Camp Code - Leadership & Staff Training Podcast for Camp Directors

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Make your meetings so extraordinary, your staff will actually look forward to them!How’s that for a challenge?At camp, we have the awesome privilege to get to inject every single moment with creativity and find new ways to engage our staff and campers. So why should meetings be any different?All meetings have a framework to follow to make any meeting successful. The basics are fairly simple, use an agenda, frontload the expectations of the meetings, and make sure it has a clear purpose. Some simple goals to take into consideration are what you can learn, achieve or solve during the meeting. Staff retaining information is another thing that needs to be considered. Meetings can easily become repetitive and valuable information for staff can become easily forgotten. Engaging staff is a key leadership ability to help your staff retain information. The way you deliver your information has a great impact on what information will be retained.One of the best ways to kick off camp meetings is to begin with some singing or games. These add positivity to the room and allows your team to get focused in a more positive environmentUse visuals - Staff are more likely to retain pertinent information when charts, wheels, pictures, or other visual tools are usedDon’t use rest hour - Rest hour is a sacred moment for your campers and staff, let them rechargeGet staff members to talk about great moments in camping (GMICs), it will get your staff to reflect Ask questions - How can I support you? - what campers are you struggling with? -  what's the best part of the day? - this will engage your staff and collectively work to resolve challenges.Get your staff to take notes! - Be obvious for important notes, say things like “Write this down”Recap your meetings - it gave one more opportunity for the staff to catch something they missed.-We hope you love this episode of Camp Code! If you do, please consider subscribing to the show, and leaving us a rating in your Podcast app. It’s SO easy, just head to https://ratethispodcast.com/campcode-Leadership Training Best PracticeFrom Beth:What do I need to remember about my age group?Before your next group of campers arrive, have your team talk about what they need to remember when it comes to their specific age-group. Have them share their wisdom and remind one another to adjust the way you communicate, interact, and supervise them based on the age of campers. Example: If you have 8-year-old campers this week, remember that they need concrete instructions.-Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsMeasure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!How to help your domestic and international staff acclimatize to your camp.The full ensemble is back!In this week’s episode Gabrielle, Beth and Ruby dive in to explore the culture shock of staff and developing techniques to train international staff. International staff members are a wonderful addition to your team, and, it takes a little extra work on your part! On top of the usual onboarding, there’s more intention that needs to go into the way that you help that staff member develop initial relationships with senior staff and ensure that they are feeling comfortable and valued within the camp community.Being valued is something that every employee finds desirable. As a leader, it is up to you to find ways to make your staff feel valued. When hiring international staff, there are a lot of things to take into consideration:Having conversations about cultural differences between your international staff and the country you are inShowcase the international staff’s culture, by introducing their food, games and songs to your staffAssign a staff ambassador to international staff, make the ambassador your go-to person.Before your international hire arrives, find a camp alumni to sponsor this hire, so they could write to them at camp and be part of their camp familyFor more tips and tricks, tune in to this episode!We hope you love this episode of Camp Code! If you do, please consider subscribing to the show, and leaving us a rating in your Podcast app. It’s SO easy, just head to https://ratethispodcast.com/campcodeLeadership Training Best PracticeCredit: Ellen Nash - Camp Northland B’nai BrithIt’s important that you look every single staff member in the eyes every single day. By doing this, you let the staff know that you see them and acknowledge them for their efforts.Always have a staff snack in the evening as pretty much all of the staff show up and do as Ellen does and serve as many staff members as you can. By serving the staff, Ellen gets the opportunity to greet them, socialize and thank folks for their work each day.Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsThanks to our sponsor for this episode:This Go Camp Pro podcast is sponsored in part by CampGig - CampGig is more than just a job board, CampGig is designed to be the most useful matching/search tool for camps and camp staff. Camps can sign up today to scan and search through CampGig’s vast selection of candidates. If you’ve ever wanted an “easy-button” for finding your next great camp staff, then head over to CampGig.com and set up your camp’s profile today.Measure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Dan Davis, a seasoned Camp Director with over 25 years of experience, shares invaluable insights on mentoring campers transitioning to staff. He emphasizes small yet impactful training strategies, like assigning subtle responsibilities to returning campers. Dan discusses the concept of offering a second chance during interviews, highlighting the importance of body language and the ability to adapt. Their conversation also dives into the emotional challenges of new staff and the significance of creating a supportive environment that fosters growth.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Because conflict is going to happen, people!The Camp Code crew is back for their very first episode of 2020!To ring in the new year, this episode is filled with great tips and tricks, helping to give staff the tools to deal with conflict. Gab dives into an array of acronyms such as the A.C.T Program - Awareness, Communication and Together, and V.I.P - Validate feelings, Investigating and Problem-solving. She also goes in-depth talking about The power of mirroring and how to use mirroring to build connections with people.Ruby talks about the importance of dealing with conflict in person. Too often, conflict involves emotions, and emotions cannot be shared over text, so having face to face discussions are the keys to success. As Camp Directors, it is important to equip your staff to some conflict management work for you. Your staff need the practice, and you cannot do it all!Beth provides listeners with a ton of insight and explains that EVERYONE must take proactive steps to handle conflict. Personality tests are something that we should all take at various stages of life, camp leadership is one of those times and here is one Camp Codes favourites: True colors personality test. We are all going to be faced with it at some point, so Beth explains some key improvisational negotiation tactics:Let people tell their storyBring a reality check to the tableIdentify the true impediment.Leadership Training Best PracticeFrom Ruby:When dealing with conflicts, Show awkward moments video to kick things off. These people all lived through these awkward moments, so you can get through your conflict conversations!Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsThanks to our sponsor for this episode - CampGigThis Go Camp Pro podcast is sponsored in part by CampGig - CampGig is more than just a job board, CampGig is designed to be the most useful matching/search tool for camps and camp staff. Camps can sign up today to scan and search through CampGig’s vast selection of candidates. If you’ve ever wanted an “easy-button” for finding your next great camp staff, then head over to CampGig.com and set up your camp’s profile today. Measure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Keep your returning camp staff passionate and invested with continuing education opportunitiesThe Camp Code team would like to wish all of our listeners a Happy New Year! As we start ringing the bells to bring on the start of the 2020 Camp Year, Ruby, Beth and Gabrielle give you the best practices for continuing education for returning staff.Investing in staff throughout the year is a key component to their success. Lack of growth opportunities is one of the key reasons for employee turnover. As employers, if you continue education, you will get highly educated staff, bringing new ideas to the table. Happy camp staff are loyal and this is shown in their productivity. As a benefit for staff, having continued education will allow them to gain different opportunities at camp, enhance self-image and have a positive impact on life. One of Beth’s ideas is to poll staff throughout the winter to see what they would like to learn. Based on that, you can develop a learning day for staff to focus primarily on what they actually want to learn.Ruby talks about building on an idea she remembers from school when you could win the chance to be Principal for the day. For Ruby, this meant pizza at lunch and not confining to school uniforms, but if you expand upon that idea and develop a Director for the day, you can incorporate this into your program and allow returning staff to get insights on what it takes to become a Camp Director.Have a listen to get all the tips and tricks from these pros!Leadership Training Best PracticeFrom Gab:Have you ever had some great returning staff who are more than qualified for their role, but who are showing signs of disinterest in some of the summer camp training sessions you are running? One idea is to put these staff in a group and have one of them lead where they go around camp, planting flags around spots where they learned life lessons. On the flags, they can write the story of their lesson. What this will do is throughout your summer leadership training sessions, your staff will see the flags, read them and think about what camp does for them. At the end of your sessions, have your new staff go around and plant the same flags, but this time, write down what life skills they would like to learn at camp.Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsThanks to our sponsor for this episode:This Go Camp Pro podcast is sponsored in part by CampGig - CampGig is more than just a job board, CampGig is designed to be the most useful matching/search tool for camps and camp staff. Camps can sign up today to scan and search through CampGig’s vast selection of candidates. If you’ve ever wanted an “easy-button” for finding your next great camp staff, then head over to CampGig.com and set up your camp’s profile today.As Ruby identifies, in order for summer camp leaders to teach self-esteem, it is important to always start with yourself. Take the time to learn your triggers that affects your mood and your view. After payiMeasure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!The most basic human desire is to be able to fit in. In this episode, our hosts dive into stereotypes, managing life pressures and teaching our staff how to build self-esteem, create their potential and give them the superpowers required to battle any self-esteem issue.As Ruby identifies, in order for summer camp leaders to teach self-esteem, it is important to always start with yourself. Take the time to learn your triggers that affects your mood and your view. After paying attention and awareness to your own mental health, it will allow you to grow to then be able to teach your staff.Low self-esteem can trigger negativity, and can at times overpower the words of leaders at camp. Gabrielle explains a method she uses called the “SAS”. Stop what you’re doing, approach appropriately, speak kindly. In Gabriel’s experience, it is the speak kindly portion that promotes self-esteem. It’s about taking the conversation and add a flare of positivity.For all the great tips from Gabrielle, Beth and Ruby, have a listen to this episode.Leadership Training Best PracticeFrom Ruby:Put an instructor who is willing to be vulnerable and says a challenging situation they dealt with and sets up what the challenge was. Describing the situation, they get the counsellors and leaders in the room to ask other questions to gather information from the instructor. All the participants then discuss what they would have done in groups. Afterwards - the instructor describes what they did to manage the situation, and using the info from the staff, adding how they would change their response if the situation were to arise again.Shout-out to http://beetlesproject.org/Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsThanks to our sponsor for this episode:This Go Camp Pro podcast is sponsored in part by CampGig - CampGig is more than just a job board, CampGig is designed to be the most useful matching/search tool for camps and camp staff. Camps can sign up today to scan and search through CampGig’s vast selection of candidates. If you’ve ever wanted an “easy-button” for finding your next great camp staff, then head over to CampGig.com and set up your camp’s profile today.  Measure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!It All Starts with Trust!Managing summer camp staff, no problem...managing summer camp staff that don’t trust one another, that is where the challenge lays. Having staff sharing information, collaborating and working toward common goals is the foundation of trust and can bring the best out of your staff. Beth defines trust as reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something. Breaking that down, trust means that you rely on someone else to do something, to the extent that you are willing to put yourself on the line for that thing. Trust is what brings teams together, so in this episode Gabrielle, Beth and Ruby breakdown how to develop trust within your team.Below are some tips on how to develop trust with your staff, we encourage you to listen in for more on...Starting with online meet and greetsUsing staff training as a job interview for the Camp Director. Use it as a way to work for your staff to earn their trustWork with your staff to build connections. Set the expectations with senior staff, and have them work with new staff to build connections and confidenceBecause I said I would - a TED talk on making promises, keeping them and the honour of our wordHave a listen to hear about the great list of tricks and tips on how we can engage our staff and develop trust ultimately building great staff for your summer camp.Leadership Training Best PracticeFrom Beth:Align your words with your actions.When you notice your staff doing something that they maybe shouldn’t be doing, try asking “So, what’s your plan?”. You may be surprised by their thoughts and ideas and it will help maintain trust!Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsThanks to our sponsor for this episode:logo-camp-gig-transparent.pngThis Go Camp Pro podcast is sponsored in part by CampGig - CampGig is more than just a job board, CampGig is designed to be the most useful matching/search tool for camps and camp staff. Camps can sign up today to scan and search through CampGig’s vast selection of candidates. If you’ve ever wanted an “easy-button” for finding your next great camp staff, then head over to CampGig.com and set up your camp’s profile today.   Measure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Teach your staff and campers the value of #getoutside!Stop reading these show notes and just get outside!Leadership Training Best PracticesYour Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby Outdoors      Measure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Camp is weird! Let’s help staff navigate.Building off of what we learned from Episode 56, we wanted to focus on some of the findings our Camp Directors friends came across this past summer. Focusing on the outside world, and fitting in on some the cultures we develop at camp, we want to focus on some guidance to help prepare your staff for a summer at camp.Our hosts Beth Allison, Ruby Compton and Gabrielle Raill dig in to the following topics:Empowering the staff.. More and more, parents are calling to ask questions about contracts and/or asking for time off for their kids. We want to empower the staff, and are always looking for ways for staff to be accountable for their own employment.Cellphones are a crutch that is a part of our culture, however; at camp it can interfere with the important connections that get created at camp.Vaping!Sleep habits, reflecting on the research of sleep and implementing these with staffMoving from living alone, to having interaction all of the time and how we get staff to welcome being in reach with people at all times.Leadership Training Best PracticesOvercoming the cell phone issue as a staff with a joy listGather the staff together with 5 flip chart papers and markers. Get the staff talking and adding things to categories on sheets like “this made me smile”, “this makes me happy”, “this was a memory or magical moment that I remember most”.The kicker: Then ask them, “how many of these moments happened because of a phone?”This can open up a conversation about your cell phone policy and how phones can help or hinder connection.Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby Outdoors     Measure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!After a shortened Season 6 and a lot of questions from fellow listeners, WE ARE BACK with Season 7.This episode is dedicated to those moments where you as a camp director see something and say, “Are You Freaking Kidding Me!?”.Our hosts Beth, Ruby and Gabs have plenty of experience as Camp Directors and they are here to share stories of times where even they were at a loss!From sounding happy on the phone, riding public transit to doing laundry are all examples of some of the things that we, as directors may take for granted, but are still so necessary to teach our young leaders.Tune in as our hosts explore ways to work through challenges such as:Running scenarios to help camp staff work through real life examplesJournaling beside your bed. Write down your frustrations at night in one place and ToDos for the next morning.Interview new staff and veteran staff at the end of the year asking “what do you wish that a new staff member knew prior to the start of summer”Teach the chores by front loading expectations with staffLeadership Training Best Practices“Can I show you something” is a phrase that great leaders use. From teaching staff how to budget or greeting parents, or teaching great things at camp. Mentoring staff is a key part for both yours and camp staff success.Your Hosts:Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp OuareauBeth Allison, Camp Consultant - CampHacker.tvRuby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby OutdoorsMeasure twice! Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis. Stop flying blind: Take your free Resilient Camp Blueprint Diagnostic at https://camp.mba/travis.