Developing kids as leaders

Group, Mar/Apr 2000 by Laine, Burt

We do recruit a few adults to help with the day camp program, but we don't ask them to fill teaching roles. We find one person to serve as camp director and recruit two others to serve in program support roles. We look for people who really believe our young teenagers are capable of planning and leading the camp program.

The adult volunteers learn about their jobs from the junior high counselors. After the counselors plan the day camp program, we invite the adults to the last two hours of their training program. The counselors explain their plan and assign the adults to support responsibilities.

We also recruit adult volunteers for shortterm tasks such as gathering and delivering craft and outdoor cooking supplies to camp.

Their job is to have all the supplies ready and divided up so the counselors can easily do their job. Its also helpful to recruit someone to spend a couple of hours starting charcoal fires for outdoor cooking so the coals are hot and ready to go at lunchtime. While the day camp is in progress, we expect the adults to serve the junior high counselors, not lead the activities.

At a short staff meeting after camp each day, the camp director and adult volunteers encourage the counselors to try new strategies and ideas. They also offer praise and constructive criticism.

Because our junior highers know their leadership is crucial to the day camps success, they're energized and motivated. One counselor's parent told me, "My daughter has been sleeping in until noon all summer, but since the day camp started she's been up and ready to go in the morning before it's time to leave." We've heard similar comments from other parents.

While youth leader Melanie Sprecker was getting a haircut, she overheard women at the shop talking about summer youth programs. Someone mentioned our day camp program: "That day camp was really well run. The thing I liked about it was that the counselors were older kids the children see every day, and they were great role models for my kids. We're not attending church right now, but we're leaning toward that one." Two months after the program, when school was in full gear, parents were still talking about the impact of our day camp on their children.

Long after the camp experience is over, our kids can use the skills they learn in just about any church ministry or community leadership responsiblity. After last year's camp was completed, one of the junior high coundelors joined the worship team to help lead songs for the congregation. Two others became recreation leaders for a local Boy Scout pack. During a hayride for children, three former counselors pitched in to lead games with half of the kids while the other half were on the ride. They also planned an inspirational program for the campfire closing.

Experience translates to confidence in tackling future leadership responsibilities. Our former counselors now think and act like seasoned leaders, because that's what they are.

1 Almost any location that has shelter and restrooms nearby will work for a day camp, including an open field, a vacant lot, the church lawn, or a local park. You can plan for half-days or full-days and a daylong, weeklong, or monthlong format, depending on your resources and your community's needs.