Summer Camps Build Cultural Diversity – SUMMER CAMP SERIES 3
Summer Time Could’ve Never Been Better: Why Summer Camps Are Good for Youth to Experience Cultural Diversity and Awareness.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1900, only 1 in 8 Americans was Caucasian. Today that ratio is 1 in 4, and it is said that by 2050, an estimated 1 in 3 Americans will be African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Asian. Summer Camps like the BIZNOVATOR Camp are doing a good job including students from diverse backgrounds. Doing so offers the camper beneficial experiences that can be most helpful in their present and in their future. For example, companies in all types of industries work with international partners. It’s become the norm, they say…the more culturally diverse awareness your child can have, the better the chance for them to understand others and get along. The fact is that most millennials and Gen Z students are already either studying or working with diverse cultures in their communities.
It’s been proven time and again—campers that mingle and mix with diverse cultures, will have better opportunities to learn another language, experience foreign games and activities that they have never been exposed to before. There’s nothing more beautiful than to see children of all races and backgrounds work, play and learn together. The Camp USA program, for example encourages and allows visitors to make new friendships, build relationships, how to talk and interact with people from other cultures. Experiencing a diverse camp while young will allow youth to feel more comfortable when they enter college and the workforce.
If the camp you are considering sending your child to, or if you are a teenager reading this blog, you must understand that shifting demographics in the USA affect communities one way or the other. For example, I reside in Miami and the community where I live is 85% Hispanic. Most of the residents where I live do not speak English. Something as simple as going to the local supermarket can be quite an ordeal. When placing a special order or paying at the register could be quite challenging for the non-Spanish speakers. These are a few ways our communities are shifting, and this is one example that should encourage camp organizers to consider making adjustments as to how they recruit, and who they hire for their staff. In fact, most camps in South Florida have bilingual staff to make it more accommodating for the campers they recruit.
Having cultural competence at our BIZNOVATOR Camp is one way that we prepare our youth for global awareness and success in multi-national companies that they someday will work in, or perhaps a company they’ll launch. Here are a few benefits we’ve witnessed when our youth are exposed to camps that offer cultural diversity and awareness:
- Become more interested in participating in culturally diverse groups
- Learn more about demystifying stereotypes
- Likely to promote inclusion and equality
- Become more creative when problem solving with new perspectives and ideas
- Builds trust in other cultures and encourages cooperation with those who are different
Juan Pablo Casimiro is Founder and CEO of BIZNOVATOR. With more than 30 years of empowering youth and adults globally, Casimiro never misses a moment to teach, coach and challenge his clients to live their dreams. Casimiro was born in Dominican Republic and grew up in New York City.