Effects of recreation for territorial education: training promoters and managers in the Colombian Pacific

Abstract

Recreation, as a fundamental field in the integral development of the individual, is a very powerful catalyst in the construction of educational processes in diverse contexts. This paper analyzes the impact of recreation for education in the Colombian Pacific, through the training of promoters and managers, to identify effective strategies that promote community development and social inclusion. The research addresses the need to understand and enhance the role of recreation in the education of communities in the Colombian Pacific region, facing challenges such as lack of resources, inequity in access to educational opportunities and the marginalization of certain ethnic and cultural groups. This mixed study included semi-structured interviews with 33 promoters and managers of recreation and education in the Colombian Pacific region. These interviews allowed to deepen in the participants’ perceptions, experiences and practices on the impact of recreation in education and to identify barriers and facilitators for its effective implementation. The results show a significant impact of recreation in education in territories of the Colombian Pacific, evidencing an increase in community participation, the strengthening of social skills and the promotion of values such as cooperation and respect. In addition, an improvement in the quality of life of local inhabitants is observed, with a decrease in violence and an increased in the sense of belonging. These findings highlight the importance of investing in recreation training programs to promote integral development in marginalized communities.