by Rita Yerkes, Ed.D., and Shannon Downey, M.S.
Camp directors often start planning their staffing needs for the next
summer with an analysis of the last summer and list which staff they
will invite to return and determine how many new staff that they will
have to recruit.
Some camps are fortunate enough to have 40 to 50 percent return of staff;
however, others struggle not only to find qualified staff, but also to
fill the positions that they need. Strategies include placing advertisements
in the local newspaper, word of mouth, and growing their own staff through
counselor-in-training programs. In contrast, many older campers and summer
staff have no idea that they could pursue a career in organized camping
and that this career starts with the seasonal summer camp position.
For most campers and staff, camp is a magical experience and marks an
important time in their lives. In fact, if they love camp and the experiences
it provides, they come back as long as they are able. Unfortunately,
many believe that they must pursue other careers to make a living and
leave the camp industry to pursue this goal.
And so, what avenues are open to camp directors in addressing this paradox?
How does the camp director fill multiple positions in a short period
of time with talented and qualified staff and be ready for the next summer
season? At the same time, what is the responsibility of the camp director
in recruiting and mentoring the young camp leaders who will lead the
camp profession in the future? One solution is to develop practicum and
internship partnerships with colleges and universities.
Practical Camp Experiences for Academic Credit
Colleges and universities offer many different types of practicum and
internship experiences in different majors for academic credit. Independent
studies require a student to look at a particular selected topic. It
is short in duration, usually a focused project that requires minimal
supervision from the director. Practicum experiences require limited
camp director supervision and student time at the camp and include student
service projects, documented work hours, and reflection papers. Internships
are career focused, full-time (forty hours per week or more) for an academic
semester, and require college/university internship coordinator contact,
student intern supervision, and mentorship from the camp director and
the staff.
Many college majors have national accreditation requirements for internship
experiences that detail length, type, and qualifications of the camp
director for supervision. Majors may include business administration,
elementary and secondary education, human services, physical education,
recreation administration, and social work. All of these majors require
service hours, practicum experiences, and internships. They also require
that students complete a specific number of practical experience hours
that include involvement in programming, administration, personnel management,
and public relations—beyond the specific camp position that the
director is trying to fill.
Undergraduate Practicums and Internships
There are undergraduate and graduate practicums and internships required
by certain college programs that award academic credit. An undergraduate
practicum and internship will have a leadership and programming focus
with the expectation that the student receives a general overview of
the administration and other departments at camp. For example, Camp Sea
Lab director Tracey Weiss said, "Camp Sea Lab has established an
internship partnership with California State University at Monterey Bay
(CSUMB). The camp was approached by professor William Head from the Division
of Earth Science Systems and Policy. Head was awarded a grant through
the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) to fund an internship
program. The university boasts an ‘Informal Science Education’ program
and Camp Sea Lab was a perfect fit since they specialize in informal
science education targeting underserved populations. The university and
camp worked together to design an internship program for science majors
at CSUMB (T. Weiss, personal communication, July 20, 2006).
At Camp Sea Lab, interns focus on program leadership throughout their
internships; however, they are given opportunities to participate in
all aspects of the camp including administration, marketing, program
development, etc. Camp Sea Lab works with each intern to ensure they
are developing a range of organized camping leadership and program skills
(T. Weiss, personal communication, July 20, 2006).
Graduate Practicums and Internships
A graduate practicum or internship will have an administrative focus
with the goal of becoming familiar with the responsibilities and daily
challenges of leading personnel and managing the camp operations. For
example, YMCA Rockies director Marty Ferguson offers both undergraduate
and graduate paid internship opportunities. The camp will turn any position
into an internship opportunity from kitchen staff to leadership positions.
Potential interns are asked to send YMCA Rockies their university’s
internship guidelines. The camp then reviews them and makes sure they
can meet those guidelines before accepting an intern. Interns not only
fill camp positions, but also are exposed to many other facets of the
camp business such as marketing, administration, and budgeting. Administrative
staff work as mentors to interns and do all they can to include interns
in as many diverse experiences as they can. Ferguson offers internships
because he believes camp is a fantastic place for young people (students)
to gain important leadership skills, a greater sense of responsibility,
life skills, and confidence. He uses his internship positions to unite
the students’ academic world to the real world (M. Ferguson, personal
communication, July 21, 2006).
Another example is Camp Manito-wish, which offers both undergraduate
and postgraduate paid internships. The camp works with students in recreation
programs whether they are outdoor education or parks and recreation.
The camp has no formal relationships with any universities, but works
to meet the requirements of each intern’s specific university.
Drew Richmond, Camp Manito-wish summer program director, defines the
internship program as "very student-oriented." He works one-on-one
with interns to ensure that the student is exposed to all applicable
aspects of the camp. He makes sure that interns see the "behind
the scenes" aspects of the camp business. Richmond offers internships
in order to inspire personal success and to create a hands-on experience
that will enable students to decide on the right career path (D. Richmond,
personal communication, July 21, 2006).
The Camp/College and University Partnership
In a camp/college or university partnership, the director must consider
options and the supervision requirements of each. The director needs
to fill certain positions with skilled and committed counselors and
staff. Therefore, camp positions should be analyzed to determine which
lend themselves well to a practicum or internship experience for the
student. In certain circumstances specialized staff is needed for supervision
of the intern. For instance, those seeking National Certification in
Therapeutic Recreation must be supervised by a Certified Therapeutic
Recreation Specialist (CTRS) on the camp staff. Those seeking Social
Work certification must be supervised by a staff person with a Master
of Science of Social Work (MSW).
Both Camp Director and Senior Staff Supervise Students
The camp director and the camp senior staff should engage in discussion
with the university internship director and students to determine what
type of experience and requirements must be addressed during the camp
season. Practicum hours usually require that a student time sheet is
filled out to document hours worked. Internships require regular work
conferences that are career-related and often require a rotation of assignments
during the experience. Internships also require career mentorship from
the director and staff as student interns are adding to their professional
portfolios for a career in organized camping while at camp.
Camp directors or their designee will be required to fill
out practicum and internship affiliation agreements with select colleges and universities.
These agreements gather information about the camp, program, and qualifications
for staff to supervise students before a student can be placed with the
camp. Once the camp has been screened, students (with assistance from the
camp director and their faculty internship supervisor) can develop internship
goals and objectives that result in a finalized contract between the camp,
student, and university.
For example, recreation administration program students at the George
Williams College of Aurora University begin searching for internships
nine months to a year in advance of their final semester. It takes a
minimum of four to six months to identify and screen the agencies and
agency intern supervisor in advance before a student can be placed. Students
are encouraged to start early to find a quality educational placement
that will enhance their career.
Successful Camp/College and University/Student Partnership
Tracey Weiss believes that the Camp Sea Lab internship program works
to inspire and attract diverse students to the field. Camp Sea Lab invests
extra energy and time with interns in providing extensive, direct instruction.
However, camp staff believe that this time and energy is unequivocally
worth it (T. Weiss, personal communication, July 20, 2006).
Weiss measures the success of the camp’s internship program with
four questions:
- Is the student still interested in the field at the end of the experience?
- Does the student want to pursue this type of work further?
- Is the student leaving with a greater sense of confidence?
- Has the student developed a new set of skills?
(T. Weiss, personal communication, July 20, 2006)
When asked about the extra work involved in supervising interns, Marty
Fergusson commented that he "doesn’t even think about it
because it’s worth it." He feels these internship positions
are broadening the field and anything he can do to help the field is
worth it (M. Ferguson, personal communication, July 21, 2006).
In addition, Drew Richmond, stated that the amount of extra work required
on his part varies but that it is always worth it. When asked why, he
responded that interns invest more in the job. In addition, anything
that he can do to ensure the field is comprised of professionals with
a solid set of skills is worth any amount of time. He defines a good
experience through interns who develop a solid set of skills, an understanding
of responsibility, make good decisions, and have developed a broader
understanding of the concept of camp (D. Richmond, personal communication,
July 21, 2006).
When Students Ask "Can I Do an Internship at Your Camp?"
During the staff recruiting season or an ACA conference, directors are
often asked by students if they can complete their college internship
at camp. At this point, many directors are not sure how to respond. Listed
below are some suggested steps to be taken before you answer:
- Do some soul searching and determine if you want to take on this
educational and mentorship role that practicums and internships will
require.
- Talk to other camp directors that have established internship programs
and relationships with colleges and universities.
- Visit Web sites for national associations:
- National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) www.nrpa.org
- Association of Experiential Education (AEE) www.aee.org
- American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation,
and Dance (AAHPERD) www.aahperd.org.
- Contact colleges and universities in your area and contact
the internship coordinators for information and to establish your
camp as a practicum or internship site.
- Try to locate colleges and universities that have strong education
and outdoor leadership and recreation programs.
- Develop your own internship program with manuals for distribution.
- Become a practicum and internship site.
The Measure of Success
The measure of a successful partnership is that everyone has a role
to play, learns from it, and is better for the experience. The camp is
bettered through the experience as it can attract committed and talented
staff. The colleges and universities are enhanced as they must find excellent
placements for their students and keep updated by the field in the process.
The students’ experiences
are enhanced as they are gaining valuable "hands-on" experience while
they complete their degree. The camp director and staff are enhanced as they
are learning and helping to create quality programs while mentoring students.
The campers are enhanced as they benefit from a wide variety of professionals
working together. Finally, the organized camp profession is enhanced by providing
future leadership development opportunities in the field.
Originally published in the 2006 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine. |
