Diveristy at camp

[johnny thunder]

I am not sure if anyone is in this sort of situation and/or may be able to offer any suggestions. We run a program located in a very nice middle to upper class town right outside a small city. Our camp serves about 400 campers a day in a day camp setting. About 1/2 are from the suburbs and 1/2 from the city. The problem that we are facing is that about 1/4 of our campers recieve full scholarships through the United Way. That's great, but the United Way does not want to give scholarships to campers that have received them previously the years before. So we end up with 100 first time campers each session, they most likely will not return, don't neccesarily want to be there, and are definitely not there for the camp experience. Other families are concerned that their campers are picking up habits from these scholarship campers and that because they are not there for the "camp" experience they are bringing down the entire camp program and therefore they are not sending their campers back to camp.

I guess I'm interested to know if anyone else has such a disparity at their program and how do you train your staff, and structure the program so that it is not only enjoyable for all, but also beneficial.

Thanks!

[Smudge]

Think it really helps if you have a staff from a diverse range of backgrounds as they are more likely to relate to the campers.

Your question makes me think about first year at camp. The first session we had alot of campers at camp who were from inner city boston and were only there because a charity paid for them to be. Many of them didn't want to be there. It didn't help that of all the staff we had we only had one who had the same ethnic background as them. Although we had been prepared for the fact that the campers would be from the inner city, and the kind of attitudes we would experience was mentioned in passing we were really trained. I had several experiences that session that are memorable. Firstly I had campers accussing me of being racist for tell them to do things, ie clean up after themselves or help with the kaper (chore) of the day - but this was always countered with the response that I was asking all the camper (bloack and white) to do the same thing. The other experience was related to a specific camp (who will call Penny cos even if I could remember her real name I wouldn't use it). Penny came from inner city boston and REALLY didn't want to be at camp, because of this she refused to take part in any of the activities - to the point were to stop the other campers missing out I had to force her to take part. Later we were rained out of whatever it was we had planned so I decided to teach them all to cross stitch and the only space available was there cabin cos all the other spaces were being used. Penny didn't want to take part so allowed her to sit out provided she was quiet and didn't disrupt the activity for the rest of the unit. I then ran the activity but made sure that I did so in such a way as too ensure that she could hear everything that was being said. Eventually, she came and sat out side the circle of girls, then just at the edge and eventually after about 45 mins she decided she wanted to join in. This lead to a change in attitude from her during the rest of the session, she even started encouraging others to participate.

So I guess what I am saying is that if your staff are creative and can think outside the box then they can find ways to reach these camper. I suppose in terms of training them, think of specfic situations and use these to skits, or if you know what forum theatre is then that would be a very effective way to do it cos the perspective staff can see the see the situations but can stop it, go into the skit and then change something to make the situation more how they think it should.

Hope it helps.

[happy_camper]

I am interested to hear everyone's responses, because we have a situation which is very different, yet in a way similar.

We run our day camps every single week (except july 4th week) from Memorial Day to the first week of August. We have many, many campers who come all 9 weeks because their parents use it as a day care because it is cheaper than a traditional summer day care. Granted, I am happy that they do it because the kids get more out of camp than they do day care. But anyway, these kids come every single week every single summer for years. Therefore, they have done everything at camp at least 9 times, and some feel that they know everything about camp. This makes the experience less exciting for the kids who are coming to camp for their first week ever. We try to make it interesting by having different themes and crafts every week, but there is only so much you can do.

Any suggestions?

[Smudge]

I know what you mean. One of the camps I worked at had a day camp (as part of the residential camp). Unlike the res camp which ran 2 week sessions, the day camp ran one week sessions but in that week we were expected to do everything that the res camp did in the 2 weeks in one week. We did have very many campers return every week but I had one camper who was there for 5 of the 8 weeks (should have been 6 but he was the only camper so he stopped coming). By the end of the summer I was at my wits end because not only was he bored because we did the same things every week but he didn't want to be there anyway so he acted up.

[johnny thunder]

I hear what you're saying about the staff. I am hoping to find a good workshop or training on having such diverse campers interact positively on a regular basis. We do have a very diverse staff as is, but we lacked the ability to bring these two groups of campers together as one. If you know of any good books or training modules please pass them on.

Thanks!

[Smudge]

I dont know if it would be of any use but I have a book I picked up a library book sale which may be off use - you maybe able to find it on amazon or ebay. It is called Games Without Frontiers by Pip Wilson, it is actually aimed at church groups but I have used many of the games at camp. This is what the back says about it "Bursting with ideas and bubbling with enthusiasm, Games Without Frontiers is a necessity for all youth workers. Its pages are packed with communication tools as varied as ice-breakers, fun games, growth games, poems and cartoons, Games WIthout Frontiers will prove invaluable in helping groups know themselves, disclose themselves and relate better to each other."

At the camp that I was last at we would mainly stay in our units, and one of the first things that we did after all the campers had arrived was a session of ice-breakers and tour of camp - this not only helped us to get to know the campers but also for the campers to get to know each other (we often had campers from very different backgrounds and levels of camp exerience), then on the first fll day we would have a session of team building games which further brought the girls together. By staying in our units which never had more than 25 girls) we rarely had problems with the campers of various backgrounds not mixing, and when we were doing tings that more experienced campers had done we would get them to team up with the ohers - this meant they got to kow each other and had a chance to lead and teach others thngs that tey already know.

[Smudge]

I am been bored this even so I have done soo digging for you. I dont know how much of the info will be what you are looking for but ACA has 4 books that they sell about diversity, and links to a load on Ebay - they also have a whole load of articles - there may be something there that helps.

[Flower]

You may want to look into the work of Ruby Payne. She has a great book called "A Framework for Understanding Poverty". Her work is geared towards education, but I think a lot of it would fit camp as well, especially your situation. It could have some great stuff for your staff training.

[johnny thunder]

thank you guys for all your input!