What is a good summer camp program?

[TwoXForr]

I am spinning this off another thread I started.

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=216603

(hope that is how you do it. The thread is in High Adventure and probably should have been here, What makes a good summer camp.)

 

What are the criteria by which you judge staff at summer camps.

 

Enthusasim for thier program, knowledge of topics, presentation, senority (how many of the overall staff are returning year after year)

 

 

 

[mikecummings157]

Staff should be enthusiastic and willing to do a little extra to help the boys when necessary. The Senior Staff (Camp Directors) should be seeking out feedback throughout the week on how the camp is running and dealing with any issues, as well as motivating the staff.

[shortridge]

My personal do's and don't's:

 

Camp staff members DON'T...

- Complain about food, facilities, other staff, Scouts or leaders (at least not in earshot of Scouts or leaders ).

- Discuss internal staff problems in front of Scouts or leaders, including but not limited to underfunding, low salaries or materials shortages.

- Act in ways that violate camp and Scouting rules and regs (throwing knives, canoeing without PFDs, etc.).

 

I've seen and worked with far too many staff members who aren't mature enough to understand that these kinds of behaviors aren't professional. Unfortunately, one such staffer per camp is too much - the proverbial bad apple. That one immature, trash-talking staffer is enough to give a unit a bad experience and decide not to return.

 

Staff members DO...

- Keep smiling even in the most lousy of adverse conditions.

- Have a good sense of humor.

- Know almost everything there is to know about their program area.

- Be willing to learn new things.

- Pitch in with other duties before they're assigned - cleaning the dining hall, moving tents, dishing out meals.

- Lead songs and do skits with genuine enthusiasm, not any rolling-eyes, we've-done-this-10-times-before fakery.

- Learn Scouts' names by the second day.

- Be seen around unit campsites frequently, if only to say "Hi, howya doin'?" on the way to their program area.

- Take safety seriously.

- Share responsibility, even at the lowliest CIT levels.

- Possess a "We're the best!" attitude that generates pride in the camp and its units.

- Cherish old camp traditions and establish new ones.

 

All these go back to two core things - enthusiasm and maturity. Unfortunately, those aren't attributes that can easily be checked out in a 10-minute interview, or even a staff interview/activity/training weekend. But generally, they can be transferred down from the top.

 

If the camp director takes his turn pitching in in the commissary and the program director can be seen helping a younger Scout tie a bowline, well, that does wonders for morale and overall attitude.

 

Edited to add:

 

The percentage of returning staff is a critically important criterion, and one that can easily be checked out. Returning staff have the institutional knowledge necessary to run a camp smoothly (what's the best way to set up a tent? in which box did we put those field guides last year? how do you break in to the woods tools shed when the key has gone missing?), as well as the obvious love of the place and people necessary to maintain enthusiasm.

 

That said, don't make it your only checklist item. There can be many reasons for a staff to have its returning percentage drop suddenly, including senior staffers graduating college.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

[eagle90]

What every camp staff member, from the Director on down, must remember is that we, the units attending camp, are their customers. And whether you are selling shoes, computers, cars, or a week at camp, you, the proprietor, wants that customer to come back again, and the customer has the right to go elsewhere if the service is not adequate. Years ago a unit wouldn't think of deserting their council's camp for another camp, but nowadays this is quite frequent. We have not attended our council's camp for the last ten summers due to poor program, poor staff, and poor camp leadership. We have found a camp that caters to the units and unit leaders and makes them feel welcome. You WANT to come back. The camp is a seven hour drive from home, and the best thing I hear on the way home from our scouts is "Next year I'm gonna do.........." That tells me the camp and staff has done their job.

[Stephen_Scouter]

This is something we worked on a lot when I was in camp leadership.

 

A group of us turned around two camps with declining reputations and numbers. Even within the first week we were getting feedback that far exceeded what the camp had been getting.

 

These are some things that we pushed

- staffers must look professional, nicely kept uniform, appropriate sizes, groomed, clean, etc...

 

- staffers must be easily approached by other staffers, campers, leaders, etc... They need to know where merit badges meet, which campsite is which, what time meal formations are, when campfire is, when the mail is delivered, etc...

 

- staffers eat with the campers, they do not sit at a table with all staff members.

 

- staffers are the example, everything you do is seen by campers and leaders

 

- you are a BLANK camp staff member first, not the intructor for BLANK merit badge. When your merit badge session is over do not just retire to the staff area. Stay in your program area and help out, talk with kids at the trading post, visit leaders in campsites, help in other program areas, help the kitchen, etc...

 

- the vast majority of "staff traditions" are holding the camp back from being the best camp possible, this is a job and we are offering a service, this is not some off-beat fraternity

 

- staffers do not tell campers and leaders how much they get paid, what they do after hours, what they do in town, etc...

 

- staffers do not complain about food, facilities, troops, leaders, campers, staffers, etc... All legit complaints should be brought to the camp leadership in a private manner, not broadcasted all over camp.

 

- staffers sing songs, do skits, play games etc... They start unscheduled sing alongs at the trading post, the form a on the spot horse shoes tourny when there are a lot of scouts wanting to play, they help troops come up with skits for campfire if needed, etc..

 

Of course, now when I go to camps not as a staff member I look for these same types of things.(This message has been edited by stephen_scouter)

[Gunny2862]

1) Fun

2) Fun

3) Fun

4) Offers the Scout the opportunity to LEARN something.

5) Allows the Parents to feel good about sending the boys because they completed some advancement.

6) Allows the Scoutmaster to feel good because the Boys thought it was fun AND the Parents won't be on his back because they did complete some advancement.

7) Allows the Scoutmaster and any adults who also attend the opportunity to complete some Adult training, at least the repetitive ongoing stuff.

8) Oh, and it should be fun, too.