Experience Counts No one wants to return to something that was a bad experience. If you go to a restaurant and the food is spectacular but the atmosphere is dark and dirty, you are much less likely to return. Too oſten, at camp, we are so focused on campers that our staff are neglected and overworked. While staff might fully embrace the mission, people


are no longer willing to sacrifice their time and liveli- hood for a company, regardless of mission, if that company doesn’t treat them well. We live in a day and age where there are so many options, we need to pro- vide an environment in which people clamor for more. What do your staff-only events look like? What


are experiences you can provide that they cannot get elsewhere? A question I often ask is, “When your staff are at school next year, what experiences can they not wait to share with their peers?” Lean into what you do best as a camp. Consider


activities that you allow campers to do that can be done differently with your staff, like having a team meeting in the middle of the lake on the Blob. Beyond staff events, how are you pouring into


them? Can you provide a discipleship aspect to your summer program that includes small groups? Is it possible to bring in a speaker just for them? Staff need to know they are cared for and not seen


solely as a labor pool. Your guests are desperate to come back to your program next year. Create a program for your summer staff that they are desperate to return to.


Encourage Climbing In the movies, what makes the best sequels? It’s stories that bring back the main characters we know and love and take them deeper into a new story. Returning staff want to know that they are returning to something they love, but they want the next level from it. Is there something special that only returning staff


can participate in? Do you have a leadership program that steps up every year? Exclusivity is important in today’s culture. What do new staff see returners get that could make them want to be a returning staff also? One effective strategy I’ve observed involves a


supervisor proactively speaking with a staff member about their future. A simple yet profound question like, “What are your plans for next summer?” can have a significant impact. Expressing to staff that they are valued and desired for the upcoming season is not just encouraging but also empowering. Going a step further, tell them you envision them


with increased responsibilities. Tis conversation invites staff to consider their future growth and success within the role. It also integrates them into the program’s future, keeping the idea of returning at the forefront of their minds. 


Staff need to feel cared for and not seen solely as a labor pool.


May/June 2024 www.ccca.org 33


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