Putting The Puzzle Together
Lining up all the bits and pieces of staff training
By Kim Aycock
Imagine a 500- or 1000-piece puzzle dumped on a table; some pieces are right-side up, while others are upside down. Each cardboard cutout represents one of the bits and pieces of staff training. It’s a lot—perhaps even overwhelming. Where does one begin to put a staff-training plan together?
© Can Stock Photo / mikdam
Planning staff training takes time. Lots of time. However, there is a systematic approach to doing this. A good place to start with a ginormous puzzle is setting the box with the photo of the finished product front and center so it can be referred to throughout the process. The same is true with staff training. Ask yourself what you want staff to know, accomplish, and be prepared for by the end of the orientation period. Write those expectations on a sticky note, and put it on the computer so you see it (and read it!) every day.
Back to the pile of cardboard cutouts. Start flipping them over so all are facing up. Put a title to some of the pieces you know are important to staff training (order is not important at this stage). Here are a few examples:
Mental health
Rainy-day plans
Staff introductions
Ages/stages of youth development
Camp tour
Bus supervision.
Now put the individual pieces into piles with similar subjects based on how they fit into the bigger picture. For typical staff training, the piles may look like this: priorities, people, place, program, and policies/procedures (AKA all things “P”).
Priorities
What are the topics that are most important for this year’s staff training? Put those into the “priorities” pile. It may be camp culture (mission/vision/values), staff support (a clear picture of success, checking in, two-way feedback), or overall camper/staff wellness (physical, emotional, environmental, spiritual, etc.).
People
Who are the people in your camp community? Include ALL staff (office, kitchen, maintenance, medical, leadership, counselors, program specialists campers, caregivers, alums, visitors, neighbors, and others. Now think of what needs to be known about each subset (getting along as co-counselors, stages of group development, positive behavior management, communicating with parents/guardians, courtesy towards neighbors/community, accessing an alum network for possible internship/job connections).
Place
A camp tour is most likely incorporated early on into staff training; however, is there a behind-the-scenes tour? Do staff members know where the washing machines, the secret stash of Sharpie markers, and the nap room are located? What about the camp’s history? Without going into every detail, knowing the highlights can bring into view the WHY behind the mission, vision, and values. Having staff confidently know the expectations, routines, and boundaries of each location (dining hall, waterfront, health center, etc.) is critical for modeling to the campers once they arrive.
Program
Another “pile” consists of all things related to programs. These include the daily schedule (from the staff and camper perspective—they are not the same!), another round of expectations and routines for each activity area, daily/weekly lesson plans, teaching to multiple age groups and skill ranges within the same class, and for overnight camps, what an evening program entails. Staff should become familiar with camp traditions regarding special events (Color War, Gold Rush, Banquet) and what role they will play in these activities. While it would be nice if outdoor elements were picture-perfect all summer, inclement weather can affect part or an entire day of activities. Staff members need to know how plans will be communicated and what to do for either scenario. If trips are part of a camp program, knowing who goes where, when, and how is all helpful information to include in training.
© Can Stock Photo / michaeldb
Policies And Procedures
Last but not least are policies and procedures. Typically, not the most fun stuff, yet so very important. Possible topics in this category are personnel policies (staff handbook), behavior (handling the typical stuff and who to go to for the rest), medical (health-center resources, promotion of overall wellness, basic first aid, and the scope of what should/should not be handled), emergencies (all the “drills” including but not limited to fire/missing person/active shooter/tornado), and those behaviors that will get one fired (under the influence of alcohol/drugs).
Note: Sample topics listed here for staff training are typical for many camps and may not be inclusive of what must be covered at your camp!
Lock It In
Back to the table with all the puzzle pieces now divided into neat piles. Typically, the next step is to assemble the edges and corners so the border is complete. This is more manageable and less daunting than working from the inside out. Start with anything practical that is already “locked in.” This may be lifeguard training, a guest speaker to talk about reporting child abuse, putting the waterfront together when the tide is favorable, and any non-negotiables. Practical topics may even include teaching staff how to plunge a toilet. (Don’t laugh—you will be glad you did!)
Connect Before Content
A good rule of thumb to position the rest of the pieces once the border is in place is “connect before content.” How can each day start with a connection point for staff members? Continuing icebreaker games is a good way to do that and also gives staff ideas for their “toolbox” once campers arrive. Topics in the priority “pile” should be positioned early and revisited multiple times throughout training. Anything that requires a great deal of attention, such as policies/procedures, should be placed at times when the staff is most alert (probably not right after lunch). Place/program topics often involve movement. Part of the “place” category may also be “prepping” or setting up living/meeting/activity spaces. The nice thing about putting the pieces of staff training into piles (using color-coded blocks on a schedule spreadsheet) is that specific topics for each pile/block can then be moved around as needed.
Play, Pause, Preview
Another consideration is weaving “play” into staff training so the members will know what kids do naturally when at camp. Adding play also increases oxygen flow to the brain. Remembering to hit “pause” frequently so staff members have a moment to process what they are learning or to take a much-needed break is also beneficial. Rapidly cramming large doses of information is detrimental to staff members being able to remember anything, let alone what is necessary to doing the job well. At some point, follow “pause” with “preview” to share a glimpse of what is coming next. If one of the words on that sticky note you read every day is RETENTION, then “play,” “pause,” and “preview” will be key to making that happen!
Obviously, “practice” is important for muscle memory and for forming good habits around camp priorities, connecting with people, knowing the expectations and routines of the place, being an integral part of the camp’s program, and buying into policies and procedures that are vital to the community’s safety. Another important factor is “parceling out” various pieces of staff training to engage others to lead the learning instead of having only a few folks getting really good at the stuff everyone should know.
Over the upcoming weeks, one piece at a time, all the pieces of staff training come together just like the picture on the box. Keeping an eye on the end result and following a set of steps similar to assembling a jigsaw puzzle help to reverse-engineer the process necessary for success. Now, grab that sticky note and set your intentions for staff training this camp season!
Kim Aycock, MST, has several decades of experience equipping young people with skills that robots are unable to do. While blending the talents of a master teacher with the knowledge of a seasoned camp expert, she ignites learning for varying levels of camp pros worldwide through interactive and innovative presentations. Aycock speaks at regional and national conferences, writes blogs and articles on various camp topics, and serves as co-chair of ACA’s Staff Recruitment & Retention Committee and Staffing Summit. For more information, visit kimaycock.com or reach her at kimdaycock@gmail.com.