Welcoming New Internationals and Staff

[Flukie]

So a few of the posts in Loofa's thread about ODs got me wondering...

What does your camp do to welcome staff (whether they are Internationals or not) to camp? I was new staff last summer, but it was a bit different because since I'm a GS leader in the Council, I actually was there in April to open camp. I got a copy of the camp CD and programming supplies then. I also got there two days before the rest of the staff, so I was already familar with camp.

We surveyed our staff prior to camp to find out a bit about them... And a couple of returning staff sent out a general "Welcome to camp!" e-mail to everyone else. But do your camps do anything else to welcome or help acclimate new staff prior to camp? I'm thinking that if we could get the CD out to everyone, that'd be fantastic, as would some photos of what camp looks like so they'd have a better idea of what they are expecting... But I'm not sure. So what do other camps do?

[ocean]

Yours is a really good idea. To help new staff we give camp tours during the staff training, so the new/ international staff get familarized.

[EchoLaker]

I know that when my contract came through I was sent the previous Summer's season in review; we were also sent a list of the other Brit staff (new and returning) to get talking and get any concerns aired and answered by the people not at the top level of the hierarchy.

I was there early, June 10th; the rest of the International and General Counselor staff got in on something like the 17th/18th - but for the others, we had a hospitality tent, signs made; sodas offered all round.

With only two inbound Trailways buses into Warrensburg each day from Albany, there were times that we'd know large arrivals of folks would be in; so we were sure to make a big deal of it.

The first thing that often happened after that was the hospitality team would take people round on the back of the golf buggies we've got, to tour people around - meanwhile someone else from Maintenance would take their baggage to their initial bunk.

Midway through Week Zero, camp ran a long bus down to the local Walmart to pick up any last minute gear; stuff that doesn't fit in your average hiking bag in the interests of making baggage weight limits !!

I'm sure as returning staff we'll be told to be extra nice to the new comers, make particular effort to involve them rather than continuing with our groups from previous years - after all we'll have plenty of time to be nostalgic when we're in full swing of camp - in the meantime, the newcomers don't know anyone particularly and can just be plain scared ! :p

It's a welcoming community, and it all starts with a smile from the person picking us up from the Greyhound stop/Albany Airport/Fort Edwards Amtrak station.

[audur]

My first summer, I knew practically nothing when I arrived, all I knew about camps in general and Girl Scout camps in particular was information I'd gathered myself on the internet, and by talking to a couple of returning staff online before camp started. I was on a flight from London to San Francisco with three English girls, and some of them knew absolutely nothing about camp - they didn't know what the facilities were like, what they'd be doing, nothing. They got quite the shock when they found out we'd be living in open-air cabins all summer... I think camp could've dona a MUCH better job in informing us what things would be like when we arrived, cause it's so worrying not to know what to expect. Just a few pictures and a small "this is what your day will be like" thing would've been nice
We also had a pretty high return rate that summer, so as an international AND new staff I felt kind of out of the loop - there were only a few people who'd offer to explain, show us around camp etc. Also, I only got to camp the night before training started, so I sort of just got thrown into it... I can't really remember much of the stuff that happened those first few days, as I was still trying to figure out just what was going on.

This summer, though, there were very few returning staff... so things were a lot different. I also arrived a couple of days before staff training started, and so did a lot of other people (which was nice, we got to bond a little before the insanity of staff training kicked in). I think pretty much everyone got some sort of a tour when they got to camp, plus the director seemed to be checking in with everyone (which I never saw the old director do - I didn't even talk to her until a few days into staff training). For the people that arrived the day training started, some of us were in the units we were sleeping in to help them get situated and answer questions, before heading up to the dining hall for some food and talking.

So, I guess what I'd like to see, is getting more info out to staff before they actually arrive - it's really not a good feeling to be flying off to a place you've never even seen without any real info... and I also think it's SO important that the director/assistant director check in with all of the staff, just to make sure everything's okay, and to make it known that they are there, and available, if you need to talk.

[Flukie]

That's a good point Audur. I know we've definitely had staff that are under the impression every camp has cabins - when we have tents. Oops. I also thinking checking in is really important. It looks like I'm the direct supervisor for the UCs and ULs this year, so I think I'll definitely try to remember that during camp. A general day description also sounds great. Our director sends a nice letter out, but since most staff have e-mail, we could totally do this over e-mail get them some basic info in addition to her letter...

Keep the responses coming, this is sooo helpful!

[rockinsmiles]

Well most of the staff arrive the day training starts. The director actually checks us in so thats nice. We played lots of name games to begin with and then we had a history of the camp. Then afterwards we ate pizza and had a dance "lesson". During training we had what is called a "dress rehersal" which is basically a run through of a typical camp day. We also had a scavengar hunt to learn more about camp. I think it is helpful that our training lasts 2 weeks and that we have a good mix of both returning and new staff. Staff trickle in through out training so i think it is more important for them to feel included because bonds have already started. While some returning staff might feel closer it hasnt seemed to be a problem with excluding new staff. I also think it is important that returning staff dont act like that the new staff have no idea what they are doing. To answer the questions of the new staff but I feel that if i was new and the returning staff acted like i had never dealt with kids or people in general before or other things that it would make me feel not as included. I'm not sure what kind of information the internationals are sent but after reading the posts here it seems like it would be nice for there to be a bit more info about camp in our packets. However, our director did start sending out group emails months in advance along with staff email addresses. So that was nice...kind starting a community feeling :)

[who_stole_my_loofa]

We have A LOT of international staff so my directors go the countries where we hire from(or a rep from our camp) and they do on spot interviews at camp fairs. So everyone that interviews gets a chance to meet someone ahead of time. Once they are hired and given a position they get contact from the area leaders- like an email that's pretty much it. Most of the other pre staff training contact comes from the agencies like BUNAC and CCUSA and Camp America.

The internationals arrive a day before and it is explained to them that most everyone else are former campers or at least retuning staff. The get there day before to get to know eachother. Then when staff week starts the next day and the Americans arrive we do lots of getting to know you stuff and by the first few days of the real session everyone is pretty well meshed. We're pretty good about internationals.

Loofa

[camper]

before camp we send new people all of the same promo materials we send prospective campers' families so they know exactly what camp looks like.

we have our new staff (international and american) arrive the day before the returning staff does so they can get acclimated before the craziness starts. we give them a tour, let them meet the boys, get to know the groupheads, bond w/each other, and start to place some of them in bunks that day. we also explain to them that the next day there will be a lot of hugging and screaming w/the returners and they'll walk in like they own the place and might ignore the new people for a litle bit, but as long as they keep smiling and are friendly everyone will get to know each other fine. then we give them a good dinner and let them go to bed early.