The CampHacker Podcast

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You may be a work-horse. You have been the camp counsellor who stayed up until 3 am to finish that extra special surprise for your campers. You may have been the Program Director who spent hours upon hours trying to quash staff drama. You may have even spent the night pouring over accreditation standards and thinking about every little detail you needed to fix before your standards visit the next day.

You may have been able to do that, but COVID-19 and camp is not that.

When we are dealing with something this ominous, we more than ever need to set mental boundaries. We’re not talking about taking a 15-minute mindfulness break, or trying to re-frame this all as an opportunity, or simply trying to just keep working to deal with this.

You need a mental pause, and to take a second to take off the mask of security and strong leadership that you put on for your staff, families and alumni.

And if you think that this is the mindset of amateurs in the industry, it most certainly is not.

We wanted to get real with you on this episode of the CampHacker Podcast. This is Travis, Dan and Joe talking about what they, as people with a combined almost 100 years in the industry are doing to protect their sanity during this unprecedented time in the camping world.

Tune in to hear our 3 hosts share their favourite Podcasts, Books, Music, TV Shows and Hobbies that they use to switch their brains from the mentally, physically and emotionally taxing jobs of keeping their programs, and the industry as a whole, alive.

Editors Note: I’m extremely grateful to Joe, Dan and Travis for their radical openness and vulnerability in this episode. 

What are you doing to intentionally foster community and empathy with your team? Let us know in the comments!

Travis: Custom Zoom Signs - Vote, SMRT, and “You’re Muted”

Dan: Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Joe: Yo-Yo Tricks - https://yoyotricks.com/

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility
• Dan Weir, Sr. Director - Youth Development, Summer Camp, & Strategic Initiatives - YMCA of Long Island

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Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

This is a test of our leadership.

COVID-19 is likely one of the biggest threats to your camp that you, as a director has faced in your camping career.

In times like this, it’s easy to look inward. It’s natural to worry about the money, about the uncertainty of viability if you miss a summer, disappointing children…sorry, we don’t have to remind you of all that you’re worrying about right now.

When things are hard, the sign of a great leader is the one that shows compassion, empathy and care for their staff team. Think about your high school and college-aged staff right now. The prospect of summer without camp is emotionally devastating and they need your help.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not suggesting that you need to sugar-coat things and tell them that everything’s going to be alright. What they need, is for you to walk beside them in their feelings. That may look like being honest with them, to coach them through their feelings, or maybe even simply to take the time to listen to them.

If you want to be strategic about it, think about your staff team in 2021. Do you want to start from scratch, or do you want to have a team of people who loved camp, felt heard, and stayed connected through an emotionally difficult time for you, and them?

This is your time to show them, that no matter what, you, camp, and the community of their peers are here for them.

What are you doing to intentionally foster community and empathy with your team? Let us know in the comments!

Travis: Ruby’s Slack suggestions https://gocamp.pro/blog/navigating-slack-part-3-the-fun-stuff https://gocamp.pro/blog/navigating-slack-part-2-of-3 https://gocamp.pro/blog/navigating-slack-part-1-of-3            

Dan: Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim Grover

Joe: GRR-Ripper 3D Pushblock for table saws - https://www.microjig.com/products/grr-ripper

Gabz: Apple Arcade: What the Golf

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility
• Dan Weir, Sr. Director - Youth Development, Summer Camp, & Strategic Initiatives - YMCA of Long Island
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

This question is a definite punch in the gut.

However, as the COVID-19 situation evolves, we need to consider the very real possibility that we may not see a summer of camp until 2020. 

It sucks. A lot, but if we think of this in the sphere of things we can and things we can’t control, things become a little clearer.

We may not have control over if the summer of 2020 runs, but we do have some control over if camp will survive in the long-run.

Tune in to this episode to hear Gabz, Travis and Joe discuss

In this emergency episode, we discuss:

• What should camp professionals be considering and planning for when there is this much uncertainty in the camp world.
• What are the practical things we need to consider if there is no spring/summer 2020?
• If camp doesn’t run in 2020, what can we do to help camp survive and thrive in 2021?
  • Hint: You probably shouldn’t be relying on the fund you would get from not refunding people’s camp fees or differing them until next summer.
• How to preserve the institutional memory of how camp runs if you’re going to miss a summer.
• How to support your community amidst what will surely be devastating news.

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This is not legal advice, nor does it act as a substitute for keeping yourself up to code with your governmental health regulations. Please act with an informed and current perspective.

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• Go Camp Pro’s COVID-19 & Camp Master Resource Page
• Go Camp Pro’s Camps & COVID-19 (free) Slack team 
• The Day Camp Pod’s COVID-19 Episode from March 20th
• The Camp Owners Podcast COVID-19 Episode from March 31st
• ACA Camp Business Resource Page
  • Webpage on the ACA website with links related to federal and state resources, webinars, articles, etc.

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis: Marco Polo app

Joe: Strange Collections - and why you should share them.

Gabz: Walk and talk - Bose

Your Hosts:

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Many of us didn’t get into this business because we love marketing. 

We do what we do because we believe in the transformative power that the camp experience has on a child’s life. We do it because we want to create communities of inclusion and welcoming for our staff. We do it because we want to create a world of creativity and wonder for kids. 

Well, guess what? You can build those things, but if there are no people to experience it, then what’s the point?  It’s one thing to have an amazing staff, wonderful programs or sparkling facilities, but if we don’t properly tell the story of those things and the way they impact the lives of kids, then we aren’t doing them the justice they surely deserve.  

That’s why every camp director needs to channel their inner sales-person once and awhile.   

And while this isn’t necessarily easy, it doesn’t have to be painful. Not only are there zillions of marketing courses, books and seminars you can take, but there a ton of camps and inner-industry experts that you can look to for advice and examples. 

In this episode of the CampHacker Podcast, Travis, (the Camp Marketing Maverick himself) is joined by two excellent and intentional camp marketers. A big thanks to Jiné Andreozzi and Amanda Hinski for so openly sharing their best practices with the industry in this way.

Tune in to this episode to hear more about:  

• What’s the best foundational advice for camp marketers?  
• As camp is getting closer, what are some of the most effective things we can do to market our programs?
• How to strategically communicate with our families from pre-registration to day one of camp  How do we build trust in the idea of summer camp to those who might not understand it?
• What marketing techniques are being used in the business world that camps can leverage?
• What should we be asking in our end of season survey to most effectively target our advertising? 
• Many more great marketing nuggets!

What are you doing to tell your camp’s story this time of year? Tell us about it in the comments!
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Travis: Board Game - “Welcome to...Your Perfect Home” - https://amzn.to/2UxqTie 

Amanda: “Getting Things Done” by David Allen - https://amzn.to/39B1XdS 

Jiné: Grammarly - https://grammarly.com/ 
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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro
• Jiné Andreozzi, Director of Operations, YMCA Camp Chingachgook
• Amanda Hinski, Chief Brand Experience Officer, Frost Valley YMCA

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)
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Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

As camp people, it’s in our nature to innovate. We are great at looking at routine or program and think, “Hey, wouldn’t this be better if we did this!?”. This is even something that we praise staff for. How many of your evaluation forms list “creative thinking” as a trait that is seen as desirable?

The problem can come when our creative ambitions give us the desire to tweak something that has been intentionally done, without considering or consulting those intentions.

It’s a tricky line to tow. We need to balance our creativity with the fact that routines are important for campers, staff and families. Things that affect our camper’s circadian rhythms, dietary schedules and some of their other Maslow’s needs should be strongly considered before we make a big change.

To help you tow that line between magic and monotony, Travis, Joe and Dan are once again joined by Camp Code Co-Host, Ruby Compton. Ruby’s many years in and around the camp industry have given her a unique perspective on what is up for changing and what should stay sacred this summer.

Tune in to this episode to hear more about:

• How routines affect campers and their families
• How camps walk the line between routine and ritual
• How to set boundaries for staff on what is and isn’t fair-game to change
• What are the important parts of the day that are absolutely necessary to include
• How to inject some creativity into the necessary and the in-between times
• Many, many more great ideas!

What is something special about the flow of your Camp Day? Tell us about it in the comments!

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Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

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Travis: Fireflies.ai

Joe: https://hibid.com/ - Auctions for Camp Stuff

Ruby: The Non-Profit Leadership Team by Fisher Howe

Dan: The Power of Showing Up by Tina Bryson & Dan Siegel

Your Hosts:

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility
• Dan Weir, Sr. Director - Youth Development, Summer Camp, & Strategic Initiatives - YMCA of Long Island
• Ruby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby Outdoors

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find the full transcript and video here

This special edition of the CampHacker Podcast is an interview with Dr. Amy Greer surrounding COVID-19 and what we know, as of March 6th, 2020 and summer camp.

Dr. Amy Greer is one of Canada's top infectious disease specialists and researchers, Dr. Amy Greer and a summer camp alumnus. You can follow her on twitter here - https://twitter.com/AmyGreerKalisz. 

There’s a lot of great information here, and it’s definitely worth the listen.

Some quick takeaways (many more in the recording): 

• Amy asked that we not share this video with our families - the information will become out of date quickly. It was recorded on Friday, March 6th
• You need to be consulting your local Health Department (I assume you're doing this already) for 2 things: what to be preparing now for your medical procedures this summer and making a call closer to this summer about whether/how camp will run
• you should prepare a new procedure this summer to get all families to confirm, no more than 48-hours before camp, that their camper is not symptomatic
• you should be ready with new cleaning/disinfecting procedures this summer. 

We hope you find this interview helpful. If you have any follow-up questions, please forward them to [email protected]

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice, nor does it act as a substitute for keeping yourself up to code with your governmental health regulations. Please act with an informed and current perspective.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Hey Camp Pros, with concerns about the coronavirus and COVID-19, we’re going off-schedule and digging this show out of the CampHacker archives.

Shortly, we’ll be releasing a new episode that specifically focuses on what camp pros should be thinking about when it comes to camp, coronavirus and COVID-19.

Sign-up for the Go Camp Pro newsletter and we’ll send the episode right to your inbox.

From Travis: I have often said that camp would be an amazing place for a public health researcher to take a look at the ways that diseases are spread throughout communities.   I have watched little things like pink eye or head lice (traumatic, but not life-threatening) run through camp in less than a day.

In this episode of the CampHacker Podcast Gab and I were thrilled to bring in Marty Ferguson from YMCA Camp Chief Ouray in Colorado.  Camp Chief Ouray has developed some very smart protocols to protect their camper and staff from diseases that can spread at camp.

We also had John MacDonald, my step-dad, who is a retired Health Inspector from Ontario, Canada.   John has had a long career in the public health field and was always a great resource to Beth and I.     

Thank you to both of them for being on the show! 

Download our Camp Kitchen Compliance Record

We hope you get lots from our discussion.   

If you have any questions about communicable diseases at camp please leave them in the comments below or send us a tweet to @CampHacker using the #CampPros hashtag.

Tool of the Week – Make yourself a better Camp Director

Travis: FocusatWill.com
Gab: Twitter for your desktop
Marty: Season of Life by Jeffery Marx
John: HACCP training

Your Hosts:

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.org
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau
• Marty Ferguson, Director - Camp Chief Ouray (YMCA of the Rockies)
• John MacDonald, Retired Health Inspector

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find the Tools of the Week and more links from this episode at http://camphacker.tv/podcast

Harsh, right? Well, it’s true!

As Camp Directors, one of the biggest disservices that we can do to our staff is to be unclear about our expectations of them. From the application to the exit interview, we need to be clear not only about our expectations but also about what they can expect from the job.

This isn’t to say that you need to lay out every single expectation for every single program at camp. That would be obnoxious and would stifle creativity. The expectations that you should give to staff are the higher-level ones like the quality of work you expect, the work culture, timeliness, communication and other important policies.

Being clear about your expectations is the best way for staff to know instantly where they stand in terms of their performance. If your expectations are clear enough, your staff evaluations become less focused on telling them where they did or didn’t meet expectations, but why they did or didn’t meet them.

Lastly. We need to remember that we are hiring kids and youth to work with us. This may be their first time experiencing the work-force. Let’s all do our best to treat them with respect and grace. You can set and communicate your high expectations without being a jerk.

To help you firmly, yet caringly communicate expectations this summer, Travis, Joe and Dan are joined by Camp Code Co-Host, Ruby Compton! Ruby’s many years in and around the camp industry have given her a unique perspective on how to, and how not to be a great expectation setter.

Tune in to this episode to hear more about:

• Setting the standard of clear expectations throughout the hiring process
• How to clearly communicate your expectations to staff
• Why we, as an industry can be better expectation setters
• How to support staff when they are not meeting expectations

What is something that you do to clearly communicate your expectations? Tell us about it in the comments!

Your Hosts:

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility
• Dan Weir, Sr. Director - Youth Development, Summer Camp, & Strategic Initiatives - YMCA of Long Island
• Ruby Compton, Chief Exploration Officer - Ruby Outdoors

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

Radtagz - Be and Be Known

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis