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Camp Directors Training Resources

Coming to a Camp Near You: Bullying, Hazing, and Other Fun Stereotypes

Tonya Horvath, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Hamilton County

A video taped during Camp Directors Training featuring a presentation and group discussion on bullying, hazing, camp traditions, counselor training and expectations, and counselor behavior surrounding these topics. (1 hour)

A video taped during Camp Directors Training featuring a presentation and group discussion on the Camp Management Checklist tool, identified challenges and changes at camp including cell phones, counselor training, risks at camp, and tracking campers. Use the Management Checklist Handout as a reference.

See the information flyer for more information. The zoomerang registration survey link will be posted soon.

The Ohio 4-H Camping Priority Team developed a planning management tool entitled Camp Year at a Glance. It includes a timeline of things to do to plan your county 4-H camp program. Items included in the list cover camp counselor training topics, packing lists for supplies and specific workshops, and communication with the camp facility among many others. Check out this new tool. Download it and edit it to individualize for your own needs! Let us know if you find it useful.

Ever wonder the best ways to incorporate the essential elements into camp programming that are necessary for positive youth development? See this fact sheet for suggested deliberate and intentional strategies that can be implemented by Extension professionals, adult volunteers, and teenage camp counselors.

The resources from the camping inservices will be posted here until the camping website it online.

There were two camp counselor research studies recently conducted in Ohio. One study surveyed teens who were serving as 4-H camp counselors (McNeely, 2004) and the other focused on 4-H camp counselor alumn (Digby, 2005). Articles and presentations have been developed reporting on the studies. An article focusing on both studies related to the contribution to the Knowledge Economy with an emphasis on workforce preparation skills can be found by clicking on this link. A summary of the McNeely study can be found in the NAE4-HA research report. The full dissertation on the camp counselor study: McNeely, N. N. (2004). The Ohio 4-H camp counseling experience: Relationship of participation to person, interpersonal, and negative experiences. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State Univeristy, Columbus can be found on the OSU website. The camp counselor alumni study: Digby, J. K. (2005). The experience of a lifetime : alumni perceptions of the development and transfer of life and workforce skills in the Ohio 4-H camp counselor program. Unpublished masters thesis, The Ohio State University, Columbus can also be found with other electronic research reports.