Research in progress – A social work-based arts and athletics summer camp for underserved youth: A preliminary investigation

The Florida State University (FSU) College of Social Work (CSW) collaborated with FSU’s Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE), the FSU Art Education Department, the FSU Athletics Department, and the Tallahassee Housing Authority to host the 2^nd annual CSW Arts & Athletics Camp for underserved middle-school aged youth.  The Tallahassee Housing Authority recruited children from lower income families to enroll in the summer camp.  Campers participated in many different arts and athletic activities throughout the two week session – such as developing “dream catchers” and playing volleyball and soccer with FSU athletes. Participants were also exposed to several different components of higher education by touring FSU’s campus and learning more about the virtues of college.

In an earlier report on the creative writing component of the inaugural arts and athletics summer camp, Mazza (2012) noted that, “the unique aspect of the College of Social Work Arts and Athletics program is the integrated use of sports and the arts in combination with academic support programs and a local housing authority with the purpose of promoting positive youth development” (p.226 ). The early observational findings indicated the R.E.S. (Receptive/Expressive/Symbolic) poetry therapy model proved to be nonthreatening and culturally sensitive, providing a sense of empowerment to the students. However, it was noted that further application and evaluation of the creative writing component and the overall program were clearly warranted.

In the 2013 summer camp, along with exposing the youth to an institute of higher education, the purpose of the camp was to use arts and athletics to help improve the youth’s self-esteem and confidence. Literature on athletics camps and art camps indicate participation builds group cohesion and ultimately increases participants’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Thus, to evaluate whether this arts and athletics camps has similar effects on its participants, Dean Mazza and Dr. Tripodi used the Self-Esteem Rating Scale for Children – Revised (Chiu, 1987) and the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale, Second Edition (Piers, Harris, & Herzberg, 2002) as pretest and posttest measures to assess whether the camp helped increase self-esteem and self-confidence. Additionally, structured observational narrative reports were completed by camp counselors and other staff involved with the camp. Data collection for the 2013 Arts and Athletics Summer Camp was completed and analysis is currently underway.

Reference:
Mazza, N. (2012). Poetry/creative writing for an arts and athletics community outreach program for at-risk youth.  Journal of Poetry Therapy, 25, 225-231.

To learn more about CSW Arts & Athletics Camp, visit the webpage or contact Dr. Nick Mazza.

Dr. Nicholas F. Mazza is Dean of the FSU College of Social Work and the Patricia V. Vance Professor of Social Work. He is the founder and chair of the CSW Arts & Athletics Community Outreach Program for Youth.  He is also the founding and continuing editor of the Journal of Poetry Therapy, a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary publication. Dr. Mazza can be reached directly at nfmazza@fsu.edu.

Dr. Stephen Tripodi is an Associate Professor of the FSU College of Social Work with a focus on corrections and the intersection between social work and criminal justice. He is a member of the CSW Arts & Athletics Camp committee. Dr. Tripodi can be reached directly at stripodi@fsu.edu.