Camp Relationships - First Class Counsellors #4

Camp Relationships - When being “just friends” may be “just easier”…or not.

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Welcome to episode 4 of First Class Counsellors!

We’d like to think that you know First Class Counsellors by now. You know that this is a Podcast by young Camp Pros for even younger Camp Pros. Camp Directors, you know that these podcasts are meant for you to train your staff on the little things; the bits of common knowledge that you don’t have time to stuff into staff training, but wish you could.

If you don’t know us and we’re just navel-gazing here, then HEY! You can find our first episode and more about why we’re on the CampHacker feed here.

On the fourth episode of First Class Counsellors, Oliver and Matt are joined by Phoebe Jones from Camp Ten Oaks to talk all about Campships, or Relationships at camp. Phoebe, Matt and Oliver unpack the good, the bad, the policies and the just good ol’ friendly side of relationships at camp. This episode is for all staff, including those who are in a camp relationship, single and thinking about a camp crush right now, or simply want to make platonic, friends with their co-workers and campers this summer.

Tune in to this episode to hear more about:

  • What are some policies from around the camp world surrounding staff romantic relationships?

  • What to say to campers when they ask about staff relationships in and out of camp

  • What are some things to think about when campers are interested in romantic relationships with each other? What do you do if they act on those interests?

  • Does any of this change when it comes to LGTBQ+ staff/campers?

  • How to stay out of the DRAMA that can sometimes surround relationships at camp?

  • If you’re not interested in a romantic relationship at camp, what can you do to create friendships with your fellow counsellors?

  • How can you build appropriate yet fun friendships with campers that still respects the boundaries that need to be in place.

And as we say off the top of this episode. No matter what we say…ahem…

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FOLLOW YOUR STAFF POLICIES!

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As usual, we hope that what we offer to your staff is incredibly useful. If you do send this along, we would be happy to hear about it. Please let us know by emailing Matt at matt@gocamp.pro

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Get Ready - Counsellors, do this NOW to level up your counselling skills

  • Oliver: Get a collapsable laundry hamper to keep organized when you’re out and around camp. Kids can put their things in it at a program areas and it creates a hub for campers to gather at. Seriously Oliver, this one is GENIUS!

  • Matt: From your director: Please Please PLEASE get your paperwork in. You have no idea how helpful it is to not have to dog you for it.

  • Phoebe: Go out and get a shoe organizer for the door or for your bunk and use it to organize campers things, especially toiletries! SO SMART!

Host Links

What is First Class Counsellors?

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

Each week, we will hear from young camp directors and leaders to draw out practical and accessible tips that will level up their counsellor skills.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger, Camp Director at Pearce Williams Summer Camp 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!

First Time Leaders - First Class Counsellors #3

Supervising someone for the first time at camp? This one’s for you!

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Welcome to episode 3 of First Class Counsellors! If you’re new to First Class Counsellors, and wondering why it’s in your CampHacker feed, welcome! We’re trying this mini-series out this Spring and mixing it in with your usual CampHacker goodness. You can find our first episode and more about why we’re on the CampHacker feed here.

On our third episode, we are joined by Grace Tierney from YMCA Camp Mason to give your new senior staff some practical tips for how to lead effectively and gracefully this summer. Oliver, Matt and Grace share their stories of stepping up into leadership roles for the first time and some of the practical tips that they picked up along the way.

In this episode, we cover:

  • What a first foray into supervising can look like

  • How staff can work to achieve a supervising role that they are interested in

  • What first time supervisors should start thinking about as soon as they are hired

  • Some practical advice for someone who is going to be supervising for the first time

  • How camp is going to change for you as you move forward in leadership positions.

As usual, we hope that what we offer to your staff is incredibly useful. If you do send this along, we would be happy to hear that. Please let us know by emailing Matt at matt@gocamp.pro

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Get Ready - Counsellors, do this NOW to level up your counselling skills

  • Oliver: Read story books and books about how to tell stories to help capture both kids and staff’s attention.

  • Matt: Start writing your transition report, meet the last person who did your job and get some initial brainstorming on the go NOW!

  • Grace: Keep listening and reading and being inspired by camp related material. If you’re reading and listening to this, you’re on the right track!

Host Links

What is First Class Counsellors?

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

Each week, we will hear from young camp directors and leaders to draw out practical and accessible tips that will level up their counsellor skills.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger, Camp Director at Pearce Williams Summer Camp 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!

Camp Skills for Generation Z - First Class Counsellors #2

Welcome back to First Class Counsellors!

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If this is your first time seeing First Class Counsellors in your CampHacker feed, welcome! You can find our first episode and more about why we’re on the CampHacker feed here.

On our second episode, we are joined by Isabelle “Zukes” Paradis to discuss how we can best serve our Generation Z staff and campers. Oliver, Matt and Isabelle cover a ton of practical, ready-to-implement ideas that camp counsellors can use to benefit this exciting generation of campers and camp staff.

In this short, episode, we cover

  • How to capture and retain campers with short attention spans when explaining things at camp

  • What you can do when campers and staff are open to sharing about their mental health

  • 3 ways to give campers and staff the face-to-face connection that Gen Z craves

  • Easy ways to help our campers and staff begin to take on independence and take healthy risks

  • Embracing Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit and giving them autonomy over their camp experience.

As usual, what we’re getting at here is fast, furious, and it’s incredibly useful for your counselling staff.

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Get Ready - Counsellors, do this NOW to level up your counselling skills

  • Oliver: Call a friend who has no connection to camp. Talk to them about what working at camp is really like. Share your ideas, share your stories so they can really understand something this important in your life.

  • Matt & Isabelle (It’s like they work together!): Buy yourself GOOD camp gear. A GOOD raincoat (not a poncho), a GOOD headlamp (almost any headlamp with good reviews on amazon), a GOOD pair of sandals (Matt’s go to’s are Chacos) and a GOOD water bottle (something that will last and where the mouthpiece won’t get dirty) and a GOOD waterproof watch.

Host Links

What is First Class Counsellors?

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

Each week, we will hear from young camp directors and leaders to draw out practical and accessible tips that will level up their counsellor skills.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger - Camp Director at Pearce Williams Summer Camp are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors, 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 and email! Thank you!