Camp Code - Leadership & Staff Training Podcast for Camp Directors

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Gabz, Beth, and Ruby have spent the last several months working with Colette and Kim from ACA Illinois to put together the first annual Women in Camp Summit . Patti Sampson of Patchwork Marketplace teamed up with the Camp Code co-hosts to do a crossover episode of the podcast to talk about this exciting event. Check out the Rec Heads and Camp Nerds...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Many camps have some portion of their staff comprised of volunteers. Be it your nurse for the week who is also a camper parent and trading their work for their child's camp tuition or a community member who simply loves to give back to camp, it is important that these folks get trained too. If your camp is staffed entirely by volunteers, a comp...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Every camp director has had that staff member who needs to move on from camp but having the conversation can be difficult. Tune in to hear Beth, Gabz, and Ruby share their best tips for having those conversations now and how to build this idea of "growing elsewhere" into your camp culture so anyone in your community understands that it may...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Video continues to be a powerful resource in this day and age. Beth, Gab, and Ruby discuss 12 more of their favorites that can be incorporated into staff training this year. Gabz Videos Misunderstandings Knowing our limits Visual Note Taking This Grandma Is Trying To Use Google Home Beth’s Videos Raising Successful Kids Transgender Kids Failure is t...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Teaching campers and staff about consent in a vitally important way Though recent headlines have brought this concept to the forefront, this has been a conversation that has been ongoing. This is not a fad conversation and right now, there is an opportunity for youthe development professionals to dive deep and make influence real change in the world...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Meal times offer opportunities for connections and teaching and every second of staff training is valuable. Every person has to eat. Can these three truths come together and help relieve the time pressure so many of us feel during staff orientation? Consider how much of your summer is spent collective in mealtime so if you aren't already treati...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! It can be tricky to strike a balance between sharing with staff why certain topics they learn during staff training are important with the time invested in practicing the skills they are taught. Join Beth, Gab, and Ruby for a discussion about how to get just the right mix of thinking and discussion and hands-on activities for your training this year...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! When things go wrong, we tend to analyze and question what could have been done differently and how to prevent these scenarios from playing out again. Sometimes, we have really fantastic summers when everything pretty much goes as, or better than, planned. These summers are worth reviewing as well to be sure to capture what is worth repeating, what...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! If your camp runs programming with staff that are off-site for most of the season, this podcast is for you! Beth and Ruby discuss best practices for carrying on camp traditions, setting these staffers up for success, and providing support and training even if you are on different sides of the continent.            

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! In a world where exclusion can quickly become a theme, camp professionals are remarkably good at creating a safe space where campers and staff can feel empowered to find themselves and be themselves. I think we can all agree that the world would be a different place if every child went to camp and learned how to co-exist with the community around th...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Whether you are new director at an established camp or are simply training staff in program areas that aren't in your repertoire, sometimes we have to train staff who know more about some subject areas than we do. Joining the Camp Code hosts today is Chantal "Match" Jackson to share some ideas for how to create an engaging training ev...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Thought you had heard all that the Camp Code hosts have to offer? No way! There's always new ideas flowing out of this podcast! Check out this week's episode to hear twelve brilliant brand new ideas for staff training that you can plug into staff training this year in this quickfire style episode. Best Practice for Leadership Training Enco...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! While we spend a lot of time planning staff training for our summer staff, it is not uncommon to expect new year-round directors to jump in without providing them the tools for success. Beth, Gab, and Ruby are joined by special guest, Travis Allison for this special episode of Camp Code. Best Practice for Leadership Training As a new director, build...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! If you work in camp long enough, you will either watch a long-time staff member (director, year-round staff member, long-time seasonal staff member) leave or you, yourself, will opt for something different from #campdirectorlife. While camp directors tend to be the types to be inclined to keep this kind of news on the extreme DL, it is imperative to...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Puzzled by why you can't seem to find the right staff each summer? Perhaps it is because of the wording, structure, and requirements of your staff application. Gab, Beth, and Ruby discuss the must-dos (and a few must-don'ts) to help you start your staff training before your people are even hired. Best Practice for Leadership Training Is th...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! As camp people, we sometimes find ourselves looking around thinking "Universe, what else could you possible throw at me?" and sometimes that all happens before 9 AM. Some summers are just like that and often it is due to circumstances totally out of your control. This episode will talk about how to heal and recover from the "perfect s...

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Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Season 3 of Camp Code wraps up with THE checklist to ensure you are ready for staff training this summer. Invest some time in to making sure all of these things are done to ensure a smooth training and thus a smooth summer for all. Best Practice for Leadership Training This week's tip comes from Skyline Camp and Retreat Center's Director M...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! "Coming back for your second, or third, or 85th season at camp can be a glorious thing. You understand the weird rituals and chanting that seem to spontaneously erupt throughout the day and when somebody whispers Color War, you understand exactly what is about to happen. But man, training is such a drag because it is all the same stuff all over...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Ah...the birds and the bees and the smell of horomones at camp in the summertime. Whether in a single gender or co-ed environment, the reality of it is people fall in love at camp. And some people think they fall in love at camp. And it makes sense as folks are living and working closely together and acting genuinely and passionately day in and day...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! By talking about what it looks like to get fired from camp, you may find that your staff make better decisions, which, in turn, actually reduces the likelihood of you having to fire staff as often. Gab, Beth, and Ruby discuss how they train their staff about the termination process, what worked and what didn't, and some best practices for letti...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Your summer staff are trained on your mission and are bought in to the why of camp. Who better than your staff to help you market camp than those who really know it inside and out? Tune in to today's podcast to learn how to teach your staff some basic sales strategies that will impact your bottom line. Best Practice For Leadership Training: Tra...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! When hiring seasonal staff, directors look for applicants that are trainable. However, you inherit your boss/board/Executive Director/CEO when you accept a position. Ever wish you could conduct staff training specifically for your higher ups so they will do things the way you want to do them? In this episode, learn what it takes to get those above o...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Episode #28 we talked about when the literal stuff hits the fan. This episode addresses some of those worst case scenario moments and how camp directors can best recover and move forward with their staff members. From the tough conversations to doing what is right for camp to some of our worst nightmares as directors, Beth, Gab, and Ruby share some...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Hooray! The off-season is upon us! The campers have gone home and your staff are returning to their mundane lives. It is critical for directors to understand that there is a certain "detox" period from camp every year. Everybody experiences this re-programming a little differently and the Camp Code team shares some of the tips as well as t...