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Measuring Camper Outcomes This Summer?
Go to www.ACAcamps.org/research/youthoutcomes.php and
download questionnaires that address outcomes
for: friendship skills, independence, teamwork,
family citizenship, perceived competence,
interest in exploration, and responsibility.
Questionnaires are age specific (six to
nine years old and ten to seventeen years
old) with two versions available for the
older campers. You can individualize your
choices and add your own questions. There
are also scoring templates available to
help you when you get ready to analyze
your data. These outcomes measures have
been statistically tested and are free
to ACA members. Check them out today!!
Do you want to make sure your camp goals
result in measurable outcomes? Need some
help in getting your staff to understand
their part in meeting your outcomes and
providing a positive developmental experience
for your campers? Creating
Positive Youth Outcomes is a resource designed with
these intentions in mind. Based on youth
development research, this workbook provides
camp administrators, directors, and staff
with a step-by-step approach for identifying
goals, strategies, outcomes, measurement
tools, and resources to help with the program
evaluation process. This resource pack
comes with the workbook, two facilitator
guides (one for administrative staff and
one for seasonal staff), and a resource
CD that includes the newly developed ACA
Youth Outcomes questionnaires. Order
your copy today!
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Enrollment Spring Preview
According to the spring enrollment information,
this summer should find camps filled
with lots of campers! Over half
of the 374 camps that participated in
the survey said they had higher enrollments
this spring compared to last year at
this time, and these increases were 10
percent or greater! When ages of campers
were considered, camps said that they
were enrolling more six- to nine-year-old
campers than last year (56 percent),
closely followed by ten to twelve year
olds (55 percent). Camps are getting
about the same number of returning campers
as they have in past years (58 percent).
Length of stay is about the same as last
year (79 percent), and the interest in
specialized programs is the same (62
percent) or higher (30 percent).
Staff hiring was also about the same as
last year at this time (43 percent) or
ahead of last year (38 percent). Camps
have hired about the same number of specialized
staff (69 percent); international staff
(67 percent); female staff (67 percent);
and male staff (61 percent). Familiar faces
will be seen at camps this summer since
75 percent of the camps said they have
about the same or more returning staff
as in past summers. The top five needs
for staff were: males (51 percent); lifeguards/waterfront
(41 percent); general counselors (36 percent);
staff over twenty-one (27 percent); and
health care and program specialists (each
25 percent).
Which camps
answered the spring survey? They were fairly
representative of our ACA community (25
percent agency, 18 percent religiously-affiliated,
29 percent independent for profit, and
29 percent independent nonprofit) and were
mostly co-ed (75 percent) and resident
camps (77 percent). These camps have had
stable enrollments with 44 percent indicating
that the summer of 2006 was about the same
as enrollments for the past five summers,
although 32 percent of the directors said
last summer was their best summer.
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What Do Our Campers Think?
Are you concerned about the environment?
Worried about global warming? Do you
think your young people share your concerns?
Give yourself a little quiz:
What percent of teens say the environment
is one of their five most-pressing issues?
- 14%
- 30%
- 62%
- 87%
The reality of this situation is that
the environment ranks as a lowly sixteen
out of twenty-six social concerns behind
child abuse, drinking and driving, abortion,
AIDS, and war. However, 72 percent of the
teens say global warming is happening now,
and 69 percent believe it is a serious
problem. While more than three out of five
believe global warming is a human-made
problem, still only 50 percent say the
issue is important to them.
And
by the way, the correct answer is "a. 14%."
Information provided by TRU Teen
Newsletter
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