Creative Recovery Summer Camp
Conception
Drawing inspiration from the needs of our communities after the La Soufriere volcanic disruption in April 2021, we had several discussions with our team and community members about creating a safe space for Bequia youth to integrate with displaced youth from the mainland. The Creative Recovery Summer Camp (CRSC) was conceived from these collaborative brainstorming sessions. Today, it is the only project that has not yet manifested in action at The Hub.
While our initial fundraising efforts were disrupted, we did not let that stop us from envisioning a wholesome, creative and fun way to bring empowered, joyful and knowledge-based content and activities to our youth.
The Creative Recovery Summer Camp aims to be an integral and annual offering that we produce for two months over the summer, offering Bequia youth a powerful way to integrate holistic development and knowledge building in a safe space. The programming in CRSC addresses social cohesion and grows communication and developmental skills while highlighting the need for mentorship and leadership training. Youth will learn about Bequia’s rich and diverse history, art-making, storytelling, drumming, dancing, poetry, the natural world and breath and body movement.
2022 Creative Recovery Summer Camp
For 3 weeks in August, we hosted our Creative Recovery Summer Camp (CRSC), working with 18 Bequian youth between ages 8 and 14 in several creative art forms: dancing, drumming, painting, poetry, yoga and meditation. We believe in building creative confidence across all ages. This camp focused on today's youth, aiding campers in self-empowerment, evolving their mental and emotional characters, developing life skills, and introducing them to different forms of creativity. To culminate the CRSC, we hosted a Youth Show on Friday, August 26th, at De Reef.
Each of our campers showcased what they learned with us. The performances included yoga, singing, drumming, individual poems, poetic dance dramas, and affirmations, all while wearing fun handcrafted costumes. Following these youth acts, we had solo performances by The Hub Singers (all graduates of our ‘Higher Vibrations’ music workshop).
The CRSC would not have been possible without our funders' financial and in-kind support. Thank you to the Grenadines Initiative, our camp’s largest sponsor. Thank you to everyone who is generously donating to our @globalgiving crowdfunding campaign, ‘Creating and Dreaming Big on Bequia’. Thank you to Mac’s Pizza & Kitchen for the free lunches, Bequia Threadworks for providing support in making the costumes, and De Reef for allowing us to use their space!
We aim to have this recurring programming each year. To donate to our fundraising efforts, please email us at info@thehubsvg.com to understand the best route to donate funds.
