Camp Training

[YUrocks!]

In your opinion, what is the most important part of staff training? What do you look forward to the most? What are you concerned/nervous about before you start training at a new camp?

Thanks for your input!

[Campy Measius]

Ohh training... such a diffucult thing to program, every year the feedback changes, one year it's "not enough games" the next year it's "too many games, I felt like a camper"
I think the most important thing about training session is for new counselors to get a feel of how the camp runs. To learn the day to day routine. Talking about what they would do in certian scenarios makes a big difference for when the campers arrive.

[annknee]

I think the most important thing is getting to know how the camp works. It doesnt matter how relevant and useful the age characteristic sessions were, or how many games you played, if you dont know how dinner works, or who to call when, or what forms to fill in at the end of the week then its not going to be that successful!

Personally I loathe playing games all the time and would much prefer to sit down and be lectured so I can make notes and then highlight them in every shade possible, however I think I am an exception!! My favourite part of training as a whole is just getting to know new staff, which is something you cant really plan into the session. I also think having "me time" is important, cos training is long and often pretty dull, through no fault of its own and me time gives you the chance to relax as well as digest the information of the day.

[Smudge]

For me I like staff training to be both practical and fun. Personally I have never used things like age level characteristics. I like to learn new games and songs - I hate it if new staff aren't taught enough songs during pre-camp cos then you end up singing only 20 songs for the whole summer and get sick of them!

[prettysocks]

At my camp we have a very intense training. You get to know staff very well by the end - it's quite hands on (which is +++++ in keeping interest, and helping teach); we play lots of /interesting/ games that you wouldn't maybe play with kids, but are fun to play with a bunch of young adults (the staff); and we do have lots of me time and party time. The days are long, but they split up the boring or serious training sessions with meals, or games, or me time, or a quick swim, or a more fun and hands-on session. I look forward to meeting the new staff, and playing the exciting, new games the CD has magically discovered.

[audur]

I agree with Annknee, that the most important thing you learn during staff training is the stuff you don't really know you're learning - knowing when to be where and what happens... and if it's a good pre-camp hopefully that happens as you learn songs, games and safety procedures.

The thing I look forward to the most is mandatory staff hangout time! I really enjoy the staff overnight we do every year, because we don't choose our own groups so everyone is probably going to get to know someone they didn't talk to much before.

[Smudge]

I was looking forward to our staff overnight last year and then a monster storm rolled in and we all got recalled back to camp - where there was a power cut. But to get back to the van to drive back to camp we had a 1/2 mile dash in torrential rain with lightening all around us.

[jdcounsellor]

Our training is a lot of fun. Everything we do is somehow turned into a competition or game. We go over everything as if it was actually happening and have some people play the kids, while others play counsellors (ex. knowing what to do in power outages, when a kid gets lost, medical emergencies, etc). This way it's not just going over papers and sitting bored out of your mind. We also play a lot of 'get to know each other' games, which are great because we are working together all summer and therefore need to be comfortable with each other.
We always have a staff party too (clearly not part of training). We either go camping, or camp in someones backyard for a weekend, just to get the new staff comfortable with everyone and have a good time outside of work. We also go to the beach a few Sundays out of the summer. A lot of people end up being really good friends and I think this helps. I have noticed over the years that the people that don't do the camping and other things outside of work, don't have a good time during the summer and usually don't come back. I think things like this are encouraged, even if it is just a beach day at the beginning of the summer.

[NightOwl]

Smudge- That storm sounded like something that happened where I was at! I agree with Annknee on most topics! I found that getting to know the other staff was great fun and most the time that happened when we were just hanging about (I spent a large chunk of time doing french braids the first or second nighy)

[Smudge]

in my previous camp we ended up having Hoffman Hair saloon in the Long House were we were all staying - those of us who werent having our hair dyed some random color were either doing the application of the dye or just hanging out and chatting it was soo much fun, as was the night before staff banquet when every one would be in groups (based on not being around your secret buddy) either trying to finish your gift or giving help or moral support to those who were still working on that at 3am - dispite having all summer to make them!

[Shrek]

I agree with many of the post above in some ways. I feel that the most important aspect fo camp training is teambuilding and you can plan for that, and should. Yes, there is information that you have to cover and we all like to learn new songs and games but having a new staff share expierences together is what make a difference in a camp season. Counselors do a better job if they are working with and helping "friends". You can have the greatest counselors in the world but if they are not working together or looking out for each other, your camp will suffer.

Just giving them common experiences will pull together a staff quickly. Bowling, staff dinners, swim party, trips, they all work. I think even better when something like a thunderstorm interrups all the fun. This are the stories that will be told over and over again. So I think teambuilding is the most fun and the most important part of staff training. Every Director should be making sure thier training schedule includes this "fun" stuff.

[laurathistle]

Our director says he can always tell what the staff dynamics for the summer will be like the day we put the dock in. (We all have to stand in the water holding the bits of the dock together until someone goes around and bolts them all together.)

He also says he is also able to spot the "personalities" that usually present themselves during the summer like the clown, the mother hen, the complainer, the motivator etc. He says he can also tell who won't last the summer...

[Smudge]

I can imagine that would be true!

I know that it is the same at my camp when are cleaning the units ready for use! You can tell from how they work with you what sort of staffer they will be!

[Melk]

ugh life guard training

I always have to do guard training before staff training starts and finish with first aid and cpr at the end of training. Its so stress full cause we dont have enough time and people get pissed cause they have to sit around for an extra couple of hours and uhhh its just so frustrating.

On top of that there are always a few late commers who miss out on guard training so I have to teach them during the first and second session which makes it hard on the staff cause they cant spend some of the cabin time with their cabin and we both miss out on time off so people get cranky.

However the people that I train once camp has actually started are ALWAYS more focused.

So thats my little rant. Thank you for listening to me rant.
I do enjoy training though.... expecially the time spent in the cabin as just girls with no boys around. It allows you to get to know the people you will be in a cabin with.... OH! and planning closing play.... it's cool to see different people be creative.

[Cocoa]

friendly, competitive, and self-depreciating games where everyone makes a fool of themselves are the best because everyone is embarrassed, but has something to laugh about and in common afterwards...our camp staff rarely changes - every year there are a few new people, but generally everyone who works at camps, grew up in camps