Conflicts in a Children’s Health Camp: Field Research

Abstract

. The aim of this article is to discuss the conflicts within a particular youth health camp. The analysis has been based on sociological research conducted through non-standard interviews and a participant observation method. The abstract includes an interview schedule. The main subject of research is particular youth health camps counsellors: their emotional state, level of tiredness, conflict-solving competence, which are considered as subjective components of the cause of conflict. The article focuses on 2 types of conflicts that take place in youth health camps: between counsellors and children, and among children themselves. The collected empirical data has been analyzed through comparison of counsellors’ defining characteristics, those who have experience of working in a youth health camp and those who do not. The research followed by analysis identified that experienced counsellors can cope with stress better than newcomers. This is clearly displayed at the beginning of the health camp shift session. By the middle of the shift session the difference becomes less noticeable and almost disappears by the end of the shift session. The empirical data from non-standard interviews is combined in five tables. The results of participant observation are presented as description of conflicts which took place in three health camp shift sessions – that includes age group distribution. The description of conflicts is provided with conflict-solving technique analysis.

Keywords

• conflicts
• counsellor
• youth health camp
• conflict-solving competence