Case study: Exeter Spring Camp Mentors Summary: We’ve involved new and younger people in camp roles by structuring it so that you first do the role as an ‘apprentice’ to someone else, before taking on the full role the next time.
Recommendations:
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“I did it to be proacti ve and contribute to the cam p”
Be very clear about camp roles. This helps the camp and the individuals in those roles as well as having beneficial knock on effects to DFs and the Woodcraft Folk movement as a whole. It’s difficult to write or explain your experience of something like this so you’ve just got to do it! It’s very important to try to do it. Not much of a system is needed, the pairs work out what suits them best. Just making it available for people taking up camp roles for the first time to have someone to talk to and ask makes it so much easier to take on a role! If anyone is interested in seeing it in action they can come to Exeter camp and see how brilliant it is - warts and all. Just contact us.
“Adults and you ng people need guidance and feedback a s much as each other ” What happened: It was decided that each post on camp will have a ‘postholder’ and ‘assistant’ - a team of two, one experienced, the other less so. That team is voted in at the January district meeting, and then works together before and during and after the camp. Postholders understand that an essential part of the job is training the assistant—this may not be something the postholder is experienced in. Those involved are selected through a nominations process. After the team is selected, the pair meet to get a basic understanding of their jobs at this particular camp. It’s great because everyone with posts on camp gets involved. Post-camp postholder/assistant pairs meet before the formal debrief meeting to discuss their experience of the camp and for the postholder to give constructive & positive feedback to the assistant. Assistants can also give feedback on the postholder’s mentoring. In giving & receiving feedback, both parties are asked to remember some golden rules: “I wouldn’t Use a mix of positive & constructive have known Specific examples are very helpful where to sta rt!” Criticism must be specific, factual and tactful
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NB There is no obligation for an assistant to proceed to postholder next year. Age limits were decided for specific posts, most assistant posts asked for over 13s and most postholders to be over 16.