Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Thanks for the season, friends! Let’s recap and set some goals for whenever your next summer at camp will be.

Welcome to the season finale of season 2 of First Class Counsellors!

At the end of every summer, it’s important that you, as a counselor take some time to reflect on the many lessons that you learned from the summer.

It’s equally important to think about those lessons in the context of whatever is next.

That was the plan for this episode. We wanted to reflect on our entire season of episodes and think about what stood out as some important lessons or trends as we talked.

Then we planned on using those lessons and trends to help you set goals for the summer of 2020 at camp.

Then - COVID happened. Both Oliver and Matt’s camp communities have been directed to close overnight programs for the summer.

So, as any First Class Counselor would, they adapted and thought about goals that would apply in 2020 whether or not camp was running in 2020 and then how to think ahead to 2021.

Tune in to this episode to hear about:

• Matt and Oliver’s favourite episodes from Season 2 of First Class Counselors
• Some of the most practical skills for counselors in camp and as they think about what’s next
• Some of the biggest trends they spotted in the process of producing this season
• Thoughts on how COVID is going to impact this summer for camp staff
• Goal setting for 2020 and 2021
• News on Season 3 of First Class Counsellors and how to stay in touch over the summer.

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If you have any feedback, or a suggestion for a future FCC show, send Matt an email at [email protected]

Get Ready - Counsellors, do this NOW to level up your counselling skills.

Goals for 2020 and 2021
2020 - If camp is open
Matt: If camp is open, be the best team-player. Camp is going to look different this summer, but it’s your job to have the most fun, ever in the process.

Oliver: You are front-line safety supervisors. You have an incredible amount of responsibility to keep kids safe while still bringing the camp spirit. Treat that responsibility seriously. We thank you for this role you are taking on.

2020 - If camp is closed

Matt and Oliver: Treat this summer as a sabbatical. Work hard to grow your skills and learn more so you can come back without missing a step in 2021.

2021

Matt and Oliver: Come back. Do everything you can to not lose that camp spirit and come back in 2021. Camp, and the kids, will need you.

Bonus Resources

Visit https://www.camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors

Host Links

• Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell
• Matt Honsberger, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Welcome to episode 9 of First Class Counsellors!

As we work give Counsellors the skills they need to be the best they can be, we thought it would be important to talk about what separates the counsellors who may stick around for a summer or two and the ones who may have a long camp career ahead of them.

It can be hard to understand what it means to be professional in the camp setting. After all, our dress code is far from formal, we are encouraged to be loud and crazy, and mentions of quarterly reports are usually substituted for cheers that the next meal is chicken burgers.

That being said, the earlier a Camp Counsellor can figure out what it means to truly transition from a camper to a staff role, the better. These professional counsellors know how to get in the game but not take over, how to make a camper laugh, but also how to have a serious talk when needed, and how to set aside anything that gets in the way of giving kids the best week possible.

In this episode, Matt and Oliver talk about breaking down the top 3 barriers that camp staff face when it comes to being “camp professional”. Tune in to hear more about:

Why the transition between camper and staff or being a new staff can be difficult

How to watch out for and avoid becoming an entitled staff member (because Camp Directors can smell entitlement from a MILE away!)

The importance of staying camper focused even when personal friendships can be a distraction

Lots of practical and useful skills that you and your co-counsellors can use this summer.

As usual, we hope that what we offer to your staff is incredibly useful. If you do send this along, we would be happy to hear about it. Please let us know by emailing Matt at [email protected]

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Get Ready - Counsellors, do this NOW to level up your counselling skills

Oliver: Conference season - get involved. Many conferences look for volunteers. It is a great way to connect with young leaders and established camp pros. Gives a reason to talk.

Matt: Start a camp support network. Email Matt if you’d like to be in on meeting up with another counsellor to talk about their camp and what they’re looking forward to about their summer. Matt will connect you two and you can have the chance to meet up online.

Host Links

Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell

Matt Honsberger, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/first-class-counsellors/taking-camp-home
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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.

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Links from this episode:

• First Class Counsellor Episode - Camp Sick
• Go Camp Pro Newsletter
• Farnham Street - Brain Food Email Newsletter
• ACA Magazine

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E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

• Oliver - Dragon eggs, Fill balloons with water and freeze them. You can also add small prizes.
• Matt - Camp wide-game: Command and Conquer - Video rules

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Host Links

• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

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What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

This is free professional development for your counsellors! We would love your feedback. Please leave your comments below, or, send Matt an email! Thank you!

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

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 subject of grit, it seems to be found in all successful people.

This idea of overcoming obstacles and pushing through tough situations is part of camp. While camp may be fun and full of games it is also a learning opportunity for your campers. This episode, we want to identify areas where grit building can be found on camp and what you as a counselor can do to help in its development.

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Links from this episode:

• HALT - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

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E.G.E.L - Ever Growing Ever Learning

• Oliver: Swaps - Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere. Little craft giveaways. They are made typically on bobby pins and you make them in large quantities as memorabilia. Girls scouts to thank for this one.
• Matt: Space Team - App & Board Game

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Host Links

• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

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What is First Class Counselors?

Camp Directors, this Podcast isn’t for you. It’s time to delegate! First Class Counsellors is for your counselling staff, the ones who are on the ground, playing with kids and changing lives.

Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counsellor skills. These are things every counsellor should know, but that you may not have time to teach in staff training.

Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan and Matt Wilfrd from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counsellors and up and coming staff, who they believe, have the most important job at camp.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

*Please note: First Class Counsellors is moving to it's own Podcast feed. The next episode, releasing on March 26th will not be in this feed. Look for First Class counsellors is your favourite Podcast App and subscribe there!*

How to make the type of friends that will be in your wedding party - at camp!

Welcome to episode 16 of First Class Counsellors!

Matt here. I usually write these posts in the 3rd person, but this episode really hits home for me.

99% of my closest friends are camp friends.

I had a rough high-school experience. I wasn’t able to find a solid group of friends and never really felt like I had a group of people that loved me for who I really was.

Camp changed everything for me.
Because of camp, I found out what I was missing in those relationships at home. Camp people got me. Over the course of one, maybe two summers, I felt like I had a community of people that supported me and that I could turn to whenever I was in need. We stayed connected in the off-season and grew closer and closer with every year.

Fast-forward 13 years. Every person in mine and my wife’s wedding party was a camp person. We spend every new-years together and talk in a group message almost every day.

I’m truly blessed.

Now, not every person’s camp experience will like mine. I had the privilege of being the best friend of the director’s son and I was a long-time camper before becoming a staff member. I wasn’t an international staff member and didn’t have to understand both the culture of camp AND the country I was in.

My privilege aside. I truly believe that camp is one of the best places to make lifelong friends and that’s why we did a whole podcast episode on it.

Tune in to this episode to hear about:

• Why the conditions at camp are perfect for making friends
• How to make friends at camp this summer
• Ways to have great camp friends and still prioritize your job
• A whole lot of other ideas on how to form lifelong connections this summer

We hope you enjoy this episode, and most importantly, find it useful!

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If you have any feedback or a suggestion for a future FCC show, send Matt an email at [email protected]

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Get Ready - Counsellors, do this NOW to level up your counselling skills

Oliver:

• Get a BUNCH of high-quality stickers! People love putting them on their water-bottles and you can use them as rewards for people remembering their water-bottles.

Matt:

• Get yourself a good backpack for this summer. In Matt’s camp bag, you’ll always find:
  • A mini first aid kit
  • A GOOD raincoat
  • Deck of cards or small board games
  • Hackey Sack or small ball
  • Waterbottle & Coffee Mug
  • Extra socks
  • Granola bar if you’re allowed

Host Links

• Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell
• Matt Honsberger, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro