There are less fish in the camp staff applicant pool than ever, so you need to step up your fishing game

Many reports have shown that over the next 10 years, fewer and fewer youth 16-24 will be entering the workforce. This rate has already been in decline for the past 20 years and it seems that more and more, Day Camps across North America are feeling the staffing squeeze as the summer creeps ever closer.

The worry of being under-staffed can be utterly consuming for camp directors, especially those who are hiring 400+ staff each season.

Like all things in our industry, we need to adapt to circumstances in order for our camps to thrive and be full of the leaders of tomorrow. That means that this recruiting season, you need to get creative.

To help you find the best ever, Sam and Andy are joined by Mark Hemmerdinger from Crestwood Country Day Camp in Long Island, Ryan Rosen from Camp Kinneret just north of Los Angeles and Jonathan Nyquist, the founder and current CEO of Camp Canada Inc.

Tune in to hear about:

• Strategies for recruiting counsellors from your current camper base

• How to look outside your camp-sphere for new hires

• Tips for standing out at hiring fairs

• The secret to the perfect follow-up with a staff you are interested in.

• What to look for in potential counsellors, activity leaders and administrators

• Much, much, more!

Please let us know in the comments or by email: daycampquestions@gocamp.pro

If you love the Day Camp Pod, we would be grateful if you subscribed and left us a review. It’s SUPER easy to! Just head to http://ratethispodcast.com/dcp

The Day Camp Program Tip of the Week

Andy: Mid-Season Staff Training
Sam: Bubble Painting
Mark: Star of the Week
Ryan: Creatively teaching campers the power of voting…by shaving the director’s beard!
Jonathan: Themed Bingo

YOUR HOSTS:

• Andy Pritikin, Owner/Director - Liberty Lake Day Camp, past president ACA NY/NJ, partner/founder Everwood Day Camp, founder/past president NJ Camps Government Affairs Project

• Sam Thompson, Recreation Supervisor - Crystal Lake Park District, Vice president ACA Illinois

• Mark Hemmerdinger, Owner/Director - Crestwood Country Day Camp

• Ryan Rosen, Director - Camp Kinneret

• Jonathan Nyquist, founder and current CEO - Camp Canada Inc

Sponsors:

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors who help make this Go Camp Pro podcast possible:

• American Camp Association, NY & NJ   http://www.acanynj.org/

• AM Skier Insurance    http://www.amskier.com/

• Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS)   https://crs4rec.com/

Please review and subscribe!

If you’ve gotten even one good thing from the Day Camp Pod, we would be so grateful if you left us a review and subscribed to this show in your favourite Podcast app.

It’s so easy!

Just click here: https://ratethispodcast.com/dcp

Thanks, Camp Pro!