Managing youth behavior is a challenge for many youth program providers and a significant source of stress for directors and staff who are not prepared. This webinar provides specific strategies for effectively managing camper behavior with an emphasis on the needs of campers with different abilities. The translation of strategies for staff training will be stressed.
Protecting Youth and Camps: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Stop It Now! is a a global leader in preventing child sexual abuse providing unique one-stop-shop for resources and services to help youth, parents, adults, and youth serving organizations prevent child sexual abuse before a child is harmed, including child to child sexual harmful behaviors. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the Stop It Now! program and resources, including WhatsOK for youth, encouraging a hopeful perspective that views child sexual abuse in youth serving organizations is preventable, not inevitable – and can be managed by actively addressing both behaviors and environments where children are vulnerable early, with safety plans and organizational polices, professionals strengthen children’s protective factors.
Enhancing Camp Safety & Security: Federal Resources & Best Practices for a Safe Learning Environment
Enhancing Camp Safety & Security: Federal Resources & Best Practices for a Safe Learning Environment
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
This recorded webinar addresses the complex set of dynamic and evolving security risks summer and year-round camps face. The presenter shares research-informed strategies and recommendations that enhance safe and supportive learning environments through collaborative, holistic, and actionable approaches.
The webinar focuses on the information, resources, guidance, and evidence-based practices available from the federal government on a range of safety topics and threats. Members of the camp community will also learn about federal resources and guidance to prevent targeted violence, encourage bystander reporting, promote online safety, and respond to threats of violence.
Building Safe Spaces for Campers and Staff, Abuse Prevention
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Whether you are a Camp Director, Educator, Aquatic Staff or Camp Counselor, this webinar will provide you with valuable resources and actionable insights for building a safer summer. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with our experts, making this a truly engaging and informative experience.
Crisis Communications — All of the Accidents, Traumas, and Challenges of Summer
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Join us to get up to date on triaging crisis communications, identifying your spokesperson, and determining your audiences. Come and learn more about responding to media inquiries and how to determine if a situation will require professional help. We’ll share practical direction for camps on how to establish your crisis communications plan, how-to steps on what to do, and most importantly what not to do. We’ll also share best practice examples of communication with parents, staff, campers, and the communities we serve. Ultimately, you will gain new insight on managing social media crisis, threats, and trolls.
Creating a Culture of Abuse Prevention at Camp
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Abuse prevention at it’s core is creating a camp environment where staff, campers and caregivers know that the organization not only has policies and procedures in place to prevent abuse but, knows the steps and actions to take to mitigate abuse before it happens. This webinar is for the camp professional who is eager to learn more about understanding what you can do this summer to create a proactive environment around abuse prevention. Together we’ll learn more about the policies, education, and communication needed to create a roadmap to better serve campers, and staff this summer and beyond.
Key takeaways will include having a better understanding how an abuse prevention roadmap is an excellent form of risk mitigation and a way to create safe spaces.
The Role of Just Culture in Safety at Camp
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
What is Just Culture? Why is it important? How does it influence safety? And what does it have to do with my camp? This workshop will address these questions. We’ll explore how Just Culture is defined, its interconnection with broader safety culture, and its connection to systems-informed risk management. Participants will leave with an understanding of how to assess and improve the presence of Just Culture in their camp, and how this can improve their safety outcomes.
A U.S. Secret Service Agent’s Guide to Creating Safe Camps
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
This webinar is meant to provide participants with concepts to proactively develop and/or improve safety and security at their camps and outdoor venues. The presentation will include discussion about threat assessments of facilities, continuity of operations planning, standard operating procedures, training for staff, and other important features. Participants will feel that they can proactively and positively promote a safe and secure outdoor venue without imposing on the serenity and ambiance of their location.
Presenter: Jason Wells
CEC's: 1.0
Camp Risk Management Tips That Are Sure to Make Your Insurance Company Happy!
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Having good risk management practices at camp can help produce a positive camp experience, and also help reduce the likelihood of you needing to file a claim with your insurance carrier. What better way to learn what insurance carriers might expect from your risk management program than listening to an experienced insurance loss control specialist? Risk management strategies need to support camper and staff safety, protect property, and help facilitate business continuity.
Presenter: Michael Swain
CEC's: 1.0
Camp Staff Safety in the Age of #MeToo?
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
It is a story that has been unfolding for over a year: the exposure of often long-standing sexual abuse and harassment of both male and female victims by mostly men in various positions of power. Camps have done a terrific job of creating a safe environment for campers. What is needed now is a clear, nuanced approach with staff that distinguishes between healthy interest and unwanted advances, overtures or worse. This timely webinar is aimed directly at staff. Markel is giving all camp professionals the opportunity to preview it this May! It can be shown to your own staff during orientation and it comes with a guide for directors for creating a powerful, clear training that has universal application to camps far and wide. Harrassment is an issue that will be on the minds of staff everywhere. This thoughtful presentation and the training guide by Bob Ditter will help you be ready!
Presenter: Bob Ditter
CEC's: 1.0
Non-editing teacher: Matthew Frohnhoefer
Child Protection 101: Responding as a Camp Professional
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Being prepared for risks a camp may face during the summer is an important component of a good risk management strategy. Understanding historical trends and emerging issues can help with the preparation process. This workshop will analyze some of the historical loss activity that has occurred in a camp setting, exam some of the emerging risk management concerns camps will face during the summer, and offer a risk manager's insights on steps camps can take to control these issues to help support a positive camper experience.
Presenters: Linda Ebner Erceg, RN, MS, PHN and Ann Franke, Esq.
CEC's: 1.0
It Can Happen to You: 10 Things You Can Do to Tighten Security at Your Camp
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
With 3 sites, 14 individual day camps, 500+ acres and more than 5000 campers and staff on our grounds each day, the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds has spent the last 5 years focusing on its unique security challenges. In doing so, HKC has become a leader in camp security. At this session, hearing from the perspective of a camp professional as he talks about the improvements HKC has made in securing the grounds and what they’ve able to do with a limited budget, you will walk away with at least 10 new implementable ideas for ways you can improve security at your camp.
Presenter: Lenny Silberman
CEC's: 1.0
Keeping Camps on Campus Healthy: Best Practices and Suggestions to Minimize Illness and Outbreaks at Camp
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Each year camps across the country are faced with the challenge of keeping campers and staff healthy while living and working in close quarters. Come learn from medical experts and longtime camp staff to help you put best practices in place to help keep your campers and staff healthy and participating in camp activities.
Learner Outcomes:
- Learn what can be done before camp begins to reduce the likelihood of an outbreak.
- Learn what good practices to put in place that help minimize the spread of illness.
- Learn how to handle an outbreak on camp.
Presenters: Dr. Michael Ambrose, MD and Tim Huchton
CEC's: 1.0
MESH Health Fair Series
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Sensitively responding to campers and staff with MESH (mental, emotional & social health) needs can be challenging. Balancing the desire to be as inclusive as possible with the reality of your camp’s capacity and the fact that most camp staff are not mental health professionals often creates a tough push-pull situation. This is exactly the focus of ACA’s Healthy Camps Committee. The content of this presentation is designed to build out your toolbox so you are more comfortable assessing and working with both MESH information and the people who have challenges in this area. The session includes orientation to a new tool, “Assessing a Camper’s Behavior of Concern.”
Presenters: Erceg, Soule, Winthrow-Clark, and Amylon
CEC's: 3.0
MESH Proactive Camps: What Are Their Secrets?
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Are you challenged by mental, emotional and social health (MESH) needs of campers and staff? Would you like to add to your understanding and skills of this challenging topic? While wanting to be inclusive, camp professionals also balance the MESH capacity of their camp, the expertise of staff, and the nature of the camp’s program with the MESH needs of camp participants. Addressing this concern is a focus of the Healthy Camps Initiative. Led by two members of this group, the webinar highlights strategies identified by the initiative. If MESH concerns challenge your leadership, then this is for you!
Learner Outcomes:
- Identify strategies that address both camp and personal MESH concerns; and
- Improve staff processes to pro-actively address and support MESH elements.
Presenters: Linda Erceg and Tracey Gaslin
CEC's: 1.0
Practicing and Teaching Mindfulness
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully "present," right here, right now. It's the opposite of mind-FULL-ness, or feeling constantly distracted. Camp offers the perfect setting to teach and practice these skills. The benefits include decreased stress, improved problem-solving, and more positive relationships. Learn techniques appropriate for any age and setting.
Learner Outcomes:
- How to define, practice, and teach mindfulness
- Benefits and application of mindfulness in camp and year-round
- Techniques to incorporate mindfulness in multiple settings
Presenter: Susan Fee
CEC's: 1.0
Preparing for Risks This Summer
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Being prepared for risks a camp may face during the summer is an important component of a good risk management strategy. Understanding historical trends and emerging issues can help with the preparation process. This workshop will analyze some of the historical loss activity that has occurred in a camp setting, exam some of the emerging risk management concerns camps will face during the summer, and offer a risk manager's insights on steps camps can take to control these issues to help support a positive camper experience.
Presenter: Michael Swain
CEC's: 1.0
Remain Calm: Diffusing Angry People
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
When confronted by an angry person, two common reactions are to run or attack, but neither is effective. Arm yourself with tools to de-escalate an angry person, and learn how to effectively respond to intimidating behavior, lying, accusations, and threats.
Learner Objectives:
- De-escalate an angry person.
- Respond to threats, lies, and intimidating behavior.
- Monitor for signs of potential violence.
Presenter: Susan Fee, M.Ed.
CEC's: 1.0
Trans Two: The Next Level
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
Camps have had exposure to learning more about serving transgender campers and staff, but what happens when you still face questions and challenges in this developing topic? This session will go beyond the basic transgender 101 and take the second step in learning about common situations camps might be dealing with. We will dive deeper into questions camps are experiencing as they become more inclusive of transgender campers and staff. Receive information on policy development, review case studies and identify resources specific to your camp, board and stakeholders.
Presenters: Jessica Weissbuch and Kayla Ryan Weissbuch
CEC's: 1.0
Trauma-Informed Care at Camp
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
In ACA’s 2017 Emerging Issues Report, the top issue facing camps is campers’ Mental, Emotional, and Social Health (Browne, Bialeschki & Wilson, 2017). Considering national statistics of childhood adversity, this is no surprise. The Center for Disease Control reports that 64% of individuals experience one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) before reaching 18 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). When ACA reaches their goal of serving 20 million campers in 2020, they’ll be providing care for 12.8 million campers impacted by trauma. During this webinar, the National Director of Camp HOPE America, a national camping and mentoring program specifically for children impacted by the trauma of child abuse, family violence, or sexual assault, will give participants a general overview of trauma and its impact, explain how trauma-informed care can be approached within a camping context, and offer practical solutions, techniques and approaches. These tools will empower leaders at camp to care for campers who have faced adversity, and to adequately equip and train their staff to do the same.
Presenter: John Hamilton
CEC's: 1.0
Wildfires in the West
Course categoryHealth, Safety, and Risk Management
The threat of wildfires impacts camps in the west more each year. This webinar explores wildland fire preparation, response and recovery from four critical perspectives: Public Policy, Fire Service, Insurance and Camp Experience. Our panel of experts will answer your questions and provide insight and practical information for camps to proactively manage the risks associated with wildfire. We will also dedicate time for participants to share their own knowledge and learn from each other in a virtual meet up discussion at the end of the event. This program is designed with western region camps in mind and all are welcome.
Presenters: Wildfires in the West Team
CEC's: 1.0
Cultural Appropriation — What You Need to Know
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Make NASA & STEM Part of Your Camp This Summer!
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Experts from NASA will present a sample of STEM resources for formal and informal educators. They will cover a program specifically meant for camps, as well as materials on the themes of engineering, technology, and science (Earth and space). They will also provide URLs for additional materials in those themes.
Creating Inclusive Camp: Unpacking the tools and strategies for summer
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
The Inclusive Camps Tool is designed to help you and your camp identify the work you already do to make your camp an inclusive space. It does this by supporting you in identifying where you are on a five-stage scale of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) advancement from “Not yet started” to “Launched” to “Leading.” From this scale, camps will have a good idea of what they can do to advance their DEI work. You will have the opportunity to examine how the stages of advancement look in what we have designated as four areas of influence. By the end, we hope that camps can identify potential for implementing DEI work at any level.
By utilizing the ACA’s “Creating Inclusive Camps” tool, individuals who participate in this webinar will be able to discuss building relationships with individuals and communities as a collective. By focusing on history, policy & practices, and systems thinking, the group will be able to discuss how our day-to-day actions create impact and the value of creating gradual change that will improve outcomes and develop strong relationships.
The Celebration of Difference in Camp!
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Join us for a presentation on the benefits of celebrating differences in the camp bubble. Within any group of campers and staff comes a great deal of diversity and difference. The great equalizer of these differences is the sharing and understanding of them within the camp community. During this interactive discussion, we will learn together:
- The benefits of understanding these differences in advance of camp
- Using staff training to create the culture
- Techniques to get campers talking about their differences
- The benefits of learning from each other’s differences
Learner outcomes
During this interactive discussion, we will learn together:
- The benefits of understanding these differences in advance of camp
- Using staff training to create the culture
- Techniques to get campers talking about their differences
- The benefits of learning from each other’s differences
Presenter Bio
Our host, Jonah Berger, is a Camp Director, author, and motivational speaker with a physical disability who has used his challenges to help others to share their own. He has brought this culture to the camps he has directed for over 3 decades and seen the benefits of this culture in making all campers feel welcome and able to absorb the full experience. We plan to make this a group discussion using examples from the participants’ experience to teach this concept. Every camp can learn and grow by
creating a culture that celebrates difference. Come ready to be inspired and take that inspiration back to your programs this summer!
Behavior Management That Works! Effective Strategies for Campers with Special Needs
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Gen-Y At Camp: How to Understand, Manage, and Increase Resiliency in Millennial Camp Staff
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Gen·er·a·tion Y (noun):
Generation Y; plural noun: Generation Ys; AKA: Millennials
1. the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s, comprising primarily the children of the baby boomers and typically perceived as increasingly familiar with digital and electronic technology.
2. the people largely comprising staff at camps across America, often (unfairly) called “entitled, whiners, or snowflakes” by older generations.
Gen-Y (also known as Millenials) are members of the workforce born in the mid-1980’s to about 2005. This age group is often saddled with a reputation of being hard to manage, emotionally fragile, and entitled. Camp executives around the country describe their young staff as having unrealistic expectations, insisting that every moment of their job at camp be fun, easy, and personalized — or else they’ll leave mid-session and go home.
Yet, Gen-Y brings so many positives to our camp programs. Energetic idealism, savvy communication, and adept teamwork skills come naturally to most members of Gen-Y. How can we learn to effectively manage, mentor, and maintain our young staff to receive these benefits camp-wide?
This webinar will look through a generational lens to better understand, manage, and increase resiliency in our Gen-Y staff. My goals are to first Divide our group into understanding the unique strengths and weaknesses that come with being raised in our personal generation's culture and norms. Next, we will Unite our group once more with the commonalities of goals and purpose that we share, no matter age or background. Finally, we will take a specific look at how to Manage Gen-Y’s needs, as we, the old, ancient folks in management, can more accurately design programs, meet needs, and motivate for employee retention and camper loyalty.
Presenter: Beth Jenson
CEC's: 1.0
Integrating STEM into Your Camp Activities with NASA
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Add to your camp’s lineup of activities — or enhance existing strands — with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) resources from NASA. Hear how one camp enhanced its summer program to include astronomy. Explore NASA’s new online catalog for resources that will have your campers making scientific instruments out of common materials, harnessing the energy of the Sun to roast s’mores, exploring nature, and more! Learn how to bring local expertise into your camp for stargazing.
Presenters: Keliann LaConte, Lindsay Bartolone, Ryan Rosen, and Suzanne Gurton
CEC's: 1.5
Managing Difficult Camper Behaviors
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Some kids have behaviors that are difficult to manage, especially during group situations. If you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself growing irritated, losing, patience, and getting resentful. It’s important for all staff to agree on what is considered acceptable or inappropriate behavior and respond in a consistent, fair manner.
Presenter: Susan Fee, M.Ed.
CEC's: 1.5
Non-editing teacher: Matthew Frohnhoefer, Melissa Riemer
Practical Tools for Addressing MESH Needs at Camp
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Camp participants and staff experience a range of emotions throughout camp. Some emotional responses are the normal reaction to a new situation while others struggle from a diagnosed condition. Camps must identify strategies to address the mental, emotional, and social health of youth (including staff) during the program. Facility design, programmatic structure, and staff focus are a few ways that camps are beginning to address MESH-related concerns. This session addresses MESH concerns by sharing practical tools for working with individuals that experience MESH issues.
Presenters: Megan Owens, Alli Faricy, and Cori Miller
CEC's: 1.0
Quirky Kids: What We Can Do When a Kid Doesn’t “Fit”
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Every cabin/group has a Quirky Kid or two… these are campers who tend to act, do, and socialize differently from their peer. Quirky kids often don’t pick up social cues, or else alienate friends with impulsive, spacey, or explosive emotions. Keeping Quirky Kids following camp rules can be a nightmare for a new counselor. And they just can’t stop talking about Magic the Gathering.
Presenter: Beth Johnson
CEC's: 1.0
Sensing Belonging This Summer
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Join us for a TED Talk style webinar highlighting the Belonging in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEIB). Together, we’ll spend time thinking about creating a sense of belonging for campers and staff sharing ways camp professionals can engage between now and the start of summer 23’. Learn from our expert, Dr. Anthony Kane who will share his own experiences at summer camp related to his personal journey of belonging. Together in this webinar our attendees will find the inspiration and motivation to cultivate a sense of belonging amongst campers this summer that will create a safe, and quality experience for all.
Presenter
Dr. Anthony Kane Jr. is an experienced Student Affairs professional with critical expertise in belonging, social/emotional counseling, and student development. Currently, Anthony serves as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Saint Vincent College.
Non-editing teacher: Ariel Strasser
Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) In the Camp Environment
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Camping and leisure activities are important for all of us, including individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This webinar will begin to identify the benefits of having children with ASD and their peers in an inclusive camp setting. We will explore how a camper with ASD might think and introduce a practical peer program called “PAWSS” to support the social interactions at camp. Strengths and challenges of serving campers with ASD will be problem solved and myths will be discarded.
Learner Objectives:
- Have an increased understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- Be introduced to the “PAWSS” Peer Program to support social interaction at camp.
- Name three simple ways to support individuals with ASD at camp.
- State two benefits that campers and staff will experience by including people with ASD into camp.
Presenter: Kathleen "Mo" Taylor
CEC's: 1.0
TOP TRAINING TECHNIQUES: Fast & Effective Ways to Increase Staff Learning
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
The number one best-selling author in camp training has packed this session with terrific activities and training methods that are easy to use and can be plugged into your existing training right away. Save many hours of time by using these highly acclaimed, practical techniques. Increase staff attention, participation, and retention.
Presenter: Michael Brandwein
CEC's: 1.0
Traversing Complex Emotions: MESH Findings for the Path Ahead
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Since the onset of COVID-19, researchers have expressed considerable concerns about the state of our individual and collective well-being. Studies suggest challenges across all generations. Given these trends facing the camp community, the Alliance for Camp Health surveyed camp health care providers and directors to provide clarity on next steps and discoveries to reshape our future. Presenters in this session will share preliminary findings from this survey and provide participants with evidence and stories of the MESH experiences of youth and staff in a national, representative sample of camps. We will discuss the importance of MESH and how to better prepare and navigate your camp through youth, staff, and parent scenarios this summer.
Trip Leader Training for Summer Staff: How to Prevent Trip “Trip-Ups”
Course categoryYouth Development and Programming
Camp Leadership Bundle: Build, Grow, Sustain
Course categoryBusiness of Camp Institute
This package includes all nine recorded webinars from the 2025 Business of Camp Institute virtual series! Designed specifically for camp professionals, this series features expert-led sessions that will help you elevate you and your camp! Each 90-minute webinar includes a presentation from an industry expert and includes the following topics.
- Work/Life Balance and Support of Year-Round Staff
- Understanding the Gen Z Staff
- Succession Planning
- Mental Health (MESH) for Year-Round Staff
- Year-Round Camp & Retreat Rental Panel Discussion
- Insurance Panel Discussion
- Fundraising & Development
- Site & Facilities
- Inclusion & Belonging at Camp
Breaking Down Inclusion & Belonging at Camp
Course categoryBusiness of Camp Institute
Five Key Strategies for Master Plan Success
Course categoryBusiness of Camp Institute
Business of Camp Institute - Fundamentals of Fundraising
Course categoryBusiness of Camp Institute
Business of Camp Institute - Insurance Panel Discussion
Course categoryBusiness of Camp Institute