Council Camps that Bloom...or Not?

[SSScout]

In my travels I have come to be acquainted with several Council Camps. I would like to see a discussion as to the possible reasons a camp is popular/successful/on going or not.

 

One possibility I would put forth is the use of Scouter Volunteers.

I know of one very popular camp that is operated largely by volunteer Scouters. The Camp Master program essentially does everything off season, weekends, and oversees much of the summer program. The Pros do the "heavy lifting", but make use of the eager, loyal cadre of Scouters to help make things happen.

 

I know another Council that made a conscious decision to rid itself of the Camp Masters that had done much of the camp upkeep and weekend management. When the Chief CM was told his loyal group was to be disbanded, he ceased to be a Council person and is now(if he still is, I have not seen him in several years) only concerned with his local unit. Guess what happens in that unit when FoS comes around. And I can only guess about the rest of the disbanded CampMasters there. Only Pros at that Council Camp, (Scout Staff is paid, of course). This camp complains of "low useage".

 

I know of another camp that is well run, Where the pros are good at what they do, that welcomes all Scouters or volunteer projects. They do not have an organized volunteer program like "Camp Master", but goes out of it's way to utilize Scouters when they come by.

I am sure there are other mitigations, such as distance, age, financial concerns, changed neighborhood, that come into play to lead to a camps popularity, use or ultimate closing (shudder).

 

What have you observed?(This message has been edited by SSScout)

[Stosh]

Of the three camps I am familiar with:

 

1) Has the money, nice new facilities, does the standard programs. A few high adventure programs, but weak on them. Pool, no lake, but river nearby. Full MB offerings

 

2) Old established camp, all the amenities, good program, nice lake for all water MB's, couple of nice high adventure opportunities. Full MB offerings

 

3) Old camp run as if it were 50 years ago, patrol method, nice lake. Reminds me of my scouting experience back in the 1960's. Site cooking, no mess hall, have to set up wall tents on arrival, quite primitive. Full MB offerings.

 

The boys unanimously picked #3 for this summer. They sought out this camp from all the available options in the region, went last year and fell in love with it.

 

Instead of planning council camps based on what adults think the boys should have, maybe ask them what they want.

 

Stosh

[desertrat77]

Upon reflection....

 

Camps that succeed:

- Have a sense of tradition (but not exclusionary/snobby/"Oh you weren't here in the summer of 19XX when they inducted the first class of the Royal Order of the Ferocious Ferrets, so you will never really 'belong.'")

- Provide quality food, whether prepared in a mess hall or ingredients given for camp cooking

- Staffers are respectful to scouts and scouters alike, be they from within council or out of town

- Execute programs that challenge scouts

 

Camps that slip:

- Never really have an identity...just provide a collection of things to do, and have little sense of their past (or new management scraps certain traditions)

- Serve crappy food and make no apology for it

- Little/no self critique...programming slips over time, infrastructure sags, but the camp fees continue to climb nonetheless

- Rude to adults (years ago, when I was a SM, a youth camp staffer told me at breakfast that adults WILL serve on kp staff, and that I better get in the kitchen and get to work. I gave him some quick courtesy and salesmanship lessons...adults are asked to serve, they aren't told)

- Camp staffs that are more concerned with their own enjoyment...the campers are just a pain in the neck

 

Long story short, I think the keys to a good camp are adventure, loyalty and respect. They will positively impact all areas of camp life...human relations, programming, you name it. Folks will want to return year after year.

[Lisabob]

"Camp staffs that are more concerned with their own enjoyment...the campers are just a pain in the neck "

 

DEFINITELY a bad sign! Let me add a couple more.

 

Success requires:

Camp staff who go out of their way to ensure that campers are not only welcomed as "customers", but feel like part of the gang, like "insiders." That means staff has to actively befriend campers every week. Make sure out of council groups are included too.

 

Camp staff has to be willing to be silly, and to encourage campers to do the same. Kids really have fun once they start letting down their walls. With scout camp that might be harder than with other summer camps because they all have their "image" to protect with their fellow troop members who know them from back home. So camp staff really has to lead the way here and make it known that at camp, people can relax a bit and be goofy.

 

Camp staff has to be well trained. Poor staff = poor program = poor experience = poor return rate.

 

Camp staff cannot be seen to be bickering among themselves or tearing down the program to the campers. Some people think being overly critical makes them look cool or gives them power. In fact it detracts from other folks' experiences and breeds disloyalty. Negativity of that sort spreads quickly and is detrimental to all. This isn't to say that honest problems shouldn't be brought up or dealt with. It is to say that staff shouldn't be kvetching to campers.

 

If camp staff invites feedback, they'd better be willing to actively listen to the feedback they get. One time I went to a camp where, mid-week, they had a leader night. This camp had recruitment and retention problems and so they asked leaders what they liked and didn't like about the week so far. Leaders tried to couch things constructively, but every comment was angrily shot down by the guy that "built" the camp. I don't know why he bothered to have this leader night, if he wasn't prepared to listen to the feedback in the first place, but it left a terrible taste in people's mouths.

 

Last one - good camps are well-organized. Have a good system in place for check-in and check-out. First/last impressions!