Build Your Ideal Camp Culture With Effective Staff Training

Recently on the SPARC Effect podcast, host Travis Walker invited SPARC Senior Advisor Bob Rojee and Charlotte Latin School’s Laura Walker to discuss how they leverage staff training to create their ideal camp culture.

The Main Takeaway

Investing time and energy in staff training pays off in building a team of counselors who are prepared, confident, and empowered to create an exceptional experience for campers.

Why You Should Actively Shape Camp Culture

It’s important to be intentional about what culture you want your campers to experience. “Building culture is about training a group of people to work toward a common goal,” Rojee says. “We need to help foster the culture we want. Set a vision of what you want your summer to feel like and work toward that.” Being inclusive, fun, and supportive not only sets the tone, but it also improves retention rates, creating camp counselors who are excited to return the next summer.

Investing time in training shapes the staff’s mindset for the summer. Walker says that training is five full days at Charlotte Latin and follows the basic camp schedule to acclimate them to work hours. “If you don’t put the work in with staff training,” she said, “they won’t put the work in with the kids.” 

Fundamentals of Training

A staff member's attitude toward showing up for training can be a bellwether for their attitude once the real work begins. “One of the most important things in training is showing up on time,” Walker says. “If they can’t show up on time for training, that’s a signal that there will be problems down the road.”

Rojee and Walker both discuss training the staff on compliance issues, policies and procedures, and safety protocols right up front. They stress the importance of counselors knowing whom to ask if they have a question, a safety issue, a problem with wifi, or anything that might come up.

Team-building starts on day one. “When they first come in there’s all this uncomfortable awkwardness,” said Rojee. “Then 90 minutes later, after some high-energy activities that build camaraderie, you see this connection.” Once the staff begin to act as a team, you have to coach, guide, lead, and support them; in other words, model for your staff what you want them to do.

If you want the trainees to get join kids in activities and teach them how to have fun, you need to “get in the trenches with them,” says Walker. She advises getting “sweaty and dirty playing with them” so they learn how to do the same with campers.

Tips for Building and Sustaining Morale

The staff need to feel invested in the camp experience. Walker calls this making sure they have a “buy-in:” they should feel they have a voice and that they are heard. This is especially important if morale drops. If they know that what they feel and say matters, it’s easier to bring the team back together and re-focus them on their common goals.

Rojee suggests having each staff member write a letter stating want to accomplish during training. When training ends, review the letter with them to see if they met their own goals, which areas they excelled in and where they could use more guidance.

Walker has her staff make mailboxes and leave encouraging notes for each other, even for small things. Only complements are allowed, no negativity. This empowers them to help build morale and camaraderie. “Reward those who go the extra mile,” she adds, “even if it’s just verbally. This encourages the other staffers to come up to the mark.”

Final Advice

• Attend SPARC Spring Training in April (free for members, $150 for non-members).
•  Remember that attitude reflects leadership.
• “Jump in the puddle” with your staff so they can do the same with campers.
• Commit to doing what is necessary to succeed. Get good people, do great training.