Filling Camp Staff Positions

[fotoscout]

I just finished another great 4 days at Cub/Webelos Resident Camp with my cubbies. My hats off to the staff, both young and old, for doing a superb job with limited resources.

 

The kids had a great time, and we were fortunate to have a very good group of kids in our den. Most were there alone, without a parent or leader from their pack, but some (my kids), had a parent there either all the time, or at the very least, for the overnight period.

A great change from last year.

 

The program ran well, but did have some snags. All of which were related to staffing issues. The Camp Director had an ongoing lament about how difficult it was for him to hire younger staff this year (14-16 year olds). He suspects that his problem reflects the current demographics of both Scouting and the general population in our area this year.

 

Did anyone else have a similar problem with camp staff this year?

 

foto

 

[Eamonn]

Someone once said that you know you are getting old when policemen start looking young. I'm starting to think the same holds true for camp staff.

I have not taken the time to do a fact finding mission but todays staff look younger then the staff of years gone by.

We don't hire camp staffers under the age of 15.

OJ, has his birthday in July, so he was too young last year. He was too busy this year and will be too busy next year as he will be a youth staff member at the Jamboree and hopes to be accepted for the OA trail crew at Philmont.

One big problem we have in Scouting when it comes to hiring camp staff is that we just don't pay enough.

Many of us old ex-camp staffers tend to think that we belong to some sort of exclusive club. We sit around and retell war stories and think that the Lads of today should be honored to join this "Club," Almost along the lines of "The few, the brave, the camp staffers."

Sad to say these Lads especially the older ones need money.

Our Camp Staff reports for duty on Sunday around noon and are on call till Saturday till around 10:00 AM. With only one night off. Sure most of these guys have a really enjoyable summer and they get all their meals provided along with a nice tent. But if you are going to college you need money.

I have for some time argued with the powers that be that Camp is too cheap. We need to raise the camp fee and attract the older Lads. They argue back that if we raise the Camp fee we will see less campers. As ever I think that they are wrong and as ever I am right. Still at this time they are winning.

Eamonn.

[CubsRgr8]

Foto, yes, I saw the same problem. Last summer at cub scout resident camp, my den's counselor group (serving 32 boys and 12 adults) consisted of 3 older counselors and 1 14 yr old CIT. That seemed pretty typical of the other groups in camp. This year there wasn't a CIT and the counselors I spoke with all had 3+ years of experience.

 

Eamonn, I'm with you. Camp counselors need to be paid better. Of course, it's kind of a chicken/egg argument: better pay = better counselors = better program = better attendance = better finances, but which came first?

 

 

 

[JimmyD]

Eamon how much does your camp charge per camper? Our camp lost 300 scouts/scouters beucase of council problems and an increase in camp. Thats 60,000 which could've payed a lot of staff at our camp.

[Eamonn]

Hi Jimmy,

This year the fee for a Scout to a week at Camp was $160.00. We have the second lowest camp fee in our area. We seen almost 2,000 Scouts attend camp. Eagle Scouts that are staff members get an extra $100.00 at the end of the camp. Thanks to some unknown benefactor.

Camps are strange places. Years ago we seemed to have a policy of "Come On Down" the more the merrier. It didn't work. Scouts were unable to do the stuff that they wanted to do.

Earlier this year I was talking to a SM who was taking the troop to a camp in New York, the camp fee was a little over $250.00 and then there was the cost of getting them there. He said that it was worth it as the camp offered a lot more then what we did.

Cost is not always the determining factor when it comes to camp. Most people in my age group are willing to pay a little bit more for a quality program. If paying a little more would mean attracting a better more mature Camp staff I feel sure that everyone would dig a little deeper.

As for "Council Problems".

I feel very strongly that I am part of the Council. If the Council has a problem I have a problem. If the Council is doing well I am doing well.

The Council Summer Camp program is there. I feel almost sure that the camping committee worked hard at preparing the camp, hiring the best camp staff available and promoting the camp. In this promotion they made mention of how much it would cost. The numbers you give lead me to think that camp costs $200 for a week.What with popcorn sales and troop fund raising events $200 is not a goal that most people could not reach. Even without any fund raising it is still only $4.00 a week.

If the leaders in the Council choose not to take the Scouts in their charge to Summer camp in order to prove a point these guys need to look at the vision and mission of this organization and think about leaving as soon as they can.Yesterday would still be a day to late.

Scouts should never ever be made the pawns in some peoples dissatisfaction.They deserve more then that.

Eamonn

[JimmyD]

Ok thats cheap. Our council was $230 this year. 2 free leaders and each extra leader is $100 each. Neighboring council's camps are $150 I think and $190. Back in 96 when i first went to camp in my council it only cost $140. We're are all afraid that council might raise camp to $250. Big difference over the past 8 or so years.