Promoting Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility among Youth and Children

Through 2019 Summer Bootcamp: Engaged Generation During July, the Gerhart Center offered a two-week summer bootcamp targeting youth within the Summer at AUC program The main aim of the summer bootcamp held by The John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy, Civic Engagement and Responsible Business was to promote civic engagement and endorse the idea of social responsibility among university students and children. The camp aimed to develop the sense of responsibility and giving within the AUC undergraduate students through building their capacity as well as qualifying them to transmit what they have learnt to campers within the age range of 7-12 years old.

The boot camp encompassed three main social and environmental themes; green environment, bullying and people with disabilities. AUC student camp leaders conveyed and transmitted what they have learnt during the primary week to the eager young campers through creative and fun techniques. During the second week, camp leaders and campers cooperated on how the youngsters would present their gained knowledge through artistic mediums incorporating
simulation games, artwork, handcrafts, music and the like.

Young campers were then evaluated based on their artistic presentations as well as the performance of their camp leader. The top three camp leaders were offered an internship at Gerhart Center as well as a trophy. Furthermore, all bootcamp participants received a certificate for their outstanding efforts.

In order to fully equip AUC students to pass their knowledge on to the children, a combination of activities were utilized including community-based initiatives, experiential learning workshops, information sessions and group activities before the application week. By implementing this approach throughout the camp, students not only learnt from and in their community, but they also set their learning in motion through influencing, changing and giving
back to the community. These two weeks provided the camp leaders with an invaluable opportunity to develop the younger generation’s sense of openness and giving as well as changed their mindset towards their society and the greater environment.

With a goal of expanding AUC students’ breath of knowledge about academic theories and learning techniques, expanding their social and cultural understanding and helping them in bringing about positive societal change, the bootcamp supports the Gerhart Center’s main purpose of serving as an incubator of knowledge, responsible business practices, civic leadership and capacity building to promote effective social responsibility.