I had the privilege of visiting some camps in Maine this season. It was a new state for me and I was excited to meet our staff as well as the directors of some amazing camps.
Along the way I realized that there are qualities that every counselor we spoke to possess’ and that when hiring staff, you should be on the lookout for these things.
- Honest, up-front, and ask for help when needed.
- Accept all people and have the ability to live and work with people of different backgrounds, including various races, religions and ethnicities.
- Understand the needs and interests of campers, particularly those who are members of minority groups or those who have culturally diverse backgrounds.
- Be able to understand the needs of campers and the camp community and place those needs ahead of personal desires.
- Demonstrate the qualities of good judgment, integrity, initiative, maturity, flexibility, poise, and a mature sense of humor.
- Demonstrate the ability to remain calm, make appropriate decisions, and act quickly and wisely in an emergency.
- Understand and accept the system of camp government and daily living.
- Demonstrate the appreciation of creative outdoor living and the ability to enjoy living in a camp setting.
- Respect others’ personal property as well as camp property.
Yours in Camping,
Adam