Training

[CAMPFRIEND]

What kind of trining did you get from your camp for your program are? Do they pay for the training or did you?
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BMW R1150R (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/BMW_R1150R)

[speedx5xracer]

At my camp waterfront staff recieves any variety of Red Cross certifications, American staff has the choice to take it during aquatic school which is run during precamp for staff from many different camps or on their own time. Either way camp reemburses you or covers your tuition for aquatic school. International staff must do it during aquatic school.
My current (valid) certs- Lifeguard, Waterfront lifeguard, small craft safety

[camper]

at my camp, the specialists all have meetings with the directors of their specialty areas once a day, the waterfront staff sometimes more than once to go over lifeguarding procedures and help to set up the waterfront. the climbing tower/ropes staff has training with a company called wilderness way that doesn't cost anything to them. the tennis staff trains w/the tennis director so she can see what they're best suited to teaching/doing. the general landsports staff helps to put equipment in the sheds. and while all of this is going on, the general counselors continue to unpack the lower campers' trunks.

[rockinsmiles]

Our lead horse instructor goes to some sort of horse instructing training that the camp pays for (unless they already have it). Then our archery instructor goes to another camp for like 2 or 3 days and get teaching there. All the lifeguards, canoe instructor, and counselors for the oldest groups have lifeguard certifications. Training for high ropes and rock climbing is done by the camp staff. I dont think the craft specialist has any training. All the specialist also spend time in their areas during training and have some sperate training as well. i'm not sure what all they cover there since i havent been a specialist before :)

[Skater Bubbles]

Pretty much I was just shown how to do it and then I kinda came up with my own teaching style from there.

[Flukie]

Our staff is expected to have Lifeguarding when they come in. WSI is a benefit - and one we like, as is canoeing. Sailing staff must be either certified or have equal experience - since most have grown up at our camp, we know their experience.

This summer, I'd like to see First Aid/CPR offered (I'm a trainer, as is one of our ULs, so we can do this really easily!) and canoeing for the Council level.

[rockinsmiles]

Our whole staff gets First Aid/CPR certified. the Red Cross from the county where my camp is located comes on one of the training days and does the whole programe. then later the lifeguarding certifing ppl come for those who need it. The day is pretty boring but it works nicely. the red cross knows our camp and director pretty well and also offers for others in the area to come during this time for certification. i just wish we could like remember handouts of something afterwards. that way not everything is forgotten :)

[Indigo]

The ad staff comes about a week and a half to 2 weeks early, to bond and set things up a bit... Then the rest of the staff comes a week early, and we do CPR/first aid training, lots of ice-breakers and circle games, singing, stories, lectures, activities, CB codes, contests, etc. By the end of that, we're all eager for the kids to come. Then on the first day, almost everything is forgotten, most of the time. First session holds the most excitement, and it's also the time when the staff learns the most!

[CAMPFRIEND]

I think that you are right. You can only learn so much in training. When you are with the campers that is when you learn the most. We can only teach so much to the staff before the kids coming.

[CD87]

I work at camp with Indigo. They stuff 8 weeks worth of training (how long it takes the CITs) into the week before camp. PreCamp training is sooo boring. A lot of the training for my job (wrangler) started when I first started doing the horse programs (as a camper) and progressed through the levels to AWIT (advanced wrangler in training). It's kinda sneaky now that I think about it...we train our staff while they're campers.

CD

[Melk]

This past summer high ropes, life guard, and firstaid/cpr were done before staff training started. I would like to teach the staff about teaching swim lessons this summer. Last summer I noticed a lot of staff didnt know how to help the kids become better swimmers. Also I think that staff for land activity periods do not do any training, they are just throwen into teaching.... but I could be wrong..... I hate land periods. Woo hoo for waterfront staff!!!

[prettysocks]

It was mandatory that you come to camp with FA/CPR already, so it wasn't taught at pre-camp.

We covered everything ... child abuse signs, lifting/feeding/toileting/hygiene techniques (i work at a special needs camp), how to work the lifts (land and pool), we tried all the activities (sledge hockey, ropes, archery, pool.. yeah, that was all that we tried - but there's more), we had a motivational speaker... and much more.. we bonded and played a lot of games and frisbee..

OMG I CANT FOR CAMP. How is it only February?!?

[KiwiCRB]

We get First Aid and CPR during sessions in town a month or so before camp starts. Staff members that can't make those sessions do it during precamp... i think...

[DaveTO]

My first year instructing I took a week-long course on waterski instruction...paid for by camp (half the current year, half the following year). FA/CPR/LGT is recert'ed during precamp if needed; Commercial boat license is renewed by the camp.

So in short, they cover everything.

[runrachrunn]

At my camp waterfront staff recieves any variety of Red Cross certifications, American staff has the choice to take it during aquatic school which is run during precamp for staff from many different camps or on their own time. Either way camp reemburses you or covers your tuition for aquatic school. International staff must do it during aquatic school.
My current (valid) certs- Lifeguard, Waterfront lifeguard, small craft safety


SpeedX,

I'm just curious what the difference is between your lifeguard and waterfront lifeguard certs? I have my NLS (national lifeguard service) exam on sunday, and am thinking about taking my waterfront lifeguard, but how much of the material is different?

[who_stole_my_loofa]

depends on what area of camp you are working in. if you need a certification for your area (ie: WFT, lifequard, rocks, etc) then they pay for your certs and the people come to our camp to do them(we want everyone trained the same so we know how it's been done). if its just regular staff training room and board and activities and things like epi pen/cpr/first aid are all covered during training. we don't get paid exta for staff week (but i dont want to get into that- there's a huge thing on aca if you care to debate about it- lets leave that off of this thread though). the only thing we have to pay for is if we need to come to camp a day or two early or a day or two before our particular training session begins, then we pay 15 dollars a day for room and board.

[DaveTO]

Waterfront lifeguard deals with searching for lost swimmers in water that you can't see the bottom of. There is also coverage involving beaches and inflatables. Lastly, there was also rescues involving boats, boards, and shallow water spinals. I'm sure there's more...