Religious summer camp programs to bridge civic and religious development

Abstract

Religious residential summer camps have played a unique role in the civic and religious development of young people within Canada for the past 150 years (Eells, 1986). Through the use of the theory of social capital this study identified three theoretical program strategies (intentional teaching, internalization of beliefs, and leveraging of senior staffs relational ties) to help bridge the civic and religious development stimulated within religious residential summer camps to external networks. These program strategies overcome the challenges inherently present within temporary residential networks. These program strategies were identified through extensive research in the areas of outdoor education, positive youth development, social theory, historical Canada, and research specific to residential summer camps.