Continuing Education for Experienced Camp Pros - CampHacker #114

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

Learn outside of camp, to lead at camp.

Following along with our last episode’s theme of learning, we wanted to bring this podcast episode to you at a time where you may be planning your professional development for the year. However, even if you aren’t, it’s never too early or late to start thinking about how to invest in your professional development.

Watch out though! It’s easy to get stuck in the camp body of knowledge when you’re trying to be better for your job and for your camp. It’s good to stay up to date with the latest in all things camp, but it’s important to think about reaching outside the industry as well. The best camp pros take inspiration from many places and if you’re Joe, Gab, and Travis, those places can get VERY cool!

Conferences or opportunities that the hosts talked about on this episode:

What do you consider professional development? Any wicked conferences to plug? Let us know in the comments!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis:  Superfans by Pat Flynn https://amzn.to/30aNepx

Gabz: DYI Standing Desk, or Top 5 Standing Desks

Joe: Photo Resize: http://www.rw-designer.com/picture-resize

Lessons Learned from Summer 2019 - CampHacker #113

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

We are always learning.

We’re back! After another wonderful summer of camp, Travis, Gab, Dan and Joe are here for Season 9 of the CampHacker Podcast.

To get things started, our hosts share the biggest lessons that they learned from their 2019 camp season. That’s right, even these camp pros with over 50 years of combined experience are still learning. The best pros in the industry are the ones that are hungry for growth and one of the best ways to grow are from the hard-earned lessons that camp has a way of teaching us year after year.

Tune in to this episode hear more about:

  • Joe’s inspiration to teach people to have hard conversations and his experience touring East Coast United Church camps in Canada

  • How Gab and her team filled in when they (temporarily) lost 3 of their 4 admin team

  • Dan’s summer highlighting LGTBQ+ inclusion in the YMCA community and transition into a new role within the YMCA.

  • Mental health in staff and campers in a new generation

  • Much, much more!

Podcast Survey

As well: We wanted to share our first ever listener survey. We want to get to know you, the listeners a little bit better! If you can spare 4 minutes, please fill out the survey.

To say thanks, if you fill out the survey before October 15th, 2019, you'll be entered to win One Personal access to CampMavericks.com, for free, for life.

Head to www.gocamp.pro/podsurvey.

Thanks, pros, for helping us be better!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis:  Franz app https://meetfranz.com/

Gabz: LunaFest SHORT FILMS BY, FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN

Joe: Internet Archive - Joe’s Library - Canadian Camping Magazine Archive: https://archive.org/details/@yoyojoer

Dan: Originals book by Adam Grant https://amzn.to/2O6HxTi

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

What Inspires You to Be a Better Camp Pro? - CampHacker #112

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

Tools, Podcasts, Books and Strategies for Sustainability as a Camp Pro

One of the best things about being a long time camp pro is that every year, we essentially find ourselves doing the same cycle over and over again. While this can be tiring, even exhausting, if we think about it another way, it’s also an incredible opportunity to get better and better without (too many) extremely large learning curves.

In your search for consistent improvement, the CampHacker crew wants to help! In this episode, Travis, Joe and Gab are joined by the wonderful Ruby Compton (Yes! THAT Ruby from Camp Code!). These four pros join forces to share their sources of inspiration that help them find the drive, motivation and sustainability to innovate their camp, and the entire industry year after year.

Below, is a list of most of what is covered from this episode. We included it for you, yes, you, who are awesome and read the show notes! Here you are, you awesome person, you!

Podcasts


Audio Books

Inner Camp Industry Inspirations

What do you do for fun?

  • Joe

    • Light big fires, make things go boom (Email Joe and ask about his potato cannons)

    • Go to the movies by yourself

    • Woodworking and art without a specific direction in mind

  • Ruby

    • Getting outside

    • Geocaching (App or App-less!)

    • Take yourself on a date

    • DIY Youtube projects

  • Travis

    • Drawing portraits and things that challenge him artistically

    • Woodworking, building and Youtube DIY videos

    • Travel to broaden your perspective

  • Gab

    • Watercolour painting

    • Museum trips

    • Listening to yourself to figure out what you “feel” like doing

Assorted Thoughts:

  • Looking at how libraries are reinventing themselves to “get with the times”

  • Starting with a morning reading ritual

  • Take a vacation. No seriously. No phone, no email, take the time to take the time.

    • Remember that you are not your job and camp is not you. You need freedom to develop yourself properly.

  • Magazine (or podcast) subscriptions (see above), not just summer camp, and not just non-fiction related material.

  • Using the idea that “We need to be better” and looking at how other non-camp people are changing the world and using their developments

  • Be brave and make waves in the industry. People might not always like you, or your ideas, but that’s okay.

  • Inspirational Instagram Feeds - Representation Matters, Because Of Them, etc.

  • Deep thinking on your own without the internet to help.

What tools and mindsets do you use to help yourself be a better camp pro? Let us know in the comments!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis: Wyze Cam

Gabz: The Noun Project

Joe: Time Timer

Ruby: Yoga Chimes

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Focusing on First Year Families - CampHacker #111

Camper today, camper tomorrow, camper for life.

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher

This is the time of year (January, for those tuning in later) where we are really starting to think about bums in bunks. Your registrations are starting to roll in and your dedicated, long-time camp families have picked their sessions and things are looking good.

Take a second and think about those returning families. They weren’t always returners. At some time down the road, that family made a decision to choose your camp. Now, fast forward 5 or 10 years and that family has given you thousands of dollars and you have a camper or now even a staff member for life.

So how do you get those future-long-time-families to make that initial leap?

Well, if you’re reading this, you’ve either thought of listening to this episode, or are currently listening to it…in both cases, you’re super smart. The gang (Travis, Gabz, Dan & Joe) is all here, joined by friend of the show, Jalisa Danhof from Camp Newaygo to help you get those first-year bums in bunks.

We say this a lot, but this is definitely a show you’re going to want to take some notes for, because these tips are going to give you the keys to ROCKING first year registrations this summer!

What are you going to do this summer to level-up your new camper registrations this summer? Please let us know in the comments below!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis:  Show Up Hard - by Shannon Weber

Dan: Meeting Notebook

Gabz: Decide Now App - Apple Store | Google Play

Joe: Philosophy: Buy The Best You Can Afford, Tested Gear & Tools TheWirecutter.com

Jalisa: Car Jump Starter - ANNKOO Quick Charger

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)