Florida 4-H Camp Counselor Training

-Introduction

-What is 4-H Camp All About?

-Camp Counselor Responsibilities and Expectations

Welcome to 4-H Camp!

As a camp counselor, you have the opportunity to gain skills and experience in:

2

• being a role model• teaching younger youth• resolving conflicts• managing time and resources

Welcome to 4-H Camp!

As a camp counselor, you have the opportunity to gain skills and experience in:

3

• keeping campers safe• learning new skills • leading recreational activities• being responsible

What is 4-H Camp All About?

Camp provides youth with opportunities to develop life skills such as:

4

• building meaningful relationships with positive role models• exploration of the environment

What is 4-H Camp All About?

Camp provides youth with opportunities to develop life skills such as:

5

• experiential learning• developing social skills• trying new activities that are safe and fun

Job Description

6

• be at least 13 years of age

• demonstrate emotional maturity and stability to guide in decisions

• be interested in the camp, its traditions and ideals, events and activities, the campers, their ideas, undertakings and problems 

A qualified camp counselor should:

Job Description

7

• be able to sense and assume responsibility without having to be told everything• have previous organized camp experience is helpful• have leadership experience in working with children  

A qualified camp counselor should:

Training Objectives

• communicate the overall expectations of the 4-H camp counselor

• discuss and identify important roles and responsibilities of the 4-H camp counselor

• list the potential consequences of not fulfilling the expectations of the 4-H camp counselor

8

At the end of counselor training, you should be able to:

Training Objectives

• understand all camp rules and the risks associated with campers not following the rules

• identify various physical and emotional needs of campers• identify personal goals and expectations of your own camp

counseling experience

9

At the end of counselor training, you should be able to:

Counselor Responsibilities

Serving as a camp counselor helps older 4-H members to:

10

• develop leadership skills, responsibility, and character

• identify self in relation to others

• develop skills in outdoor living and recreation

• gain experience in working with younger youth

Counselor Responsibilities

When working with campers, remember to:

11

• be friendly• set a good example• explain and enforce all camp rules• be firm• listen to your campers• enjoy camp with your campers

Counselor Responsibilities

12

• The counselor is directly responsible to the camp coordinator.

• Changes from normal routine should be cleared with the coordinator.

• Camp procedures, policies and problems should be discussed with the camp coordinator.

Organizational Structure of the 4-H Camp

Counselor Responsibilities

13

• Volunteer your services to camp or program director for activities in which you have competence.

• Campers’ health problems or injuries are a personal matter and should only be discussed with persons immediately involved with health supervision and first aid.

Organizational Structure of the 4-H Camp

Counselor Responsibilities

When working with campers, remember to:

14

• Be aware of their welfare and the adjustments they have to make to an entirely new and novel situation

• Help campers understand camp rules, health and safety regulations, and table manners

• Be friendly but never partial   

Counselor Responsibilities

When working with campers, remember to:

15

•Be agreeable and firm - not bossy and naggy

•Help campers uphold the traditions and ideals of the camp

•Respect each camper’s personality and their right to have ideas

•Be with your campers or know where they are at all times

Counselor Responsibilities

When working with campers, remember to:

16

• work with campers to maintain a clean camp• enjoy their camp experience with them• help them to feel that they belong to the camp and to the group•set a good example

Counselor Responsibilities

Campers favor counselors :

17

• who are agreeable, friendly, and approachable• who are strict and can maintain order• who participate in all activities with the campers• who are sympathetic and understanding

Counselor Responsibilities

Campers favor counselors :

18

 • who are fair and have no favorites• who are efficient in their assigned work in camp• who are not over-bearing in their assigned work in camp• who are not unnecessarily severe

Counselor Responsibilities

When working with other counselors, remember to:

19

• offer assistance when needed• refrain from negative discussion• set a good example of teamwork• respect the space and property of others

Role of Camp Counselor

• Help to take care of camper’s personal property.

• Watch the shift of friendships within the group and see that no one gets hurt or left out.

• Watch for fatigue – in your campers and in yourself. Go to bed at the same time as your campers at night.

• Help to create a desire for good table etiquette and good manners.

20

Role of Camp Counselor

• Be positive in your statements to campers.

• Help campers to keep comfortably busy and active but not to the point of strain or tension.

• Help campers become acquainted with other campers in your group as soon as possible.

• Help create a good singing camp by participating in camp songs and encouraging all campers to join in.

• Be ready for a rainy day with small group games, stories, etc.

21

Meetings and Camp Evaluations

• attend all pre-camp training sessions• participate in all staff meetings during camp• offer suggestions as camp progresses • turn in all evaluation forms

22

It is very important for all camp counselors to:

Healthy and Safe Campers

• contacts the camp nurse for sore throat, cold, cuts, blisters, sunburn, etc.

• has a good appetite• knows the health and safety

rules• gets enough sleep each night• keeps personally neat and clean

23

Make sure that each camper:

Cabin Counseling

• Act like a counselor-not a camper• Help your cabin members get acquainted with

each other• Give older campers important things to do• Show campers how to keep the cabin clean• Review where important camp areas are

located (dining hall, flag pole, etc.)

24

Suggestions for cabin counseling:

Cabin Counseling

• Help your campers know the camp staff – who they are and what they do

• Talk over any problems that may have happened in a friendly, family type of discussion

• Talk about camp activities and the value of them• Make plans for tomorrow

25

Suggestions for cabin counseling:

Upon Arrival at Cabin

• select a lower bunk that is near the door of the cabin

• urge campers to make their beds before starting to unpack their suitcases

• show them the way in which you would like to have all the beds in your cabin appear – yours should be the example

26

As a camp counselor, you should:

Upon Arrival at Cabin

• explain about sharing the restroom facilities• find the assignments for your cabin and discuss

them with your campers• be sure everyone leaves your cabin to go to each

meal• go over camp rules

27

As a camp counselor, you should:

Upon Arrival at Cabin

• explain that wet towels and swim suits should be hung on the clothes line and brought in as soon as they are dry

• explain cabin clean-up procedures • encourage campers to come to you if they have

questions

28

As a camp counselors, you should:

Cabin Inspection

• neatly made beds

• suitcases placed in safe places

• proper care for wet garments

• items on shelves

• proper disposal of garbage

• shoes placed under the bunks in an orderly formation

• an overall clean and safe living space

29

Explain to campers that cabin inspectors will be looking for:

Mealtime Manners

• takes off his or her hat in the mess hall• chews with his or her mouth closed• holds eating utensils properly• keeps elbows off the table• says “please” when asking for food to be passed

30

At mealtime, a good camper:

Mealtime Manners

• takes only what he can eat and tries a little of everything

• cleans up his plate• eats and talks without too much noise• does not talk with his mouth full• does not stab his food

31

At mealtime, a good camper:

TOP 10 CAMPER RULES

• Always wear closed toe shoes• No candy, gum, and food allowed, especially in cabins• Running on camp grounds in not permitted• No one is allowed at waterfront/ shooting range unless instructed to go

there• No purple, do not cross designated camp lines, opposite sex not allowed

in cabins, no camper is allowed in staff cabins• Be cautious of dangerous objects, ie (rails, seawall, luggage carts)• Always adhere to camp dress code• Be health conscious – take water breaks and apply sunscreen• Be on time!!!• No pranking

32

A Counselor’s Golden Rule

• Abide by the rules and regulations that are being asked of campers. We live by example and very often campers follow the behavior exhibited by their counselor.

• Assume without hesitation any task that may be asked of a camper.

• Remember that nothing great was every accomplished without enthusiasm.

• When asked to help, always answer, “I’d be glad to.”

33