Your Director's Best Camp Counselor Ever - First Class Counselors #52

Straight from the horse’s…er…camp director’s mouth!

It’s a special episode of First Class Counselors. Oliver and many of our Go Camp Pro Podcast hosts are at the Tri-State Camp Conference, so we thought we’d use that time to our advantage.

In this episode, you will hear camp pros from across North America share their answer to “why was the best camp counselor who ever worked for you, the best camp counselor?”

You’ll hear back to back testimonies in this episode and then on the next one, Oliver and Matt will take back the mic to unpack these responses and give you some more practical tips on how to be the next, best, First Class Counselor!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

  • Back next episode!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Ages and Stages - part 2 - ages 11 to 16 - First Class Counselors #51

The kings, queens and royalty of sass. These campers need a little bit of extra patience and love.

Last episode, we introduced the emotional, physical and mental triangle of care and how it informs how counselors work with 5-11 years old at camp.

This episode we push into the wild unknowns of puberty and teenagers and share how we can work with their unique place in social-emotional development. These campers are simultaneously in the peak formation of their morals and ideals as well as being in one of the most socially tumultuous times of their lives. It’s a tough time to be a kid and sometimes, a tougher time to be their counselor.

So how do you not only just make it through a week, but thrive through it, forge deep connections AND maybe even teach a future camp staff? That’s why we’re here today. So tune in, friends!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

Bonus Links

Thanks for checking out the show notes!

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Ages and Stages - part 1 - ages 5 to 11 - First Class Counselors #50

How to understand, play with and take care of the delightful wee ones at camp.

97.2% of camps in North America run an “ages and stages” session during their staff training.

Ok, we made that number up, but what ISN’T made up is the fact that it’s one of the most important things to learn before starting your summer. This will sound obvious but something that we - and counselors - can easily forget is that kids are different than teens.

When we’re removed from childhood, even by only a few years, we forget that the physical, mental and emotional abilities that we have a decent handle on are still totally in development for our campers.

This two-part series won’t replace a full-on ages & stages session at camp, but it will certainly give you a good working knowledge of not only what you can expect when working with the wee ones, but some insider tips on how to make it as fun and issue-free as possible.

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

  • Matt - Ontario Milk camp song

  • Oliver - Throw Clap

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Ace Your Next Camp Interview - Gabrielle Raill & Tiff Gratton-McDuffie - First Class Counselors #49

Do you ever wish you could get inside the head of the person interviewing you? Well wish no more!

It’s interview season for many camps! Around the world, camp counselors are preparing to share why they are the right fit for a camp position this summer. So, in the spirit of giving you an insider’s perspective, we have 3 camp directors on the panel who are hiring camp staff RIGHT NOW to tell you exactly what they’re looking for in a candidate.

Say hello to Gabrielle Raill (from Camp Code and CampHacker fame!) and Tiff Gratton-McDuffie (from the Day Camp Pod)! This episode is FULL of gold nuggets, so grab a pen and paper and tune in!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

  • Back next episode!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

The International Camp Counselor Experience - with Adam Heslop - First Class Counselors #48

Whether you’re an international staff member or welcoming an international staff to your camp this summer, this episode is for you!

Did you know that in a normal year, there are over 20,000 international camp staff members that come to North America to experience the summer camp phenomenon? No joke!

Adam Heslop, the Summer Camp Programs Staffing Placement Coordinator from IENA (International Exchange of North America), joins Matt and Oliver to share what it’s really like to prepare to be, and to be an international staff member?

How does Adam know? Because he started off as an international staffer himself! Tune in to hear his stories and the lessons that he has to pass on to new international staffers and the domestic staff that have the opportunity to meet them!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

Links From This Episode

  • From Adam:

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

  • Oliver: Space Team - Card Game & App

  • Matt: Merlin Bird ID App

  • Adam: Learn 5 riddles to have ready to bust out! - Here are Adam’s:

    • There are two identical doors in a room, one to heaven and the other to hell. In Front of each door are 2 Identical angels. One of them always tells the truth and the other one always lies. You can ask only one question to work out which door to go through. What one question would you ask?

    • I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?

    • This one is great on a hike
      What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?

    • I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest person can’t hold me for five minutes. What am I?

    • I have lakes with no water, mountains with no stone and cities with no buildings. What am I?

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Taking Campers On Trip 101 - First Class Counsellors #47

Tripping is in-tents! Here’s how to be a First Class Counselor on trip!

A big event for many camps is the Overnight, the camp out, the out trip. It has many names but is the night where your campers and you are out of the cabin and in some capacity under the stars. It varies by camp how it is done. But it is an important experience for all campers and we are going to make sure you make it a first class experience. 

In this episode we’re going to break down how to be prepared for a trip as a counsellor - that means how to both prepare for what you’ll personally need to consider, and the specifics of supervising kids in the wilderness and being an all-around First Class Counsellor on trip.

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Oliver: I’m a little piece of tin  song/game

Matt: - Marco Polo App - Connect with camp friends!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

P.R.A.C.tical Skills the Pandemic Has Taught Camp Counsellors - First Class Counsellors #46

The pandemic has taught us some important lessons…here’s how to apply that learning to camp (and how to talk about it in a job interview!)

Since the beginning of the pandemic, have you…

  • Had to wait in a super-long line?

  • Be hyper-aware of how risky a potential gathering might be?

  • Change plans on a moment’s notice?

  • Do something you’ve never done before to learn, gather or connect?

Of course, you have!

When it comes time to apply for your next camp job, you have two years worth of experience to reflect on and translate into the camp context. This episode, Oliver and Matt share the first 4 skills in the form of the acronym P.R.A.C.tical.

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: Paper Football - A great 1 on 1 time-killer game!

Oliver: Inshot Video Editor App - https://inshot.com/

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Injecting Intention and Magic Into the Camp Day - part 2 - First Class Counsellors #45

You’ve rested up from siesta, now how are you going to crush the rest of the camp day?

Missed part 1? Check it out here: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/intention-in-camp-day

This is part 2 of Oliver and Matt going through the Camp Winona schedule and talk about some of their favourite ways to make each moment special. Episode 1 will cover wake-up to rest hour.

Tune in!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: Egyptian War / Slap Down Card Game

Oliver: Collectable Aprons! It’s an apron for the kitchen, for arts and crafts, and in a pinch , a cape!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Injecting Intention and Magic Into the Camp Day - part 1 - First Class Counsellors #44

From the rising of the sun to rest hour - here’s how to absolutely rock a camp day.

Every day at camp is a new opportunity. An opportunity to connect, an opportunity to have fun, or an opportunity to change a camper’s life forever.

However, it can be a little daunting to consistently come up with something incredible with something fantastic for every single moment of the day. And, while we wouldn’t advise trying to fill every single moment, it’s never a bad idea to have your backpack full of ideas to make the most of every moment.

For the next two episodes, Oliver and Matt go through the Camp Winona schedule and talk about some of their favourite ways to make each moment special. Episode 1 will cover wake-up to rest hour.

Here we go!

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Show Links!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: Deer Ears & Owl Eyes

Oliver: A camp counsellor classic - a solid carabiner to hold your keys and a Tile to keep track of them!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

How to Make a Cabin a Home for Campers (and Yourself!) - First Class Counselors #43

Home is where the bunk is…at least it is at camp!

For nearly 8 weeks a small converted shed will be your place of residency. For many camps a cabin is a room with just bunks. Sometimes you are lucky to have walls and those with a bathroom could be considered pampered. But how do you make this temporary residence feel like home for you and for your campers?

For day camp counsellors you have the challenge of doing this but without the physical 4 walls. How can you take all of the personalization, the rituals and the leverage you get from using the physical space? It’s tough, but it’s totally possible. This episode will have something for everyone, so tune in and let’s figure out how to help your campers feel at home at camp.

On this episode you’ll hear:

  • The reality of cabin life for you and campers - how to not be de-feeted!

  • Creating an environment of belonging - right from the beginning

  • The look of a cabin that says “welcome home”

  • Creating “home” throughout the week

  • How to use tradition and ritual to help keep that feeling of home strong even when campers actually go home.

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Show Links!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: Daily gratitude journaling.

  • 5 things you’re grateful for, 3 things you’re proud of from the past 24 hours, 1 goal for the next 24 hours

Oliver: Tea! For any occasion. Seriously…Oliver’s been on a huge tea-kick lately!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Best Cabin Bonding Ideas - First Class Counselors #42

Camp friendships last a lifetime - here’s how to help your campers make them!

Counselors know how strong that camp friendships are. But do you remember way back when you were a camper? Do you remember your first camp friend? Chances are, your counselor had a big part in helping you forge that friendship.

So now, like all things at camp, it’s time to pay it forward!

In this episode, Oliver and Matt discuss their favourite ideas for helping a cabin form their most fantastic friendships ever.

On this episode you’ll hear:

  • Why is camp the perfect place for camp friendships to form?

  • How to start your week off with building friendships

  • How to keep the momentum going

  • Camp activities and times perfect for forging friendships

  • Ending the week with a band and sending them home with new friends for life!

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award - US - Canada

Oliver: Oliver’s best (and most gross) “touch of something scary” ideas

  • Marshmallows in water - Eyeballs

  • Hot dogs, carrots - Fingers

  • Wet tortilla - Skin 

  • Raisins with something sticking (honey or maple syrup) - Boogers

  • Sliced almonds - Finger nails’

  • Over cooked rice - Maggots

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

What To Do When There's Wild Weather - First Class Counselors #41

Rain or (extreme) shine, it’s First Class Counselor Time!

What a gift the rain is.

Many kids are growing up to learn that the moment it starts raining, that outdoor playtime is over.

At camp, we have the opportunity to flip the script, and through our example, teach campers to embrace the rain and either use it to have a great time or have a great time in spite of it!

Don’t get us wrong, it’s a bummer when you have a great program that you want to run and a thunderstorm or extreme heat day forces you to re-think it. However, if you’ve planned it right and use some of the tips from this episode, you’ll be able to pivot into the BEST RAIN PLAN EVER.

On this episode you’ll hear:

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What do you think of the Podcast? Any ideas? Let Matt know! - matt@gocamp.pro

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: Just like Mom - Your New Favourite Evening Program - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAkx6tnMZOc&ab_channel=Canada%27sGameShows

Oliver: Get dirty once a week. Go build a shelter in the woods, build a sandcastle at the beach, do a wacky exploding science experience. Make a mess. These tasks make us problem solve and keep our brains fresh plus teach us how to have fun and be used to getting dirty. Send me a picture through facebook.

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Top Tips for Recovering from and Reflecting on the Past Summer - First Class Counselors #40

Lots of learning from Season 3 of First Class Counselors! Here’s what will help you MOST for this coming summer!

Welcome back to another season of First Class Counselors!

We’re starting this season off where the summer of 2021 ended. For some camps, it started to feel a bit more normal, but for many, it was a hard one.

Camp counselors were truly on the front line of the pandemic this summer. After a year full of screens and small social bubbles, both the campers and their counselors faced the social and behavioural realities of life outside of the Zoom room.

With no mute button, no way to turn the camera off and having to wear non-sweatpants and PJs all day, it was, to say the least, tough.

So after a tough summer, how do you move forward? When you love camp, but it’s kicked the crap out of you, how do you even think about next summer?

Here’s the secret - you don’t. Recover, reflect then think about next year.

It would be easy to just wash the summer off of you like your perma-dirt Teva tan, but First Class Counselors never settle for the easy path.

This episode is all about reflection and recovery. Matt and Oliver will give you their top tips for how to intentionally move forward after a tough year.

On this episode you’ll hear:

  • Creating a reflection document of the summer to look back on later

  • Ideas for mental and physical decompressing

  • Problem-solving tactics for making 2022 your best summer yet

  • How to make sure you have gotten everything camp has to offer (that means a great reference from your director!)

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What do you think of the Podcast? Any ideas? Let Matt know! - matt@gocamp.pro

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Matt: Senses Walk & Nature ID Apps (Seek, Google Lens, Merlin, Picture Mushroom, Picture This, PlantNet)

Oliver - Some of Oliver’s favourite campfire slow jams (tune in and you’ll get to hear Oliver sing!)

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Lessons for This Summer from Season 3 - First Class Counselors #39

Lots of learning from Season 3 of First Class Counselors! Here’s what will help you MOST for this coming summer!

And what a season it’s been! We’ve covered everything from camp counsellor financial decisions to essential skills, with some good ol’ fashion camp games in between. We’ve welcomed sensational guests and even had our first-ever collaboration with another Podcast.

As we wrap up this season, we’ll talk about some of our favourite episodes and talk about some of the major takeaways and how they’ll apply to this coming summer.

Here are our picks for our favourite of Season 3!

Matt

Oliver

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Any ideas for Season 4? Let Matt know - matt@gocamp.pro

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Oliver - 3rd Person Introductions - “His name is Oliver, he enjoys ice cream, he thinks speaking in the third person makes him cool.”

Matt - Group Juggling - by Jim Cain

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Expectations for Camp Counselors In COVID Times - with Andy Pritikin - First Class Counselors #38

Here’s the inside scoop on what being a counselor is like at camp is going to be like during the COVID-19 pandemic

Today we’re speaking to counsellors who will be working at camp during a global pandemic. 

That’s right DURING! COVID isn’t over just because we’ve got a few million vaccines in arms and there are a lot of things that will be different about camp from any other year. So on this episode, we’re going to give you the inside scoop on what being a counsellor at a COVID-considerate camp is going to look like this summer. 

We’ll cover what the on-the-ground perspective is going to look like, what directors expectations are going to be, what to do if you’re feeling overwhelmed, and some things to ask before you start.

Oliver is away today, in full-on summer camp mode so we’ve recruited a pro for this topic - someone who has not only been at camp but RAN camp during a pandemic - well, the same pandemic back last summer.

Andy Pritikin is the director of Liberty Lake day camp in the Philly Suburbs and is also the host of the Day Camp Pod - a podcast for day camp professionals and budding day camp professionals. What better person to tell you what a director is going to expect than a director himself, so friends please say hello to the man, my friend, Andy Pritikin!

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What did you think of this episode? Any ideas for Season 4? Let matt know - matt@gocamp.pro

Bonus links from this episode:

Conversations Starters World - Awesome get to know you question site

The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni

First Class Counsellors Episode - Mental Health, Breaks and Self Care at Camp

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Andy - Keep a deck of cards on you at all times for rainy days - teach kids how to play basic games, even blackjack just for fun will keep them engaged for awhile

Matt - Get to know you activity - Name Dance Wave

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

8 Mistakes That Make Your Camp Director's Head Shake - First Class Counselors #37

Let’s pre-learn from our pre-mistakes. No, seriously.

We all make mistakes. It’s okay.

In fact, camp is built to make sure people can make mistakes to learn and grow from. As a community that fosters growth, it is like a petri dish of mistakes. And like Fleming discovering penicillin great things can come from mistakes. Some things however are just mistakes, we have seen or tried and failed ourselves. Here are the 8 simple mistakes we see counselors make that cause camp directors to shake their heads and go, “why!?”.

As Camp Directors, we don’t take mistakes personally, but we do take them seriously - in everything but something that is fireable, mistakes are opportunities to grow, learn and get better. The other thing about most of these mistakes is that they impact the community. Whether it’s the paperwork that has to be filled out, the camper parents that need to be called or the staff community that needs some healing, it’s a hard way to learn that camp is bigger than just one person. We’re all in this together, folks, so let’s head some of these mistakes off at the pass and get right to the growing.

What is a mistake that you’ve learned from? Please share!

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Oliver - Using behaviour-based questions to really get down to the bottom of why people are the way they are.

Matt - Learn some basic yoga and physio stretches. Specifically your ankles and hips. Your knees will thank you. - Check out Yoga with Adrienne

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Top Tips for Working with Kids in a Global Pandemic - First Class Counselors #36

A preview of the camper behaviour you’ll see this summer, from some firsthand experience.

This episode is for the first summer you are back to in-person programming after/during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt and Oliver are here to share their experiences hanging out with kids during the pandemic to give you the inside scoop on what you, as a camp counselor, can expect this summer. Its’ going to be different but we are here to tell you it will be ok.

Matt and Oliver speak from their perspective here so let’s talk about where they’re coming from.

  • Matt

    • Boys at an elementary school (kindergarten to grade 8)

    • His 4-year-old nephew

  • Oliver

    • I worked up in CT in a substitute location for virtual schools and an after-school program with kids in the 5th to 8th grade. 

    • Now I am running an overnight camp in Florida. We just hosted a mini-camp weekend with campers 6 to 17.

Do you have any “pro-tips” from your experience working with kids during the pandemic? Please share!

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Oliver - Take some time to learn about the nature around you. Especially if you move to a new area! You can use the Seek augmented reality app to help with this. Just point your phone’s camera a learn away!

Matt - Zoo-Keepers-Game - Listen to this episode to hear more!

(more great socially distant games from Asphalt Green)

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

The Avengers Playing Camp Games - with Substantiate- First Class Counselors #35

If The Avengers took part in Color Games…who would win?

We’re here to answer the big questions.

This episode, we team up with William Glasser and the Substantiate Podcast to take our teams of Avengers and put them to the test in some unique Color Games events.

Tune in to this episode to hear about some unique events you can add to your camp programs this summer.

Part one of this conversation - where we drafted and justified our teams - is over on the Substantiate feed, so check it out there or click the player below:

 
 

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Back Next Episode!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Supporting New Staff Members - First Class Counselors #34

Every year you come back to camp, it becomes less and less about yourself. Here’s how to support the newbies!

We have a 2 for 1 episode for you!

First up, we bring you an exclusive interview with one of the newest and youngest Executive directors of a YMCA camp in North America - exclusive for you! Tune in to hear about how he went from a counsellor just like you to reaching one of his biggest camp dreams out there.

As well, we have a real topic today and it's close to the heart for Oliver. How do you welcome new staff? Camps every year introduce new staff from all over, internationals, never been to camp domestics and first year counselors who were once CITs.

How do you as an experienced staff help them feel as welcomed, included and informed as possible.

It’s not just up to your directors to welcome new staff!

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

Games, songs, and other super-practical tips that you can use at camp next summer.

Matt: The 4 chord progression for most pop songs - Guitar - Em - C - G - D, Ukulele - Am - F - C - G

Oliver: The pinecone game! Help your facility staff while playing a game with campers!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

10 Ways to (Intentionally) Fill 5 Minutes - First Class Counselors #33

Every moment is precious at camp…even those 5 minutes before you go into a meal!

10 ways to spend 5 minutes with your campers. You need these as a counselor. The days are structured but there will forever be break times and they are vitally important to camper development that we take advantage of those moments. Let’s break down when to pop what activities at what times. Thus improving intentionality and awareness.

It’s not about filling those 5 minutes for the sake of filling 5 minutes either, it’s about engaging your campers intentionally. Even though we give you some games - it’s not just games that you can do in this extra time - think about what your group may need - and program accordingly.

E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

This episode was essentially 10 EGELs!

Listen in to hear them!

Host Links

What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!