Summer
camp is one of those protected places in life where children
can try new things within a framework of support and encouragement.
It is
difficult to describe what a fun job working at a summer camp
is, as a counsellor it is such a thrill to watch campers do
things that they never thought possible. Being able to influence
the lives of children is one of the most rewarding feelings
imaginable.
Summer
Camp's, usually have a structure and hierarchy which looks
like:
· Camp
Director: It is this persons job to see the overall
running of the camp, they usually have many years experience
in the summer camp environment. The camp director deals
with all the major decisions and issues. · Sports / Program
Director's Program directors job is to organise and oversee
that all the camp activities run smoothly.
· Counselors:
There are two types of counselor's; the general counselor
and the activity-leader. General counselor's usually sleep
in the same cabin as the children, whilst eating with them
in the dining hall.
· CIT's:
Counselors in training, they are usually teenagers aged
17, who are just a year too young to become a counsellor.
They probably have been at camp as campers and now come
and learn the skills which makes a great counsellor.
· LIT's:
Learners in training, these are teenagers aged sixteen,
who are now too old to come to camp as campers, but are
too young to become counsellors. They help out with activities.
· Campers:
These are the children that come to camp and it is your
responsibility they stay safe and have a great time.
American
people are extremely patriotic. Each day at camp usually starts
with the raising of the American flag and when the activities
ended at dinner time the flag was lowered.
The Lonely Planet Guide states: 'despite polemicists who
justly cite the destruction of native American cultures, racism
and imperialism at the top of a list of wrong doings, half
the world still remains in love with the idea of America,
a land where some of the worlds most exciting cities and mind
blowing landscapes are found, and where anything is possible.'(Lonely
Planet, 2003, p190) American culture is like no where else
in the world and is extremely different compared to the European
lifestyle.
In everyday
life you cannot avoid the media's influence, society is literally
injected with the media everyday through the likes of television,
radio, newspapers and political propaganda. When the children
arrive at camp they are transported into a different world.
They are taken away from the media influence, there are no
televisions to watch, or any newspapers and magazines available.
Children at camp are encouraged to be free and make their
own decisions for the time there are there.
Summer
camp provides children with the chance to escape from the
contrived world that is gripped in the media's control. In
our current cultural climate we are quite an anti-social society
humans especially children spend hours sitting in rooms watching
televisions and playing on video games.
Camp helps
campers maintain good health, develop character values, respect
diversity and be more successful in school. At camp historical
communication values are reinforced as children get the chance
to practices speaking to people and making friends.
To learn
more about the USA click
here
YMCA
Camp Philosophy
Summer
camp philosophy is structured totally around the children.
YMCA
Camps use four main principles which are:
Honesty
- To act in such a way that I am worthy of trust. To tell
the truth. To have integrity; making sure my actions match
my values.
Caring
- To love others. To be sensitive to the well being of others.
To help others.
Respect
- To treat others as you would have them treat you. To value
the worth of every person, including yourself.
Responsibility
- To do what you ought to do. To be accountable for your
behavior and your obligations.
