Kozubovskyi M. Organization of social and educational work with at-risk minors in suburban camps in the United States

The dissertation is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of organizing socio-pedagogical work with at-risk minors in summer camps in the United States. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, it has been established that the prevention of deviant behavior among minors is currently a pressing issue in the U.S., particularly the organization of socio-pedagogical work with at-risk youth. The essence of the concepts “at-risk minors” and “socio-pedagogical work with at-risk minors” has been defined. Since the vast majority of children and adolescents in the at-risk category are prone to deviant behavior, American scholars emphasize the need to improve socio-pedagogical work with this group in order to prevent offenses and crimes. It has been revealed that socio-pedagogical work with at-risk minors in the U.S. has long-standing historical traditions. It is carried out by various social services, juvenile justice institutions, educational establishments, as well as community and religious organizations. A special role in organizing socio-pedagogical work with at-risk minors belongs to children’s summer camps, which represent one of the specific forms of alternative education in the U.S.—the so-called “learning beyond school” or “outdoor education.” Some of these camps operate only in the summer, while others function year-round. The most characteristic features of the network of summer camps as an important component of the U.S. educational system include: variability and diversity of camps in terms of affiliation, status, organizational structure, and activities; flexibility and openness; orientation toward the child’s interests; informality of communication within the camp; and closeness to nature. The study identifies four distinct stages in the development of the camp movement in the United States:1st stage – 1861–1910; 2nd stage – 1910–1918; 3rd stage – 1918–1945; 4th stage – 1945 to the present. Furthermore, a generalized model for working with minors classified as “at risk” within American suburban camps has been substantiated. The implementation of this model is structured in the following stages: 1. identification of children exposed to socially hazardous conditions and diagnostic assessment of personal and social developmental challenges; 2. formulation of individualized programs aimed at improving each child’s life circumstances; 3. execution of individualized interventions designed to remove the child from socially hazardous environments and to foster the acquisition of socially appropriate behavioral patterns. Specific features of implementing educational and upbringing programs for at-risk minors have been characterized (organizational, psychological-pedagogical, technological). The peculiarities of training specialists to carry out socio-pedagogical work with at-risk minors have also been revealed.