Camp Administration 101: What’s Next?

Nov 7

Navigating the camp off-season and preparing for what’s ahead

By Jason Schaitz

Whether a camp operates year-round or only over the summer, there will be peaks and valleys in a program schedule. During an off-season, there are several things to catch up on or prepare for the next session.

Take time off. Getting away will allow you to rejuvenate and feel refreshed. Upon return, you will feel more motivated to work and improve programs.
Plan. Off-season time is also planning time, and a plan should be in place for everything. Finalize the next program dates, and review all aspects of the operation to ensure they are ready for the next session.
Evaluate each program and look for opportunities to get better. Create a post-program evaluation, including feedback from staff members and parents. This is a great way to discover what you need to change, update, or improve before the next session.

Research new products and services. Browse catalogs and buyer’s guides, and attend expos to keep up with the latest offerings to see if anything can improve the programs.
Network with professionals in the industry to obtain new ideas in order to stay on top of industry trends. Join an industry organization or online group, or reach out to others in your area. Having a great group of experienced, like-minded professionals not only is beneficial to a program and organization but also helps advance the profession as a whole.
Spend time, effort, and necessary funds to take care of the deep cleaning and maintenance needs of facilities. This item is overlooked frequently because—particularly during camp sessions—it can be costly and time-consuming. However, neglecting problems can snowball into bigger issues or even become a safety hazard. Get ahead of this by addressing concerns as soon as possible.

Market and promote the camp. You won’t think about this much during a camp session, but after it is over, send the dates for the next camp to all current and past participants. Continue to market and promote as registration dates near and the next program begins.
Set aside time for yourself and staff members for training and education. As the organization’s most valuable assets, you and the staff must continue to invest in resources that will help the organization succeed. There are always new things to learn and new ways of doing them, so make improvements when opportunities arise.
Most of these actions are not possible during peak times when you are focused on the successful operation of programs. When they conclude, take the time and make the effort to take full advantage of the off-season; it will pay dividends when programs begin again.

Jason Schaitz is a Parks and Recreation Director with 15 years’ experience managing camps and recreation programs. He also created and manages www.thesummercampsource.com with the goal of providing free resources for any type of camp, afterschool, or childcare program. Take your camp to the next level by visiting The Summer Camp Source and check out the Camp App, Camp Resources, Camp News, and Camp Administration 101 educational series.