A Staffing Nightmare 'HINT' from Joanna Warren Smith
It's a Tough Summer Camp Staffing Year!
Directors around the country agree that this year is already evidencing itself as a 'Staffing Nightmare'. They are diligently working and I thought a few alternative suggestions might be helpful.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Provide Tools to Your College Ambassadors. Invite 'Super Star' Staff to identify good candidates in their schools. Give them posters, business cards and pizza party stipends to help you spread the good word about working at your camp. Provide them with a Staff 'Benefits Package' for them to share. And let them know that for every referral who is hired and fulfills their contract, that you will pay them a fee.
Outreach to Great Campers Who Are Now of Staff Age. Invite them to consider applying. You don't want the suggestion to imply automatic acceptance since they still have to be fully interviewed and vetted, but it may be a population you haven't tapped yet. Thanks to Lucia and Dave Thoensen at Tamarak Day Camp for this approach and for their 'Thanks a Latte' Starbucks Card that goes to staff who refer other staff.
For more staffing methods, read my Camping Magazine article. https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/camping-magazine/camp-staffing-we-can-avoid-crisis
Want help creating a poster for your staff to use at their schools, call 310-451-1876 or email me at campconsulting@roadrunner.com
(Note from Travis: We are so thrilled to be posting the always brilliant HINTS from camp consultant Joanna Warren Smith! If you don't already you should sign up to receive these HINTS in your email - in the left-hand column of Joanna's website: http://camp-consulting.com/)
