Day Camp Question

[John-in-KC 311]

Eagle92,

 

Our summer daycamp in the past decade has had from 650 to 800 Cubs registered. We have 20 program stations.

 

I don't think we've ever tried to do a school-year Day Camp.

[Eagle92 110]

Sorry got called away before completing prior post.

 

Sometimes it take fresh ideas and approaches to get things going. Sometimes it takes one motivated and enthusiastic person to make the changes needed to make a successfult program. And that enthusiasm is contagious. Look for more people who want to make the prgram better and recruit them. Yep you got a lot of work ahead, but when you see the smiles on those Cubs faces, you know you made a difference and all the hard workl will be worth it.

[Bob White 20]

"Sometimes it takes fresh blood and ideas to get something going."

 

Fresh blood can be a very good thing, have a blood letting is not. Recruiting someone with no knowledhge of the role of Program Director and no experience at it, and then not telling them what the job is or giving them the training and the resources to do it shows incredibly bad administration.

 

It's the difference between showing someone a view from a lookout or pushing them off a cliff and telling them to enjoy the view as they fall.

 

People pushed off the cliff rarely land well. speeglevillemom has taken a job about which she has "no idea what in entails". she has been given no details of the job, no training, and has had to resort to asking strangers for information about programing for a camp they have never seen on a budget they have no information on.

 

She has been asked to enjoy the view on the way down.

 

Speeglewoman I would go back to the person who asked you to jump and offer to take them with you. I would require them to get you training and resources within 30 days or they can have the job back and find a new victim. You are working for people who either do not care if you fail or do not know how to help you succeed, and you do not want to work for either.

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Eagle92 110]

BW if you reread the post, she states that she will be attending NCS in Feb. And she offered to help out, so she wasn't "pushed" she jumped

 

As for coming online to get ideas, nothing wrong with that. As some have posted elsewhere this is a virtual campfire. Ideas are exchanged and questioned asked. Heck I've been around for a while, held a bunch of positions, and still ask questions. As my grandpa used to say, "the day you stop learning is the day you die."

 

In addition to NCS, I'ld talk to other CDs and PDs in your council, or if you are close enough the neighboring council. There is a wealth of info out there from NCS, people, and the 'net.

[Eagle92 110]

Now in reference to the food question, brown bags from home work best. If you do a Webelos overnighter, sorry it's been a while since I worked camp so do not know if it is still done or not, then have the Webelos plan the menu with the aid of the Den Chief.

 

Two things that were done back in the day, besides the overnighter, was 1) 'world's largest sundae" on Friday afternoon where a super long sundae was made for the campers to eat, and 2) staff cook out celebratingh the end of CSDC. This was at the CD's house where we ate hamburgers, hot dogs, and chips and swam in the pool. Just make sure if you swim you follow SSD

 

 

[Bob White 20]

Eagle92

 

The opening line of the thread is "I would like to see what the job description of Program Director for Day Camp is"

 

I respectfully offer that she did not ask for ideas, she wanted someone to tell her what the job was. I would expect the person who asked her to take the job would have explained to her first. Wouldn't you?

 

She may have allowed herself to be pushed, but is was a cliff all the same.

 

Program Director is by no means a small task and should not be entered into blindly.

 

 

[Eagle92 110]

BW,

She also stated in a post that she thought she was going to be the CD, until informed otherwise. She was prepared to shoulder the entire burden. You need to read all the posts before criticising someone for stepping up to the plate and trying to improve program. After all we are all in it for the scouts.

[shortridge 184]

Brown-bag lunches work just fine. The bottom line is that they're lot simpler than trying to navigate the food-service and health inspection laws that may apply in your jurisdiction if you try to fix it all up yourself.

 

BW, speeglevillemom was inquiring about an opportunity to serve others through Scouting. No need to talk about somebody being pushed or jumping off a cliff. Sounds to me like genuine curiosity from an enthusiastic person who has a lot of ideas and can't wait for a return e-mail to find out what the job entails! I can't fault that by any means.

[Bob White 20]

If you think I am criticizing her I am not. You did not read my posts. You also did not read her pots, because she never said that she was considering the CD position.

 

Nor did she ask for ideas in any of her posts. She asked what her job was. And someone should have explained it to her before that asked her to accept.

 

I am concerned for her. The people who asked her to do this job should have given her the information she is now trying to glean now from strangers.

 

It's wonderfu; she wants to help, it would have been grand if thepeople who asked her to do it had first stopped to tell her just what the size and scope of this job is.

 

They obviously did not, or her first post would not have been "but have no idea what all it entails". .

She goes to say of the camp administration that "Everything is planned last minute so it is just thrown together and everyone runs around like chickens with their heads cut off.

 

These are not good signs that she is going to have the needed support.

 

I understand that she will go to training in February, but in the councils I have been in we are seding scouters to training this year for the next years camp. Asking her to learn he job in February and have everything in place befor June is too short a time period, especially when you consider this will be only her second time at camp.

 

I think she has been done a great disserve. I wish her well and hope it works out for her but she has a tough row to hoe.

 

As I said before she has a district/council administration that either does not care if she fails or does not know how to help her succeed. It is a good idea to stay away from either.

 

[BadenP 93]

Eagle92

Ignore Bob's negativity, if she is excited about the position and she surrounds herself with both experienced and new cub leaders she will do just fine. Every camp leader had a first time, something BW has apparently forgotten, and as long as she is backed up with good resources and people she will succeed. Training helps but it seldom mirrors the reality of what happens at a typical cub day camp. Best wishes to all who are taking on this task.

[shortridge 184]

One last attempt to try to read out of the same playbook, and I'm done for now.

 

I understand that she will go to training in February, but in the councils I have been in we are seding scouters to training this year for the next years camp. Asking her to learn he job in February and have everything in place befor June is too short a time period...

 

I wish I'd served in the Mary Poppins Council! (You know, practically perfect in every way...) Around here, even for Boy Scout resident summer camp, which is a much more complex organism than Cub day camp, the PD doesn't get sent to NCS until the spring; the area directors don't go until a few weeks before camp opens. A lot of people just can't commit that far in advance. And that's with the incentive of a summer salary, not volunteers.

 

Speaking only from my own perspective (Scoutcraft director), NCS won't teach you everything you need to know to do your job. It'll teach you how to follow the rules, fill out the forms and check off the requirements. It'll give you some program ideas you hadn't thought of before, and introduce you to new people. It is valuable, for certain. But it cannot create enthusiasm and energy and creativity - the key intangible elements of camp program - from whole cloth.

 

As I said before she has a district/council administration that either does not care if she fails or does not know how to help her succeed. It is a good idea to stay away from either.

 

Unfortunately, that creates a vicious cycle. No one steps up because there's no support; there's no support because no one steps up. No dysfunctional group would ever get fixed, according to this point of view, because everyone who could fix it would be backing away.

 

It sometimes DOES take someone stepping off the cliff and taking that plunge to get things repaired. I applaud speeglevillemom for her work.

 

Fin.

[John-in-KC 311]

shortridge and BadenP,

 

Yes, like you I laud speeglevillemom for wanting to step up to the plate. I think you've hit on her biggest immediate challenge: Recruiting quality adults and Scouts to be her program staff. She needs to touch base with the District Commissioner like... yesterday, especially to tap into Boy Scouts for J-staff.

 

One hint: Boy Scouts like food. Feed them lunch, give them a couple staff shirts, and you'll have loyalty til the cows come home.

 

BTW: Gotta love the "Mary Poppins Council." As Emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command says: File that away for future use.

[Eagle92 110]

BW

Sometimes it fun jumping off the cliff, especially if you are "rat running" aka "Australian method' of rappelling down the White Cliffs of Dover DISCLAIMER THIS METHOD OF RAPPELLING IS NOT ALLOWED BY THE BSA. But it was by the Scout Association in the UK

 

Also in reference to NCS, I did the COPE Director course 2 weeks before camp started and a friend missed staff week to go to NCS. And alot of councils were in the same boat.

 

speeglevillemom

 

CSDC is what YOU make of it. Talk to folks, get ideas of the net, and come up with a general, adaptable idea of what you want. You will need to get together with the CD and DE to find out the budget, and tailor your needs and wants to it. keep it active and KISMIF! And Please, PLEASE don't have daily movie time as 1 camp I visited had. the only time they should not be doing something is Lunch, and even then that is the time they plan stuff like skits, songs, etc.

 

Start recruiting people to run events NOW because unlike college kids who are off summers and can work Summer camp, you will need adults who need to plan vacation time. I'm personally praying that my CSDC is not the same week as the Medical Explorers day camp my hospital hosts that my department is responsible for.

 

Also talk to troops, especially those who have DCs or do not have a feeder pack. Working day camp is a requirement for the DC Service Award, and those units without feeder packs will jump at the gun to do recruiting. DCs ARE YOUR FRIENDS At the camp I worked at, we were the ones who actually led the dens and assisted the cubs with their activities. The "DL" usually was a different parent everyday and some had no background in CS other than to be a parent. And yes I recruited a number of cubs into my troop.

 

Promote, promote, PROMOTE. Go to Blue and Golds, Go to RT. GET THE OA INVOLVED! Not only can they be staff, they can help promote it, especially if they incorporate the words "DAY CAMP," "RESIDENT CAMP,"

and other specifi CS activities into the AOL/Crossover ceremonies. trust me Cubs love the 'Indians" heck one year my chapter gave a Native American dance performance.

 

Ok off the soapbox and let others talk.

(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[Bob White 20]

But when rappelling Eagle92 you have a safety line and a person looking out for you, she has offered neither. It does not take a near perfect world for people who are supposed to be leading to look out for those they lead.

 

Would you ask someone to be a Den Leader without first the courtesy of telling them what a Den Leader is expected to do? I understand that some see speeglevillemons leap as an adventure, it is no doubt easier to enjoy the fall when it is someone else doing the falling.

 

I am glad she is excited about the opportunity, that certainly speaks well of her enthusiasm. But this is a task that will require more than enthusiasm. Her District/Council folks should have given her actual information, without it she has liitle to apply her enthusiasm to.

[SSScout 1616]

Pish-tush, clap-trap and jimmerjammer...

 

Much ado about lots of stuff. She asked for help/advice and , as usual, got alot of the same from many knowledgeable folks.

I have no doubt she will (1) get trained (in Feb.) (2) get lots of assistance (from the folks that recruuited her) (3) She will yell and scream if she doesn't get it (!). Sounds like her District?Council has the resources available even if they weren't tapped last year. She will tap them.

Official requirements/guidelines/manuals not withstanding, there's nothing like personal experience as a guide (within OFFICIAL guidelines, of course).

 

Listen to the Spirit of Scouting (whatever that is) and your heart and you'll not go too far wrong.

 

YiS from a recent CSDC FAEE.