New..... CAMP!

[prettysocks]

So.. My friend and I have this passionate desire to eventually open our own residential summer camp.

Anyone have any advice/articles/hints/tips/praise/warnings... anything.... ANYTHING atall.. ?

Thanks guys!
Bri:D

[camper]

you better either already be rich or win the lottery, and be pretty knowledgeable about insurance...lol

[speedx5xracer]

graduating uni w. a degree in the social sciences, out door rec/ed or business is alway a good start too

[CAMPFRIEND]

What type of camp are you going to try to open? And where would you like the location?

[prettysocks]

What type of camp are you going to try to open? And where would you like the location?

A camp combining abled and disabled kids, girls and boys, cabins (not tents), sports and games (with adaptations for wheelchairs/crutches/walkers, but still 100% fun for able bodied kids).... And somewhere in Ontario, Canada. I live in London, and she currently lives in Waterloo, but.. ya know, let's not be picky here.

P.S. If Saintly15 answers any of these questions, she's cool. She's the friend that's the other dreamer on this idea.

Keep the ideas comin' guys!

[Saintly15]

Well, I'll be having a degree in social development studies.. (hmm.. combination of soc/psych/social work) and possibly a diploma in therapeutic rec, so thats a start. I have..let me think..5 years camp staff experience, and at least 10 years camper experience.. Prettysocks has a lot too.. lol shes more the dreamer, i'm more the realist- im concerned with money and finding land and.. oh yeah, finishing school :D

[prettysocks]

shes more the dreamer, i'm more the realist- im concerned with money and finding land and.. oh yeah, finishing school :D

Hey! You take that back! :speechles

Who was looking up how to become an OCA member? That was me. Eat me shorts.

[runrachrunn]

Well, I'll be having a degree in social development studies.. (hmm.. combination of soc/psych/social work) and possibly a diploma in therapeutic rec, so thats a start. I have..let me think..5 years camp staff experience, and at least 10 years camper experience.. Prettysocks has a lot too.. lol shes more the dreamer, i'm more the realist- im concerned with money and finding land and.. oh yeah, finishing school :D

Saintly, Are you in SDS at UW? I was in the program last year, and left to come back to Toronto! PM me, or drop me an MSN msg. I'd love to talk to you about camp, UW, whatever!

[CAMPFRIEND]

Good luck to the both of you. I think that you better start saving now or finder a backer with a lot of money. Good luck to you!

[prettysocks]

Has anyone STARTED UP their own camp, or been apart of that on an administration level?

[who_stole_my_loofa]

ive never started my own camp or really thought about it but youll have to build up a reputation with a lot of people in order to start your own camp- youll also need sponcers unless you've got a buttload of your own money. The best place to start is probably to work as a director or an assistant director for several years and then go from there.

[CAMPFRIEND]

I would like to start my own camp as well some day. I have learned a lot moving up in the ranks and doing as many different camp jobs as I can. I also have to say I think that you sould try that track as well. I know that I will need a lot of money someday to make my dream happen!

[melon4382]

I'd also love to open my own camp one day or at least work at camp full time. I think it's important to have enough money to opena camp. Then, you have to decide on facilities, activities, camper ages, etc. My advice-Have a plan, have money, make it happen. Good luck!!

[CSLProgramDirector]

I have actually never started my own camp. I do have a degree in Outdoor Recreation and Camp Management. The best suggestion you will get is to become a member of the American Camp Association. or ACA as people refer to it now. It has unlimited resources, books, articles, other camps, that will help anyone start the exciting process of opening their own camp.

Cheers.

[prettysocks]

I have actually never started my own camp. I do have a degree in Outdoor Recreation and Camp Management. The best suggestion you will get is to become a member of the American Camp Association. or ACA as people refer to it now. It has unlimited resources, books, articles, other camps, that will help anyone start the exciting process of opening their own camp.

Cheers.

It would be OCA, or Ontario Camping Association, in my case. ;)

AND TO EVERYONE:
Thanks for your help.. I've changed plans a bit, but I'm still planning on running a camp (won't be owned by me - but I'll still have all planning control) in.. the summer of 2007 or 2008. I've taken on a volunteer position planning 2 day camps per year (but since I'm the planner, again, I have control, so I can change the length or number of camps if I want). And the summer job isn't at the camp I'm working at this summer, so that would mean *sniff* not going back after this year.
BUT THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP AND ADVICE! :D

[speedx5xracer]

let me get this right... your 18 and your planing on running a camp in the next 2 years... ambitious but no offense i think it will be very hard to pull off.

[prettysocks]

let me get this right... your 18 and your planing on running a camp in the next 2 years... ambitious but no offense i think it will be very hard to pull off.

Not. owning. That's key. Just. running. It's volunteer with a large bursary. But thank you for having so much faith in a stranger.

[speedx5xracer]

its not that i dont think you can do it.... its just that ive never heard of a camp hiring some one under 25 to run it. all the camps ive ever delt with require college degree to run them.

[collissimon]

I think networking is really important: me and a friend set up a youth group for young asylum seekers, and the best piece of advice someone gave us was not to contact the nearest person in an organisation, but work out who the key people are: those who can get things done, who have lots of contacts with other organisations, who can spread the word.

If a couple of years is too ambitious, do as campfriend has done, and do every job at camp you can. Also boost your CV by doing volunteer work, it could put you above possible opposition.

It might be also useful to talk to camper, or her mum, to see how her mum got into it...

[prettysocks]

Wow.. you guys really have no faith... which is quite unfair considering you don't know me. I volunteer with Girl Guides (OH OH MY NETWORK), and I'm quite known within Girl Guides as I've been in it as long as I've been able to - 14 years. My Guide camp has been going downhill, and it's not so much HIRING, as VOLUNTEERING MYSELF. The current council would of course think twice about letting some incompetant know-nothing chick do the job, but they didn't even bat an eyelash.

And furthur, I already have the job that would let me run a summer camp - it's just up to me to get it there. The person who was in my position before me, ran 2, 1-day daycamps a year. It's up to me to change that in any way I want. I can make 7 day camps if I want. I can run a summer camp if I want. I can sit at camp on my own and build a new ropes course (oh yeah, I'm doing that, too - and before you tell me I'm too ambitious - it's already been okay'd).

Just to FILL YOU ALL IN. Since you seem to think this is all still in the dream form. It's not; I have the job. Now you can tell anyone who asks, that you DON'T need post-secondary education to run a camp, and you can be a teenager (I'm 18). Have a lovely day, guys.

Sorry this turned so dramatic and negative.

[runrachrunn]

Pretty socks, I would definetly advise you to get in touch with the OCA (i can give you contact names and numbers if you want). I have worked on a couple of committees, mainly planning conferences, but the OCA is definetly a great way to talk to people and gain the upper hand on conquering the world of camping.

I don't know if they have an OCA branch in W. ontario - the one I worked out of was in Toronto.

PM me if you want more info

[prettysocks]

PEOPLE MUST READ BEFORE SPEAKING.

prettysocks IS NOT LOOKING TO OWN A CAMP anymore. prettysocks will be running a camp ALREADY OWNED BY GIRL GUIDES OF CANADA. My job consists of PLANNING, HIRING, REGISTRATION, and 'OVERALL'. There is other people who do finance, legalities, etc. Those people are Girl Guides Of Canada.

I'll say it again, I AM NOT THE OWNER OF THIS CAMP, NOR WILL I EVER BE.

If you don't understand it yet.. just.... don't... say anything..

[runrachrunn]

First of all, I don't think it makes any difference as to whether you choose to run a camp or own a camp.

I did read what you wrote before I posted. If you don't want support or help, that's perfectly fine.

[collissimon]

prettysocks,

I think you need to read what you write before you reply to other people. When you started this thread, you asked for advice/articles/hints/tips/praise/warnings... anything.... ANYTHING atall.. ? , which is what people have given you. We don't know your personal circumstances, how experienced or inexperienced you are, but we write a reply that we hope will be helpful to you. If it is not helpful, then that is unfortunate, but the responses you have given are unreasonable.

[Sparkes]

I don't think anyone was trying to hurt your feelings - they were just offering their experiences and what they have seen over the years. I'm sure we all believe you can do anything you put your mind to, with dedication and positivity being key elements to success.

[camper]

whoaaa don't know how i missed this one...but anyway...i'm 18 and there is absolutely NO WAY i would be able to run my camp in 2 years. but that's besides the point. all camps are different and some probably have director jobs for people under 25. we're the same age prettysocks, and that's AWESOME that you are going to run a camp when you're 20. you obviously have experience in the organization that your camp is involved in and they think that you'll be good for the job.

make sure you surround yourself with people who have experience running a camp though. it's a LOT harder than you think it is...will you be in charge of speaking to parents about their children? you should definitely take some classes or shadow a current camp director in order to get experience there.

and by the way, my mom got into her job as head counselor (which is pretty much equal to director at my camp, she runs the camp w/the owners but doesn't own it) by going through the ranks at camp for over 30 years. and some things still throw her for a loop.

all i can say is be prepared and know what you're getting yourself into!

[who_stole_my_loofa]

after the way you've acted on this board, i would not want to work for you...

[Sparkes]

Lets not get bitchy and mean now on either account. I can see this snowballing and a talk camp war being raged! Prettysocks, you asked for advice, you got it, and everyone else you offered advice, it was accepted/rejected. Lets leave it all alone now, unless there is more advice lurking out there that could potientally help others considering camp ownership as a possible career down the road as well.

Breathe people, breathe.

[Dave]

Thread closed.

Per request, I'm closing this thread. Seems things are getting a bit out of hand here.