5 Things I learned During my First Summers as Camp Director

 This upcoming summer will be my third summer as a camp director and 8th summer working at camp! Time sure does fly by fast! When reflecting on my first two summers, I found that I learned a LOT! Here are my top five things that I learned during my first summers as a camp director:

1. Staff will not tell you when there are issues

I went into my first summer with the mindset that if a staff member did not bring an issue to my attention, everything was fine. I quickly found out that this was definitely the wrong approach. As it turns out, many staff members prefer not to tell you they are struggling until the end of camp. While this might seem frustrating (trust me, it was), I realized that the error was mine. I failed to check in with staff when they needed someone to check in with them. Since incorporating weekly check-ins problems are addressed and handled with ease (most of the time). Next summer, I am planning to have 1-on-1 meetings with everyone on my admin team in an effort to close the communication gap. 

2. Job descriptions are important 

This might seem like a "well duh" statement. Unfortunately, I decided to skimp when it came to creating and going over job descriptions. I simply used the job descriptions that were already in place. Big mistake! As it turns out, a lot has changed in the last 15 years. While I presented every staff with a job description, I did not put enough emphasis on actually reading the job descriptions. Another big mistake! I now require all staff to read and sign their updated job description and even created a PowerPoint that pulls certain parts from the description to ensure they understand what they need to do on the job. 

3. Don't skimp on staff training

Staff training is the last place to skimp. My first summer, I went in with a lot of assumptions about what my staff should know. It turns out, most of my assumptions were wrong. I first realized this during the 5th week of summer when over half of the returning staff did not know how to start a campfire or comfort a homesick camper. Let's just say that we had a few rough weeks and sleepless nights. I now do a pre-camp survey of skills so that I can really focus on the needs of my staff during training. I also added a lot of "simple skills" to the training schedule. For the staff that already know what they are doing it is a great opportunity for them to step up into a leadership position. I've also incorporated pre-camp trainings that include job description basics and a day in the life and camp. 

4. Feed your camp staff good food

I will be the first to admit that I am not a great cook. Unfortunately, being a cook sometimes is a part of the job when it comes to being a camp director. My kitchen staff often don't start until our campers come. This means that I am responsible for planning and creating meals during staff training. Let's just say two weeks of wraps and sandwiches gains little appreciation. My plan for next summer is to allow my staff to be more involved in the meal plan process and learn some great crock-pot recipes! I will also be assigning staff the responsibility of cooking meals on set days. When staff are not fed well, it tends to lead to excessive crankiness and a lack of learning. 

5. Hiring.

Let's just say that I have learned a lot about the hiring process. Finding great staff is crucial to a great summer and sometimes it just takes one bad apple to destroy the rest of the team. I'm thankful that I have been able to find plenty of staff each summer and have a good group of returning staff. I'll be posting some hiring tips in my next blog, so be sure to check back soon.