Is training still required/offered for camp counselors?

[Kenya]

Just curious? Used to be called CIT? or MIT?

[Kenya]

Is no one else concerned about putting young people in charge of little ones for a week who have no training or experience in this area?

[THE RAzEr]

Just curious? Used to be called CIT? or MIT?

It is my understanding, that it is now called GIT. The idea being the leaders are now called Group leaders and not Couselors. I believe there were legal or insurance reasons for the change, but I am out of the loop on the camping program. I put in my 35 years working in aspects from Coordinator to kitchen garbage man.

I do not know the extent of the training one undetr goes. When I started as a Counselor, I was 14. I had 14 in my cabin. They were 14 and 15 year olds. I di get in the CIT program at 16, but I had been a Counselor about five times by then.

Those were the days.

Hey today I got an OFFICIAL Goverment Couseling Certification. Goes with all the UNOFFICIAL ones I reckon.

I was certified once by COGOP Camping in KY. They Certified me an IDIOT. That is signed by some special folks. It use to hang beside my Bishop's license when I use to hang Bisop's license on the wall!

KID"S, I love them! Camping, one of the greatest things ever!

Ray

[Kenya]

Great, at least I got a response. Now, let's see if i can get an answer to my question. Is there still a class taught for group leaders?

One of my "kids" has agreed to be a "group leader" with one of his friends and neither of them has had any training that I know of. I just wondered if this is safe???

[Pastor Gary]

You may not be getting an answer because there is no universal answer. I suspect that each state/area camping program has differing procedures and requirements. In my 30 or so years of camp leadership I offered (and required) some minimal training, but there were years when the choice was a last-minute, imperfect, not-prepared staff or no camp at all; those years we prayed and did the best we could.

[Kenya]

You may not be getting an answer because there is no universal answer. I suspect that each state/area camping program has differing procedures and requirements. In my 30 or so years of camp leadership I offered (and required) some minimal training, but there were years when the choice was a last-minute, imperfect, not-prepared staff or no camp at all; those years we prayed and did the best we could.

Lots of prayers going up next week! lol

[darylscook]

We usually have a staff training session. Additionally, I try to use 1st time Cabin Leaders as SITs (staff in training) the first year or 2 that they work. They are in a cabin with one or 2 seasoned Cabin Leaders and learn from them that year.

Pastor Daryl

[stevenson]

I didn't nswer because RAzER and Pastor Gary answered it perfectly!

[EagerBeaver]

We mulled calling our group leaders in training, Cabin Leaders In Training but figured for politically correct reasons that would not have worked well.

The opposite happened to me last year in fact...instead of me having no experience and being thrown into the fire, I had three years of youth ministry experience and was a group leader in training (at age 23!).

PG did say it best, there is no universal answer to your question.

[Kenya]

They are in a cabin with one or 2 seasoned Cabin Leaders and learn from them that year.

Pastor Daryl

Maybe that's what is planned. That makes me feel a little better. I don't know that turning them loose would be the best idea - but with supervision would probably be a good experience.

[Paully_44]

In Washington, they are called Group Leaders In Training. First timers are paired with someone who has worked in the past.

We also have a 1 day camp focus meeting where the workers of each camp meet with the director, go over the rules, get a firm understanding of expecations and helps regarding life in the cabin as the leader both physically and spiritually.

[DaJudge]

In Washington, they are called Group Leaders In Training. First timers are paired with someone who has worked in the past.

Do you call them G.L.I.T.'s?

[TC]

Kenya, there is some training, and in the next week (4 days) the campers are like 4 to 1 to staff so that will help. Also if they have never worked in camps before they will be with others who have.

Henry Griffin is the new CO, and he is a real teaching person so I look for more training to come. Also I think that last week they actually had some classes during the week as well.

I hope that answers more directly

[Penny]

kENYA-

I do not think we have any thing like that-

We have a youth camp week end, but many do not come up for that.

I think all new staff are paired with an older one when working in the cabins.

[DeWayneTN]

Kenya, are you worried you'll get a letter like this?

Dear Mom & Dad,

We are having a great time here at Lake Typhoid. Scoutmaster Webb is making us all write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and worried. We are OK. Only 1 of our tents and 2 sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Chad when it happened. Oh yes, please call Chad's mother and tell her he is OK. He can't write because of the cast.

I got to ride in one of the search & rescue jeeps. It was neat. We never would have found him in the dark if it hadn't been for the lightning. Scoutmster Webb got mad at Chad for going on a hike alone without telling anyone. Chad said he did tell him, but it was during the fire so he probably didn't hear him...

Did you know that if you put gas on a fire, the gas can will blow up? The wet wood still didn't burn, but one of our cabins did. Also some of our clothes. John is going to look weird until his hair grows back. We will be home on Saturday if Scoutmaster Webb gets the car fixed. It wasn't his fault about the wreck. The brakes worked OK when we left. Scoutmaster Webb said that a car that old you have to expect something to break down; that's probably why he can't get insurance on it. We think it's a neat car. He doesn't care if we get it dirty, and if its hot, sometimes he lets us ride on the tailgate. It gets pretty hot with 10 people in a car. He let us take turns riding in the trailer until the highway patrolman stopped and talked to us.

Scoutmaster Webb is a neat guy. Don't worry, he is a good driver. In fact, he is teaching Terry how to drive. But he only lets him drive on the mountain roads where there isn't any traffic. All we ever see up there are logging trucks.

This morning all of the guys were diving off the rocks and swimming out in the lake. Scoutmaster Webb wouldn't let me because I can't swim and Chad was afraid he would sink because of his cast, so he let us take the canoe across the lake. It was great. You can still see some of the trees under the water from the flood.

Scoutmaster Webb isn't crabby like some scoutmasters. He didn't even get mad about the life jackets. He has to spend a lot of time working on the car so we are trying not to cause him any trouble. Guess what? We have all passed our first aid merit badges. When Dave dove in the lake and cut his arm, we got to see how a tourniquet works. Also Wade and I threw up. Scoutmaster Webb said it probably was just food poisoning from the leftover chicken. I have to go now. We are going into town to mail our letters and buy bullets.

Don't worry about anything. We are fine.

P.S. How long has it been since I had a tetanus shot?