SOCIAL EDUCATION OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN THE SUMMER CAMPS OF THE USA

Abstract

Children's health camps are one of the most common forms of summer recreation for children and teenagers. Summer camp is, on the one hand, a form of organizing free time for children of different ages, genders and developmental levels, and on the other hand, it is a space for improving the health and development of a child's artistic, technical, and social creativity. Children's summer camp has its own specificity, which gives it certain advantages over other forms and means of work. The environment of the camp is very different from the usual home or school environment. This is expressed, first of all, in children living together. It is here that children interact more closely with their adult mentors, a "zone of trust" emerges between them more quickly. Thirdly, children participate in a healthier and safer way of life in the natural conditions of the social and natural environment. Fourth, children actively communicate with nature, which contributes to strengthening their health and increasing the level of ecological culture. And, finally, rest, entertainment and hobbies give children the opportunity to restore their physical and mental strength. All this helps to develop new skills, to more fully reveal the potential of one's personality. The stay of problem children prone to deviant behavior in summer camps is of particular importance. They usually feel isolated in the class group, are often brought up in dysfunctional families, and do not have the skills of adequate behavior in society. In the summer camp, special attention is paid to them, they feel like equal members of the team, have the opportunity to do their favorite things and positively express themselves in some type of activity. The USA have long and established traditions. Some of them work only in the summer, others ‒ throughout the year. The purpose of the article is to analyze the specifics of working with problem children in summer country camps. Theoretical research methods have been used in this study (analysis of scientific sources, systematisation, concretization, comparison, abstraction and generalisation). The results of this investigation give possibility to reveal that appropriate work with problem children is carried out in summer camps, and is aimed not only at their physical improvement, but also moral improvement. As a result, there are positive changes in the intellectual, motivational, emotional, volitional, sphere and self-regulation of the individual. The generalized model of work with problem children in summer camps involves 3 stages: diagnosis of the child's personal development; development of relevant programs for working with children; implementation of programs.