Aibu about Camp America 'Underprivileged Camp'

[Vixxfacee]

Can you let me know if I am being unreasonable about this and if so why.

I was looking through Camp America's website.
They have different camps and one that was called Underprivileged Camp caught my eye. Purely because I can't believe that it would actually be called that.

I clicked on it and I see a black child with a white working (presumably a privileged person ) plus numerous black children swimming in a lake.

The page warns that the camp will be more rustic (more like shitter ) than the other camps.

I am all for children from less well off backgrounds being included but I am pretty shocked that they are being grouped together in a 'rustic' camp rather than all camps being equal and all children together.

This is the website campamerica.co.uk/the-experience/types-of-camp/underprivileged-camps

Not sure how to link on my phone.

Thoughts?

Because kids in the US get 10-12 weeks off every summer and most adults get two weeks of holiday a year.

I was sent to camps all the time when I was a teenager. I would go to various church-related camps, music camps, girl scout camps, and of course band camp. I never really went to a classic, regular camp - they all had themes or were related to an activity I was in. A typical summer would be about three weeks away.

US holidays are 3 months and annual leave is 3 weeks of you are lucky. Camp makes sense and it's so much fun. Children go every year, make great friends and don't touch an iPad for 8 weeks.

This type of camp has very little to do with the camps for rich families, although sometimes those camps will have special weeks for poorer families, often sponsored. This is generally seen as a great thing, most definitely part of Corporate Social Responsibility type work. Some may have children on bursaries at their normal camps too, but I think generally that would be more likely on camps focused on particular themes or activities. The writing camp we though about sending dd to had an application for help for example.

I believe in the UK public schools do similar things, and I've never seen anyone poor scorn on it or say that it's a terrible thing for the children involved

Well, no.

Because that is a much better way of doing it isn't it?

Fun the only knowledge I have of these camps is reading Judy Blume books where children had to write home saying they were having a wonderful time, when in fact they weren't.

I never went to summer camp as my parents didn't have much money. My friends mostly did and I spent summers largely on my own. I would have fucking LOVED underprivileged camp.

As regards the 'privileged' white counsellor and the poor black kids, African-Americans are disproportionately more likely to live in poverty than their white or Hispanic counterparts. I know what camp counsellors get paid. The white 'leader' isn't privileged either.

Some of you might want to look up the connotations of "spade" in a racial context before anyone else says "call a spade a spade".

Or maybe just read the origins of it and then calm down again...

Call a fig a fig or a trough a trough (about 200BC) and a poor translation by Erasmus, way back in the 15th century - call a spade a shovel.

So for about 2000 years it meant just call a thing what it is, stop being pretentious. Then in the 1920s it became a racial slur...

www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/19/224183763/is-it-racist-to-call-a-spade-a-spade

This is why I love the English language... and dislike those who seek to control it.

Nope, Our Blanche, I am not suggesting that the phrase is a racial slur per se. however in this context, due to the double meaning, it would be best avoided, IMHO.

I am perfectly calm, by the way.

I've just had a look at the website for the camp that I worked at. It's still a non profit camp but the fees, whilst expensive are not eye watering and they have scholarships. There's the option of 2, 3.5, or 7 weeks of camp. Facilities look like they've improved in terms of activities but it's still pretty basic. I can't see anything on it which would cause me any concern. In fact, looking at how they offer a 2 week option I'm seriously considering if my teen and pre-teen might fancy it next year.

Jessie, you must have missed my first post on the phrase

One thing about camps aimed at underprivileged kids that scholarship schemes doesn't address is that it can be no fun to go to a camp full of kids who seem much richer than you are. Going away to camp and dealing with strange new kids is intimidating and kids can be snots. I think a kid from a poor background might not enjoy the experience as much as being surrounded by people more similar to herself.

That was my experience when my parents scraped together the money to send me to a very posh performing arts camp. I wasn't from the ghetto, but I was from a pretty modest background and it was hard.

I worked at a camp America under privileged camp. But tbf it wasbt named that. Spent the whole time living in sheds with bunk beds in trying to be positive for some very unfortunate kids.
It nearly broke me. Its intense.
Think carefully

So, what is this type of camp actually called on sites advertising them to children and parents?

I agree it's not an idea way to describe it, but sometimes mumsnetters become very precious about semantics while overlooking a project that is in many ways worthwhile.

1. The camp is not described in those unfortunate terms to children.

1. It is not Camp America's fault that the the inner-city children they identify as in need of help are black.

1. The 'white counsellor' has volunteered to serve and help these children. We're living in a sad age if that has become something to be ashamed of. Yes, taken together, the black/white presentation with the word 'underprivileged' is not good, but broken down into its constituent parts, it's much more about providing aid.

1. Some counsellors will volunteer specifically to help children who are most in need of their services. It sounds like this volunteering opportunity is being signposted, albeit clumsily.

1. It's doubtful that it would be possible - or a good use of funds - if the extra services provided for 'underprivileged' children were replicated at every camp. Volunteers may also receive aspects of training at this camp that they wouldn't normally receive - again, impossible to do outside of this context.

1. This is controversial, but unfortunately the case. It can be very challenging to do youthwork that successfully meet the needs of children from particularly deprived backgrounds and those not identified as such in a manner that satisfies the parents of the children who are not deprived. Any church youth worker who has tried to mix churched children (usually from middle class backgrounds) with children targeted through outreach (usually 'deprived') can attest to the problems and heartache. It shouldn't be true, but it is. Camp America does not pretend to offer state of the art supervision. It may well 'know its limits' and simply decide not even to try.

NB: I know someone who did this camp. Incredibly challenging but very rewarding.

I went to the USA in 1986 with Camp America. It was an amazing time. Most of the summer the camp had rich girls and the last 10 days the rich girls left and the camp was for poorer children from New York.
I've not looked at the website but have raved about my experience to my children. My DS was a bit dismissive but last year his friend went, and now DS is filling in an application form. Dd is also looking at it for next year.
CA is fab in the fact that once the fee is paid all flights are organised and you are guaranteed work with the option of 4 weeks independence.
In my case I went out there on my own, had a hotel in NY (other CA people there so we all had a chance to look around together) then onward flight and transport to camp all arranged. Found other CA people there and rearranged my flight back for later than originally planned (I was 18 and not been abroad much)

So, what is this type of camp actually called on sites advertising them to children and parents

Oh they all have crazy names anyway. It'll be [name of NFP organisation] Camp Tall Trees or whatever. YMCA, Girl Scouts, whatever. It won't be called Camp
Underpriveledged.

Loved Camp. Wish I could work there forever. Both my camps were super "unprivileged". No money for anything and some kids turned up with the clothes they were wearing and an old toothbrush. But they and we had tons and tons of fun.

Here's an article about the show I referred to in an earlier post. The camp is called the City Kids Wilderness Project. Do people really find the pictures upsetting?

This sort of camp aims to change children's lives. That's a good thing surely?

My sister worked at one of the underprivileged camps about 10 years ago. It was one run by the Fresh Air Fund and it was called Camp Mariah after Mariah Carey who is a large donor. It was focused on education and careers as well as leisure. Sis said it was hard work but rewarding. The food was dreadful, lots of hot dogs, fries and a lack of fresh veg but apparently that was based on past experience that the kids would often not eat rather than have unfamiliar food which led to kids going hungry and food being waster. There was fresh fruit and milk, and they were so far from anywhere that the kids weren't topping up on sweets etc.