Empowering Marginalized Youth: A Successful Multidisciplinary Summer Camp Initiative

Abstract

Poverty is often perpetuated by limited opportunities for upward mobility, the absence of positive role models, and the recurring patterns of marginalization, as well as low educational attainment, and minimal exposure to alternative life paths—particularly in urban areas facing social and economic exclusion. In response to these challenges, since 2015, multidisciplinary teams of social service providers have organized summer camps in Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, in Mexico, aimed at children from marginalized communities. These camps seek to contribute to addressing the root causes of poverty through educational and recreational engagement. This paper outlines the methodological framework, theoretical foundations, and key outcomes of the initiative, with a focus on the diverse impacts observed among participating children, the broader community, and the service providers themselves. It concludes with an analysis of the factors that have contributed to the project’s success.

Presenters

Silvia Selene Moreno Carrasco
Professor, Foreign Language Department, Universidad de Sonora, Sonora, Mexico

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Social and Community Studies

KEYWORDS

Community Service, Multidisciplinary, Marginalized Communities, Summer Camps, Children