Setting Expectations with your Summer Camp Staff - with Ruby Compton - CampHacker #124

If you don’t make your expectations clear, it’s your fault when people don’t meet them.

Harsh, right? Well, it’s true!

As Camp Directors, one of the biggest disservices that we can do to our staff is to be unclear about our expectations of them. From the application to the exit interview, we need to be clear not only about our expectations but also about what they can expect from the job.

This isn’t to say that you need to lay out every single expectation for every single program at camp. That would be obnoxious and would stifle creativity. The expectations that you should give to staff are the higher-level ones like the quality of work you expect, the work culture, timeliness, communication and other important policies.

Being clear about your expectations is the best way for staff to know instantly where they stand in terms of their performance. If your expectations are clear enough, your staff evaluations become less focused on telling them where they did or didn’t meet expectations, but why they did or didn’t meet them.

Lastly. We need to remember that we are hiring kids and youth to work with us. This may be their first time experiencing the work-force. Let’s all do our best to treat them with respect and grace. You can set and communicate your high expectations without being a jerk.

To help you firmly, yet caringly communicate expectations this summer, Travis, Joe and Dan are joined by Camp Code Co-Host, Ruby Compton! Ruby’s many years in and around the camp industry have given her a unique perspective on how to, and how not to be a great expectation setter.

Tune in to this episode to hear more about:

  • Setting the standard of clear expectations throughout the hiring process

  • How to clearly communicate your expectations to staff

  • Why we, as an industry can be better expectation setters

  • How to support staff when they are not meeting expectations

What is something that you do to clearly communicate your expectations? Tell us about it in the comments!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis: Brené Brown on the Tim Ferriss podcast: Striving versus Self-Acceptance, Saving Marriages, and More 

Joe: Open Source Ecology - Free Plans for creating things for a comfortable society - machines, printers, etc. - Summer Program 2020 - https://www.opensourceecology.org/summer-x-2020/  BONUS - KEEN Pro Program: https://www.keenfootwear.com/en-ca/pro, US link: keenfootwear.com/pro

Ruby: PeakVisor app

Dan: The Coffee Bean - Jon Gordon

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Other Sources of Income - with Jalisa Danhof - CampHacker #123

More money, more mission, but also…more problems?

You’ve heard Travis say this time and time again.

“Money moves the mission”.

In this day and age, if you want to run a successful year-round camp business with multiple full-time staff, all while keeping camper fees reasonable, you likely need some financial support! Donations and grants are incredibly helpful, but if you can tap into a market that works for your local community or potential clients, it can be a great way to supplement your income and use that money to help improve your summer program.

That being said, the way you go about diversifying your income is WAY more complex than simply saying, “alright, we’re doing weddings!”. Without carefully assessing your facility, budget and staffing and local laws, you may be committing to a program that either doesn’t fit your mission or worse, ends up costing more resources than it brings in.

While there are a ton of great ideas out there, wouldn’t it be great to have a crew of seasoned Camp Directors out there who have tried this kind of thing before to guide you in this decision-making process?

…Well, if you’ve made it this far in this post…we all know that you know the answer to that question…

It’s the CampHacker Podcast!

To help Gab, Travis, Joe and Dan with some big-money brainstorming, we welcome friend and past guest of the Podcast, Jalisa Danhof from Camp Newaygo! Jalisa not only suggested this topic, but she brings some valuable experience to our panel. Camp Newaygo runs a ton of really unique events for their local community, facilitates multiple weddings a year and has recently begun their own catering business. We’re grateful to have Jalisa back to share her stories and best practices.

Tune in to this episode to hear about:

  • Some things to consider BEFORE even thinking about diversifying your income

  • Programs our hosts tried that have been a big ol’ flop

  • Sources of income the panel have found to be a good, revenue-generating endeavour

  • Plenty of other ideas that may work for your camp

Do you have a great income-generating program at your camp? Tell us about it in the comments!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis: Connector bag (thanks, Gabz!) - BUBM Travel organizer for electronics cables and LCD projector cables. 

Joe: Tickler File - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tickler_file (Bonus Video by Joe - https://youtu.be/5ZCmCfy5eb4)

Jalisa: GwynnieBee - clothing rental 

Dan: Adam Grant’s Instagram

Gabz: Video Teleprompter 3

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The Future of Summer Camp - with Stacy Simpson - CampHacker #122

What you should be thinking about to ensure your summer camp stands the test of time.

If you’re reading this on release in February, then you know that time is running short on your time to do some of the deep philosophical work that can only happen when summer isn’t on the horizon. This episode is for when you have the brain-space, or, maybe it’s for when you need to not think about this coming summer for a second.

(You’re an adult, we’re not going to tell you how to live your life!)

Getting into the mindset of planning for the future is something that isn’t easy, but is absolutely necessary for ensuring the success of our camps beyond just the coming summer. We all have budgets to meet, and of course, things come up, but without a plan and the right mindset, you may be finding yourself wasting the time and money putting out short-term fires rather than fire-proofing (sorry, Joe, that wasn’t an intentional fire-order joke!).

To help Gab, Travis, Joe and Dan navigate this deep topic, we welcome Stacy Simpson, camp, org and Girl Guide consultant. and Go Camp Pro Masterclass instructor to the panel. We’re grateful for Stacy’s additions to the conversation as we discuss the philosophies and best practices when it comes to planning for your camp to be successful in the long-term.

What is one way that you intentionally plan for the future at your camp? Let us know in the comments!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis: WIBYT - Write it Before You Talk ~ Michael Brandwein

Travis 2:   The Imagineering Story - Disney+  https://youtu.be/-Y7TlaXDPrg

Joe: Dolly Parton’s America - Podcast - In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? 
Joe 2: uBlacklist Chrome Extension - Blocks specific sites from appearing in Google search results

Gabz: Wicked Cool Travel Mug: Kinto

Dan: The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, (Cliff notes of the 10 rules) 

Stacie: New Research from GSRI (Girl Scout Research Institute): Today’s Girls. Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs. [https://www.whygirlscouts.org/success]

Other things mentioned this show:

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Adventure Programming and Training - CampHacker #121

Adventure programming is about way more than a $1M ropes course!

Adventure programming, challenge courses, low ropes, rock walls, team-building, staff construction, initiatives, WHATEVER you want to call it, this episode is about that.

This type of camp program has really been changing and growing over the years. From the early days where people built and tested their own ropes courses to today where zip-lines are tested by the same people who certify elevators, we’ve certainly seen it grow.

One thing that has remained true is the goal of adventure programming. Campers take part in adventure programming at your camp to become changed through exposure to challenge and risk. Whether that be the risk that comes with being 30 feet in the air or that risk of telling their friend that they need better communication from them, the benefits to this type of programming are truly endless.

However, before you get your harness on and take a drill to an unsuspecting maple tree to start an adventure program at your camp, there are a lot of things to consider. Who will make sure your ropes course is up to regulatory standards? Do your staff know how to properly run adventure programming? Have you properly budgeted for this course? What the heck is an Ubuntu card!?

Yeah. Put that drill away and get, Air Pods out and listen in to this episode. Gabz, Travis and Joe are joined by Phil Brown from High 5 Adventure. Phil lends his expertise to the group as they share their practical tips and philosophies when it comes to planning, implementation evaluating and proper training for adventure programming.

What is the coolest adventure program you have at your camp? Let us know in the comments!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis: Loom

Joe: Wall Control Magnetic PegBoard: 

Gabz: ToDoist

Phil: Ubuntu cards

Bonus Content! - The Canadian Camping Magazine Searchable Archive

Thanks for letting your awesome out, Joe!

https://archive.org/details/canadian-camping-association

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