Can a Camp Experience Build Resiliency in Disadvantaged Youth?
S. Elizabeth Overall; Dr. Carolyn Ericson How are children able to cope with some of the most difficult times in their lives? Resiliency is the ability to get through life’s toughest battles. Summer camps provide many new opportunities for children, and summer camps have the potential to strengthen resiliency although there is no current research that supports this. Resiliency is the ability to cope with adversities and different stresses people deal with in their lives. Without resiliency people lack the ability to deal with life’s problems. Resiliency is the ability to move on during and after a difficult time a person deals with in their life (Anderson, 2006). The youth who attended camp at the research site are all referred to camp by individuals associated with the camp or by different organizations within the community. The youth who attended the camp can be considered disadvantaged. A disadvantaged youth is “a youth who, because of certain characteristics, circumstances, experie
