Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/staff-training-expectCongratulations! You’re having a wild, wonderful bundle of CAMP!Staff training season is upon us (that is, if you’re listening to this episode in May) and while camp staff around the world are finishing up the school year, camp directors are putting the final touches on staff training.If you’ve never been, or are newer to staff training before i...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/stories Gather ‘round the campfire for these funny, impactful and straight-up bizarre stories!Today is not a topic but a feel. A vibe if you will. We’ve been in camping for some time now and that means we have collected a few stories to share. Not a campfire story but just personal stories of our time as camp people. You might have run into an old camp friend and feel like a moment has never passed. Sometimes...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/gen-a Generation-A are our campers - how can we effectively work with them at camp?Generation-A, or Gen-A are kids that are born between 2010 and 2024. Born the same year as the release of the iPad, most socially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the generation that is currently almost 100% of the summer camp population. It seems like the post-pandemic camper population is a bit of a beast these days. Camps...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/water-safety Water safety (and fun!) starts with Camp CounselorsMany camps sport a waterfront, a pool or even host a wet and wild Wednesday! Today we want to talk about programming at these water-based activities to make sure campers are safe and having a blast.  You may be thinking “wait a minute, I’m not a lifeguard, so why should I listen? While you may not have the official qualifications to be a lifeguard,...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/terrible-staff You may not like them, you may not counsel like them, but that doesn’t mean they suck.It can happen to even the most First Class Counselor. For reasons that may seem perfectly valid and logical, a staff member gets it in their head that one of their co-workers is a terrible staff member. What ensues is drama, hurt feelings and escalations that can take away from the camp experience for others. In...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/camp-is-a-cult Summer camp is culty - but in a good way, we swear!If you are new to summer camp and reading this, you may not get the whole “cult” angle. It’s a common joke amongst experienced camp staff and directors that camp is essentially a cult. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is how intentional we are with the ceremonies and traditions we have at camp.  This ranges from as basic as...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/meet-your-camp-director-1 Part 1 - What we got wrong…Just who is that person walking around with a clipboard all day? To most Camp Counselors, the Camp Director is a strange and mythical creature. They’re like a teacher…but completely different. They’re like a boss…but definitely not in the traditional sense. So who are they? In this first of a series of episodes, we break down some of the assumptions we had...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/how-to-talk-to-adults You didn’t sign up to be a camp counsellor because you loved talking to adults…right?In the world of a camp counselor, there is no other part of the job that is simultaneously as short and as important as the interactions you have with the adults that find their way on site. Whether it’s parents, caregivers, alumni or your camp management, being able to navigate these interactions is...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/campers-first - It’s not that you come second…well…it kind of is...Camp counselors are special. Not just because of all the incredible skills you learn and teach, but because it’s one of the only jobs that requires you to prioritize the health and experience of  kids in your care - all day. This isn’t easy. It takes a special type of person to do the job. People call it different things. Putting Campers First,...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/interview-skills-to-land-the-camp-job-of-your-dreams- - These interview skills will set you apart!It's the most wanted summer job in the world. Honestly, with the recent pay increases, workplace experience and the amazingness of camp it truly is a job people from around the world seek. So how do you stand out in your interview? Today we are going to cover the application process and some of the important parts...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/eat-like-royalty - Camp food can suck but it doesn’t have to!In the hierarchy of things we love, food reigns supreme. But, let’s be honest, camp food can be…well camp food. Sometimes, it’s a step above high school lunch but also not as great as your typical college food hall. It serves the purpose of caloric intake and satisfying the picky eating of a 10-year-old who only likes chicken nuggets in the shapes of...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/first-impressions-campers What to do the first time you’re alone with campers…It’s arguably the most stressful time in a camp counsellor’s life. It’s the first day of camp, the caregivers have just left and it’s now just you and the campers. As 10 sets of eyes stare in anticipation, it dawns on you that what you do and say next really matters.  How you spend that first little bit with your campers will set the...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/60-second-games - Have 60 seconds? Here are 8 awesome games you can play with campers!Do you need a minute?  How about a short quick way to play a game that makes a “meh” moment a “Yay!” Moment. It’s episode 60, so we’re talking 60 seconds or less to play a game or add an element to make your moments the moments! To explain each game Matt and I have 60 seconds on the clock to explain and provide an example. So...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/you-and-your-phone-at-summer-camp- - No phone, no problem! Maybe?The modern world has always tried to make its way into camp. That’s because camp is meant to be a refuge from the world’s pressures.   In the 90s and early 2000s, many camps even introduced coding. But the invention of the smartphone changed the story, not just for camp but the world. The connection the phone provides means fostering connection off...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/how-to-kindly-raise-gritty-campers You don’t have to sacrifice care and support in order to promote grit!Perhaps you have heard of Angela Ducksworth’s book  “Grit: the power of passion and perseverance” Or if you have been in the camp conference circuit awhile and the opportunity to listen to Dr. Deborah Gilboa speak about resilience.  Or maybe you’ve heard of Jimmy Donaldson, or Mr. Beast speak about the...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/our-biggest-baddest-blunders It’s not if you’ll make a mistake…it’s when you’ll make one.We all make mistakes, but the best part about making them at camp is that you are in one of the most supportive work environments ever. Making mistakes is how you know that you’ve pushed your comfort zone, so if you’re lucky enough to make a bunch, you’re going to learn a bunch, too! Matt and Oliver share some stories of bad...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/taking-camp-home - Welcome to Season 5 of First Class Counselors!Summer is over and you have scrolled through your gallery a bunch remembering how much fun you had.  Camp offered a lot - fun, food, friends. But it also taught you a lot and equip you for life after camp. As you unpack, we unpack all the ways you never truly leave summer camp behind. - Links from this episode: First Class Counsellor Episode - Camp...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/6-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-prepare-for-the-summer Summer is coming…here’s what every First Class Counselor should be doing to prepare!If you’re listening to this podcast in real-time, then we are in the home stretch. Camp is coming and you can’t stop it now! This episode is for any camp counselor, but specifically for the ones who are brand new, or any who want to shake off the rust of a few summers away,...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/self-evaluations Being able to do this truly separates the counselors, and the First Class Counselors!One of the best parts about working at camp is the incredibly dynamic skill-set that you leave the job with. Not only do you gain super-human skills when it comes to working with kids, you’ll pick up a ton fmore in the realm of teamwork, creativity, maintenance, cleaning, cooking…do we need to go on? You grow in...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/be-your-directors-best-counselor You heard it from the pros…now here’s how to be the best they've ever seen.If you missed the last episode, you’ll want to listen to it before this one. Listen here: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/your-directors-best-counselor So now that you have listened you might be wondering…why are there so many different types of great counselors?  We learn that the value of a...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/your-directors-best-counselor Straight from the horse’s…er…camp director’s mouth!It’s a special episode of First Class Counselors. Oliver and many of our Go Camp Pro Podcast hosts are at the Tri-State Camp Conference, so we thought we’d use that time to our advantage. In this episode, you will hear camp pros from across North America share their answer to “why was the best camp counselor who ever worked for you,...

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/ages-and-stages-2 The kings, queens and royalty of sass. These campers need a little bit of extra patience and love.Last episode, we introduced the emotional, physical and mental triangle of care and how it informs how counselors work with 5-11 years old at camp. This episode we push into the wild unknowns of puberty and teenagers and share how we can work with their unique place in social-emotional development....

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/ages-and-stages-1 How to understand, play with and take care of the delightful wee ones at camp.97.2% of camps in North America run an “ages and stages” session during their staff training. Ok, we made that number up, but what ISN’T made up is the fact that it’s one of the most important things to learn before starting your summer. This will sound obvious but something that we - and counselors - can easily forget...