led to the identification of five desired outcomes of specific components of a program and the outcomes that the summer camp experience: (1) social integration could potentially be produced by that program thus offering and citizenship, (2) environmental awareness, (3) an overview of the impact of different components and the self-confidence and personal development, (4) program as a whole. emotional intelligence, and (5) attitudes towards Within the CSCRP: these models were utilized to explore physical activity. the link(s) between summer camp programs and the outcomes described by the camp directors. These models A survey instrument was subsequently developed also allowed the research team to construct a survey to measure the degree of change campers instrument to test for those outcomes on a larger scale. experienced in these areas during the camp session. For example: Outcome logic models (see inset) were created If camp programming exposes campers to a variety of to help camps tell the performance story of the physical activities … then campers will learn such activities summer camp experience to internal (e.g., staff) can be enjoyable. and external (e.g., prospective parents) audiences. If campers are aware physical activity can be enjoyable … then they will be more likely to be active in their everyday This report will focus primarily on the survey lives. portion of the study, discussing key findings and their implication for the Canadian camping If they are more active in their everyday lives… then they community. will become healthier individuals. 4 Project Overview specific elements of the camp programs could lead In-Depth Interviews to these types of outcomes. Because of the lack of empirical evidence regarding Significance Canadian summer camps upon which the current study could be based, an initial exploratory phase By revealing what experts in the field see as key was necessary to orient the project and formulate a outcomes, the varied experience of all sixty-five basic understanding of what issues or topics should directors thus presented