The ability of staff to notice, to be mindful and “in the moment,” is key. One can’t take action if one doesn’t see the need. Health and safety is everyone’s business. Getting staff to use their common sense, to notice, and to take action on what they see is both a staff responsibility and a management challenge. All the best riskreduction strategies in the world won’t make a difference unless they are implemented. Camp staff must appropriately intervene when they notice a health concern — be that for a given individual or in the camp environment. Some, indeed, would call it negligence to do otherwise. Camp leaders, however, are challenged. How does one get staff to “take notice”? Elements to Consider before Staff Arrive Start by assessing the elements of camp that communicate the values associated with health and safety to staff. For example, do performance appraisal tools include statements such as: “How effectively does this staff member manage his/her cabin and/or activity to reduce, if not eliminate, health and safety concerns?” and “How effectively does this staff member manage his/ her personal health to remain effective on the job?” Does the camp director provide summary comments about the camp’s injury-illness events during routine staff meetings? Does the camp have a group of staff who regularly meet to review incident reports, and are results of those reviews made known to staff? Strategies like these clearly communicate that the camp values health and safety. Failure to do things like this means that staff have no routine reminders, don’t routinely hear how things are going, and aren’t held accountable. No wonder they forget. Also, talk with people who oversee various staff members — the head cook, head counselor, waterfront manager, and so forth — to determine how their practices complement the camp’s health and safety quest. Employees won’t follow up if managers are lax in their own practices or neglect to hold staff accountable for risk-reduction strategies. These midlevel managers tend to be returning staff members. Give them the incident reports from last season that pertain to their area and have them set health and safety goals for the upcoming season — goals that will reflect a value on making things better. If a particular area had a healthy and safe season, challenge them to maintain that. Perhaps they can also determine what made that outcome possible. There may be tips to learn for other managers while also reinforcing appropriate behavior for the successful group. Another approach for midlevel managers is to review the “Promising Practices” of ACA’s Healthy Camp Study Impact Report (2011). What might be usable for the upcoming camp season? A growing number of camps now require staff to complete online training prior to arriving for on-site orientation. This is a perfect venue for seeding values associated with health and safety, one that complements the way people learn in today’s world. Invite staff to complete one or more of the online learning modules available through ACA’s Professional Development Center. Several pertain to health and safety (see the sidebar below). In addition, ACA provides the opportunity for camp professionals to create their own online staff training package. Information is avai lable at www.ACAcamps.org/ einstitute/custom-packages. Other trainings are also available. For example, explore what Camp Spirit (http:// campspirit.com/) and the Association of Camp Nurses (www.ACN.org) have to offer. Granted, there may be a cost associated with services such as these, but don’t pass up the opportunity to at least look at what’s available. Camp professionals no longer have to do everything themselves. Supports are out there. These options often invite a conversation to determine the best price structuring for your situation. Getting your staff in the health and safety mood before they even arrive is well worth the investment! Selected Health and Safety Training Resources from ACA’s Professional Development Center (www.ACAcamps.org/einstitute) • A Counselor’s Role in Healthcare • An Ounce of Prevention: Collecting and Using Camp Injury-Illness Data for Program Improvement • Behavior Management That Works: Effective Strategies for Campers with Special Needs • Building a Better Lifeguard • Camp Is for the Camper • Communication in a Time of Crisis • Critical Things Staff Need to Know about Bullying • Critical Things Staff Need to Know about Risk Management • Exploring Technology for Camp Health Services • Lessons Learned from the ACA Crisis Hotline in the Summer of 2013 • Traumatic Head Injuries in Camps and Other Youth Settings continued on page 36 a n ew p e r sp e c t i v e P l a n n i n g a n d c on s u l t i n g f or c amps , r e t r e a t s , a n d ou tdoor c e n t e r s t o h e l p t h em t h r i v e P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E S : Missional, Operational, and Site Assessments Strategic Planning and Development Business/Viability Planning Master Plans & Key Area Plans Design Development & Project Coordination www. k a l e i d o s c o p e i n c . c om 6 1 4 . 4 4 8 . 0 2 6 8 a dmi n@k a l e i d o s c o p e i n c . c om CAMPING magazine • March/April 2014 35
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