Tools for Tapping an Intercultural Gold Mine - international counselors

Camping Magazine, May, 2001 by Bill Harwood

Integrating international staff into your camp program

Each summer U.S. summer camps employ approximately 25,000 international counselors, nearly 20 percent of the total counselor population. When these counselors play an active role in the camp community and share their customs, language, music, and way of life, they give incredible gifts of knowledge to staff and campers alike. This is an incredible bonus for camps, one that can enhance the camp environment and even improve a camp's marketability.

How can your camp achieve international harmony? The following guidelines will go along way toward achieving a mutually beneficial international camp experience. Your efforts will improve your overall camp-international staff relations.

Checklist for a Great International Summer

The first half of the list includes basic guidelines for every camp. The second section covers optional items for those who wish to go the extra mile.

* Think of yourself as an international counselor. The first thing you should do is place yourself in your international visitors' shoes. If you were spending the summer at a camp in another country, what would you hope to gain from the experience?

* Hire staff from a variety of countries. The more countries represented at your camp, the more interesting your activities. This also decreases the chances of segregation (many people from one country tend to flock together). It's also more fun for American and international staff to get to know peers from around the world.

* Establish a relationship before arrival. Making the staff member feel welcome before they even arrive in the United States helps set the tone for a great stay and improves the chances for ongoing communication. Easter Seals Camp Kysoc, in Carrollton, Kentucky, prepares Kentucky gift boxes and mails them to staff along with camp information. Many camps, including Camp Sonshine, in Silver Spring, Maryland, call potential staff members before hiring them to make sure they are a good fit. It's also a good idea to maintain contact after your initial conversation and until the summer begins. In your welcome packet, encourage staff to bring items from their home country to share at camp.

Although these calls and letters may seem like too much extra work, the benefits are enormous. Carole Paterson of Frost Valley YMCA Camp, in Claryville, New York, sums up the rewards, "It is so important for camp directors to invest in international staff just as much as they are investing in American staff. Having internationals join a camp community requires commitment ... What time I spend prior to camp talking with and writing to staff in other countries is returned tenfold the moment they arrive here beaming with excitement to be a part of a community as unique as summer camp.

* Active1y incorporate staff into your community. It is absolutely essential to treat international staff with the same respect as Americans. Heather Gordon of Gwynn Valley Camps, in Brevard, North Carolina, says, "We make a point of including all staff in camp. I know this sounds simplistic, but we operate as a community and in that respect there are no differences....Inclusion is the cultural norm here." Unfortunately, some camps do segregate international staff, which ultimately undermines the possibility for positive intercultural experiences.

There are many ways you can make international staff feel like a useful member of the camp community. Sarah Homer of Tom Sawyer Camp, in Altadena, California, says, "We introduce all of our international staff to our American staff at the start -- and make a big deal about it. Our veteran staff are great at welcoming and cheering for them." Camp Friendship, in Palmyra, Virginia, has an international morning or evening during staff training. The international staff create displays, cooking demonstrations, dances, songs, and games. "When American staff see the variety of talents available, programs for the campers develop," says Linda Pullium, director emeritus of Camp Friendship. This professional interaction between staff fosters teamwork, communication, and better programs for campers.

* Incorporate international activities into the regular routine. International activities -- led by your international counselors -- can easily be woven into the camp schedule. Tom Sawyer Camp has their counselors sing native songs and teach some of their language, games, and traditions. Camp Friendship has a mini-university on Saturdays, when international staff are encouraged to teach languages or activities from their countries. They also have an international day each summer and have a flag for each staff and camper from other nations posted in the dining Gwynn Valley Camp has a weekly international day, including songs, special foods, cabin skits, sports, games, and activities.

Carole Paterson says her own enthusiasm for the international element inspires everyone else's interest. "I have found that the enthusiasm that I radiate is contagious, therefore making unit leaders and other staff excited about learning about other countries," she says. This excitement in turn spawns creative ideas and activities, for example, all-camp Olympics with teams representing staff members' native countries.