A summer camp offering to improve athletic skills may also be offering an exposure to a certain religion's methods of faith. Many religious organizations are not shy in admitting a secondary motive in increasing football training camps is an opportunity to bring a set of religious beliefs to the campers.
Camps Often Have Religious Focus
Kanakumk Kamps, an organization that offers up extensive athletic training, is clear in its intent to add religious values as well as sports improvement. Their website simply lists them as non-denominational Christian. But, one may find pause in following their blog. Reviews are positive but are clear, here the purpose is Jesus first and soccer second.
The problem? Because of they way adolescents develop, the camper is likely to return sharing a new set of evangelical values. This is the same for any other faith offering religious training as part of the camping experience. Teenagers are likely to return strongly influenced to the faith as the camp.
William Damon's "The Development of Purpose in Adolescents" [Applied Developmental Science, 2003] covers the concept of purpose acquisition as being particularly influenced by peers. And, such peer influence is abundant at any camping experience. Is it the duty or right of the camp to define such purpose?
Parents may wish to contemplate the values teenagers will be exposed to during a faith-based camping experience. There are very likely to exist positive positions and concepts with which parents agree. However, if messages of the far right do not meet your values, you may wish to go over concepts likely to be presented during the camp.
Important Points to Cover With Teenage Campers
Of course, at the pinnacle of importance is the safety of campers from physical or sexual abuse by any camp staffer. Parents need to remember Christian camps are no safer, nor any more risky, than science camps. Teenagers need to know good boundaries and have a review of them and procedures for reporting violations with parents before camping. Parents should be very clear about the camps hiring policies and what background checks are provided.
If a teenager is going to attend a camp and parents wish to minimize the impact of values presented at the camp, they need to be proactive in their approach to talking to their teens. As Damon writes, "The development of purpose, what one does with one's life, is a keen objective in teenage development." In other words, teenagers may quickly assume the values of the camp as a purpose, especially if it is encouraged or endorsed by fellow campers. This is especially true if the issue has not been breached at home.
In summary, parents should address the following areas before sending a teenager to camp:
- A review of the camps hiring policies
- A review of the full schedule of each day of the camp, including religious activities
- A review of the blog or other reports showing experience statements
- A review of physical and sexual abuse boundaries and what to do
- A review of the family's faith position and clear understanding of values
Summer camp for teenagers holds out great possibilities for positive experiences. However, parents need to concerned about the whole process and offering of the camp. A clear, open conversation between parents and teenage campers will help minimize problems.
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