Day Camp Question

[speeglevillemom 10]

For those who know I would like to see what the job description of Program Director for Day Camp is. I have been asked to take on this position, but have no idea what all it entails. Thanks for any info you have.

[ghermanno 11]

S'mom,

 

The "Program Director" for Cub Scout Day Camp is normally responsible for the "Program". that includes staffing, scheduling, assigning boys to Dens, assigning adults as DL's, and day to day operations (ie: backup plans in case of weather). You will work directly with the "Camp Director" who is responsible for ALL items of the camp including facilities, financing,...

 

Depending on your Council/district, you could be responsible for just about everything or the District may have most things planned for you. You should attend CS Day Camp School given by National Camping School (NCS) to become certified.

 

The first year I did it, 1991, was the hardest scarriest job I ever LOVED. You can not know if you did a good job till the end but the smiles keep you going.

 

How much work depends on what your District provides for Day Camp. Mine was at local facilities so we had to plan everything. Some are at Council Camps so facilities are allready laid out. some Districts have trained people on staff for range/aquatics others require you to recruit...

 

I can say it was a challenge and I LOVED it. Did it two years in states, one year in Panama. I also did one year as CS Resident Camp Program Manager.

 

Advice: Plan for worst, hope for best and it will be better than you thought it could be.

 

Rick

[speeglevillemom 10]

So if I understand the way this will work... I am under the Camp Director so she is the one I should run my ideas through. My concern is she has been Camp Director for many years and the camp is very run down and unatteneded. I am not sure if it is because she is a no type personality or if they havent had a program director who looked into what we can make happen. I am all rearing to go, but feel like they don't mind things being so last minute throw together.

 

Thanks for the advice guess I will just have to wait and see what she is like once I meet her.

[ScoutNut 147]

You do not so much work UNDER the CD, as you work WITH her. You also work with your DE.

 

When you say the Day Camp is "very run down", how do you mean that? Are the facilities old and in disrepair?

 

Why has the attendence been bad? Has your Pack (if you are a member of one) attended in the past? Did they attend last year? If not why not?

 

You need to contact your DE about Camp School as soon as possible. While you are talking to your DE, ask about setting up a meeting with the CD, and DE, to start fielding ideas, starting with the overall theme.

 

 

[shortridge 184]

If you take on this job, be prepared to start NOW, as in yesterday. Don't just pick a theme and wait until the spring to start recruiting, planning, budgeting, etc. Get that in gear today, and your life will be much easier come the summer.

 

Good luck, and have fun!

[Eagle92 110]

Must ditto what shortridge stated PLAN NOW AND RECRUIT. From my limited expereince of being a staffer for 2 years, at the Staff party celebrating the end of day camp,we started planning by exchanging ideas to improve the camp and making plans to come back.

[SSScout 1616]

Do a "search" here of "Cub Scout Day Camp" and you will find oodles of material on how to do what. Pick and choose to fit your own situation (physical and philosophical!). Check with Council, they often decide the theme without asking anyone ("Wonderful World of Podiatry"). Go to Roundtable and beat the drums about staffing. Early. Get word out on the Council and District newsletter and website. Find a First Assistant Everything Else (spouse??) and get them to start beating bushes for "specials", preferably in line with the theme ("bunion carving demonstrations"). See other postings, and don't forget to watch the smiles...

 

KiS MiF YiS

[speeglevillemom 10]

Rundown.... the facilities are fine the program isn't. Everything is planned last minute so it is just thrown together and everyone runs around like chickens with their heads cut off. (I'm not trying to be mean that is just what it was like last year) Noone knew what was going on. The staff was no were prepared. Attendance has been way down. After camp lastyear the comment was that it was the best camp so far. My jaw hit the floor. (it was our first year) How could it be the best yet, they still were unprepared. I imediately volunteered for this year. The DE approched me in Nov and asked if I would run it so I assumed she meant as CD. Had to turn it down because I thought we were moving for a job transfer, but we were able to stay so I went to district office and she still needed someone.

 

Council picks the themes. Ours is knights of the round table. Very excited personally. I had to make the calls to find out. Thought I was the CD until DE set me straight yesturday. Not a big deal, just need to better understand my role so that I can help expand the program better. Would love to get in contact with CD just need to get her contact info and reach out. Sent DE an email that I would like to do two fundraisers to help witht he cost of day camp and to hopefully raise attendance and to get a list of packs so I could go in costume and get the kiddos and parents excited and ready she just said that they had a CD and I was just the PD. Guess I need to better understand my role here. Do I just implament the CD's camp ideas or what exactly.

 

Attending School in begin of Feb. Very Very excited. Have a million ideas filling my brain. Hopefully the CD is just as excited. I am a plan ahead kind of person so I have been working on ideas all weekend. Have a notebook filling with brainstorms and web printouts.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[ScoutNut 147]

I never heard of a District doing a fundraiser for Day Camp expenses. What kind of fundraiser would it be and who would be doing it?

 

We received contribution letters from our DE, and were encouraged to solicit donations of materials. These would be considered District FOS donations.

 

Our District did have a Day Camp budget, but for the most part it was on a reimbursement basis. Which means you fronted the money and got reimbursed when you turned in receipts.

 

One idea that you should look into now is the Society for Creative Anachronism. http://www.sca.org/

 

See if you can find a group in your area who would be willing to come out and do a presentation. They get very busy in the summer with festivals so the sooner you contact them the better.

 

 

 

 

[speeglevillemom 10]

Fundraiser... thought was to do one to help the kids raise the hundred dollar registration fee. Since everyone is concerned about the economy I thought doing a bowl a thon and a bike a thon would be scout friendly activities and would also help get more kids to camp who would otherwise not beable to go. I have heard of other districts doing fundraisers to help with registration. My thought was that since our Pack used the popcorn funds to pay for the boys uniforms, they worked their tails off to do it and are so proud to show off their entire uniform, the same would be true for camp. We have a bunch of underprivilaged scouts that I know would benefit from day camp. Just need to get with CD to work it out.

[shortridge 184]

Guess I need to better understand my role here. Do I just implament the CD's camp ideas or what exactly.

 

First, hand off those fundraising and attendance-boosting ideas to the camp director, and let her run with them. That's her job. If you want to help by dressing up in costume or something, go ahead, but you've got enough on your plate with the program. Don't burn out.

 

The CD-PD relationship, in my experience, can be complicated, especially if the two don't get along personally. The best way I can think of to describe it is that the CD is like a CEO, in charge of the entire camp, with the PD kind of like an executive vice-president, the second-in-command who has specific day-to-day responsibility for the main division of the company.

 

If the CD is out, you're in charge unless other arrangements are made. It'd be like Barack Obama naming Joe Biden secretary of defense in addition to his vice-presidential duties. You work together, but you report to her and have a specific area of responsibility. She's the one who has to make the finances work, too, so you need to make sure you're both on the same page.

[SSScout 1616]

CSDC Fundraiser...

 

Great idea. Check on the local banks, and businesses. All of them like to have something like this to point to for "Community Awareness" PR.

We had a generous local business underwrite our CSDC Park Fees. Made our camp budget look awhole lot better. How did we get that? Talked it up at Roundtable, a Scoutleader went to his boss who went to his boss who went to THE boss and he went to the Board of Directors who were considering their upcoming year charitable contributions.

Networking and awareness.

Keep the conversation going. Someone knows somebody who has a cousin who can help.

Don't forget King Arhur, Monty Python & the Holy Grail, etc. Cardboard Box horses and foam tube lances for jousting (which by-the-by, is the Maryland State Sport).

Found a Professional Archer who did a wonderful demo for us.

Have fun.

 

(bumdadabumbumbum...We're knights of the round table, we dance when ere we're able and imitate Clark Gable...)

[shortridge 184]

FYI, there was a good thread on Knights of the Round Table program ideas in the spring:

 

http://tinyurl.com/7ckrak

[Karen_216 10]

I have volunteered in the past and my daughter is middle scool and they let her be a junior counselor. Dont' think jsut adult volunteers. ask boys scouts and venturers to volunteer. Out director has them sign an agreement and has a brief training to let them know what is expected- it's work time not social time. The scouts love to do scout skills where they do relays and show knots and all that- of course there is an adult there as well. My daughter helped with Nature cetner one year and crafts last year and in another hleped with tot lot.

Waht my son likes most about the local day camp is they have a trading post. director buys things form dollare store and sells for a minumal amount- takes bags of snakes (most popular items) and breaks them up to be a quarter or 50 each. At most they are a dollar. kiods can only spend 1.00 a day. but they love it. this year theme was knights and there were foam swords and helmets and chest plates.

Kids just dig the themes.

Good luck and much success.

enthusiasm and good attitude goes a long way with adults.

you dont' have to have ti all together- just act like ou do. If something goes wrong dont' panic- work around it.

Here is a great site for crafts and other things- better than Oriental- ssworldwide: ssww.com .Kits come with everything you need adn tells you how long it takes , etc.

We jsut have one crafts station and others are: Scout skills,som type of belt loop, archery (went well with theme) kids got a certificate of knighthood, nature, scout gsames.

[ScoutNut 147]

Advertise for Camp Staff at Boy Scout Roundtable. Great for service hours. Contact your local OA Lodge. OA and Cub Camp goes hand in hand.