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by Patrick McFarlane and Maja Wilson
Imagine a camp program with the
power to improve the academic and social behavior of participants and
to positively impact participants’ readiness for work, social development,
and lifelong learning. All camp administrators herald this program vision
for campers, but what about for staff? Camp can positively impact young
staff as well. It happens through a program otherwise known as
a seasonal job.
Camps are in a position to influence the lives of staff,
many of whom are young adults in transition, and some of whom are young
adults at risk. For teens, employment offers a foundation for development.
Federal, state, and local governments recognize that most teen crime and
antisocial behavior happens during unsupervised and unstructured hours
and is typically committed by unemployed young people. Camps can help
funnel teens’ energy in a positive direction with the help of the 1994
School to Work Act.
A Community Effort
Many federal, state, and local programs are available
to help you develop and fund a school-to-work program, potentially reducing
costs in personnel, training, insurance, and liability. The 1994 School
to Work Act promotes a comprehensive framework to help develop partnerships
around school-to-work transition and provides a clear model for pursuing
various funding streams. Utilizing these resources to develop a cadre
of staff from area families and young adults through effective staff hiring,
development, and support can be a powerful program for camps that face
a chronic short supply of qualified support staff.
Developing a program for support
staff also gives camps an opportunity to practice experiential education
by providing diverse opportunities for staff development and personal
growth. Finally, employment within a community can generate goodwill and
collaboration among families, neighbors, schools, and agencies. Educational
transition literature suggests that communities need to help parents and
children plan the steps necessary for a successful school-to-work transition,
especially for at-risk youth.
Training and in-service programs for support staff positions,
which many young adults occupy, are often overlooked by camps. In a random
telephone survey of ten ACA-accredited camps in the ACA Midwestern Region,
all reported initial staff training and ongoing in-service for cabin leaders
and instructional staff; just two reported staff training or in-service
programs for support staff. These training opportunities are important
to help teens make a successful transition from school to work.
Jon's Story
Jon’s story illustrates how camp can do a "world
of good" for support staff. When the camp director first met Jon,
he was having a soda with his grandparents in a local coffee shop, and
they were discussing what he was going to do with his summer. The camp
director and Jon’s grandparents struck up a conversation and soon discovered
that they were neighbors, yet Jon and his family had never set foot in
camp before. Jon began to speak about his goals for the summer, for his
future, and about his ability to work hard and follow through. He and
his grandparents also spoke openly about Jon’s struggles in school and
at home. The camp director noticed much potential in Jon and decided to
hire him as a kitchen support staff person.
Almost nine months after camp, Jon was still very much
involved with camp. His family and their extended families had become
great supporters of camp and had developed strong commitments to camp.
Jon’s teachers and principal noticed a positive difference in his behavior
and academic achievement. He achieved higher grades, was involved in anti-drug
programs, and experienced a decrease in problems both at school and at
home.
Requirements for Success
These gains were not made without effort. Fostering excellence
in young support staff demands the following committed efforts from directors
and administrators.
Family collaboration and support
The camp director’s initial contact with Jon’s family set the stage for
cooperation between family and employer, which helped make Jon’s summer
successful. The camp director was able to see Jon in the context of his
family, and Jon’s family gained a clear understanding of what Jon’s responsibilities
would be. They became invested in their son’s summer job, and vicariously,
in the camp’s mission.
Staff dialogue and cooperation
An important step in training and supporting Jon began with integrating
Jon into the kitchen staff and enlisting their help in mentoring Jon.
The camp director met with the entire food service staff and requested
that they help him learn the routine of a most important job, one that
is all too forgotten, washing dishes and sanitizing the kitchen. They
expressed their concerns about Jon’s struggles affecting his job performance,
and the camp director and kitchen staff brainstormed ways to help him
grow in his new position. This meeting would become a critical step in
supporting Jon’s employment. The food service staff were committed to
working with him and reported feeling purposeful in helping him grow both
as an employee and as a young man.
Willingness of administration
to stretch job roles
As Jon became more familiar with the staff and his duties, he suggested
that his friend Jack needed a job. Jack was hired and began to apprentice
under Jon, supervised by the food service staff. This arrangement worked
well. Jon had taken ownership of his duties, and this attitude and commitment
passed as a contagion from Jon to Jack. Within two weeks, the kitchen
was sparkling, and the time spent on the tasks could be reduced due to
increased efficiency.
However, this presented new challenges to the administration,
because now there were two enthusiastic young men working very hard and
desiring a broader role in camp. As time permitted, these two young men
asked for and received additional training and duties as appropriate.
After completing lifeguard training, Jon helped lifeguard. Jack helped
lead young canoeists to the island campsite.
Collaboration with local schools
and agencies
Many agencies invest in young people and businesses involved in school-to-work
programs. Local schools can help identify teens who might fit well into
a camp’s support staff program. In addition, they can give valuable insight
into special needs and skills that these individuals bring with them to
their new jobs. This information can help the camp shape a program which
will benefit both the camp and the young employee.
Administrative Implications
Many directors probably feel they do not have time to
monitor a teen’s transition from school to work and the development of
quality work skills, habits, and behaviors. However, camp directors do
this for all of their employees already, through training, evaluation,
and feedback. The key is expanding communication so that everyone is clear
about job description, duties, and personal boundaries.
Certainly, more time and effort are required to manage
with the level of involvement necessary. However, the equity built with
parents, neighbors, local schools, and agencies can far outweigh the cost
for participating as a work site. Indeed, it is possible to pay for more
than 50 percent of support staff costs with adolescent transitional employment
dollars through training programs, internships, and school-to-work grants.
Jon’s and Jack’s salaries were paid through internships furnished by a
local agency’s summer internship program. The next summer, thirteen of
the camp’s support staff positions were funded by the same agency.
Camp can teach valuable lessons to everyone involved
— campers and staff. In particular, young workers can learn commitment
to timeliness and thoroughness, communication skills by setting boundaries
and addressing challenges, how to work as a team, and responsibility.
Camps gain an employee who is committed to the camp and its mission. All
it takes is a commitment by the administrative staff to invest in these
young workers’ growth and development.
Originally published in the 1999 March/April
issue of Camping Magazine. |
