Every year, dozens of new ideas and activities become popular among youth. Sometimes a television show makes it big and starts a fad (remember the years of Fear Factor and Minute to Win It?); other times a specific activity makes the popular list. (Like when paintball was all the rage ten years ago.) There are even instances of entire fad cultures (the hipster culture). Fads exist for small children (i.e. Minecraft), teens (i.e. One Direction), and even adults (think about the popularity of household blogs among women). Sometimes, it can be a challenge to discern which new trends fit into the fad category and which ones are changes that will be here to stay. For example, when Starbucks arrived on the scene, many people thought it and other gourmet coffee shops were just a passing fad. But the coffee shop business is still going strong; we just don’t actually know for sure how long it will last — and that’s part of the problem when deciding which new trends to embrace. When campers enter your site, you want them to see the camp as a fun, relevant place in which to create good memories and learn great lessons. You want your camp to be a place that connects well with people, and following trends can actually help you do that. They can make you seem more relevant, bring in new clientele, and help enhance your mission. But choosing which fads to follow puts camps in a tricky position. How to Decide Choosing which trends to embrace doesn’t need to be complicated. Our camps have clear missions and goals. When we take the time to think through it carefully, we will be able to easily discern what is in the best interest of our organizations and clientele. To simplify this process, break it down into four questions. These four questions cover the range of new possibilities your camp encounters each season. They are also simple enough that every board member, staff member, and volunteer can help in answering them. 1. Does It Clearly Fit/Aid Your Mission? If the answer to this first question is “yes,” welcome the new trend. Your camp should have a clear mission and goals; if you don’t, you need to get those in order before considering any new concepts or additions to your camp structure. Any camp without clear vision is in a dangerous position. For camps that have clarified these goals, ask whether the exciting new idea or activity helps you to reach your mission, is neutral in enhancing your mission, or detracts from your mission. If the trend aids you, the next three questions can basically be skipped. Your mission should always be the number one priority, so unless following the trend is impossible for your camp at this time, you need to go for it. Anything that your camp comes across to aid in its mission should be harnessed and used for your benefit. The fact that it is a popular trend is simply a happy bonus. For most camps, cultural movements related to environmentalism, justice, and green living fit into this category. These deeply rooted trends may be helpful ways to express love and concern for the world, and after critically evaluating your organization’s goals, you will likely decide that these ideas should be embraced. How these are embraced will look different for each camp, but the general concept will likely look fairly similar. Embracing other new cultural elements, like increasing dependence on technology, could negatively affect your goals, depending on the mission of your camp. Wilderness camps, for example, could be negatively impacted if they began allowing cell phones on trips into the wilderness. Activities like paintball are often mission neutral, unless your camp is connected to a pacifist religious denomination, in which case encouraging the use of even toy weapons could have a negative impact. Knowing your camp and its mission will help you in deciding whether an activity will negatively affect your camp. If you decide that a trend is mission neutral but has enough other benefits to be considered worthwhile, be sure to tie the trend back to your mission
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