# data[].attributes.body
Let staff test out other roles/get to shadow to see if it is something they might want to take on in the future as well as a screening for you to see how they might be in that position.

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Sharing Traditions ahead of time to ease people into the culture and help them feel less out of place their first summer getting into the mix.

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Engaging veteran staff...
-create role between jr. counselor and counselor; progression
-creating more leadership positions; new titles (i.e. asst. director, coordinator, etc.), additional responsibilities etc.
-reach out to your top staff to take more of a lead/active role in recruiting/retention efforts
-Internship program- use veteran staff/camp community to help mentor interns
-additional bonus certifications, education level, college credit
-utilize summer review process to talk about next summer/plans, etc.
-redwoods group for trainings, modules, google forms
-motivations throughout the summer, create calendar of fun things to do once/twice week
-staff want to know you're thinking about them

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Not enough applicants - many are over-hiring or look at your job descriptions - is it appealing?  have your counselors look at them - what is missing? what makes the job Awesome?
Be flexible and transparent with applicants
Be clear about Expectations :  you are outside 8 hours a day, are you comfortable with this?
Head staff needs to let the counselors know that "We have been there "
Adjust programming last hour of the day to be passive programming (downtime for staff) allows for less people and recovery for staff.
Rotate the schedules for day camp staff
Newsletter developed that is camper and parent facing - having a newsletter that has something that shows fun things and achievements and 'did you knows'...
We also have jobs that we can pay you for over the winter months (retain them through p/t off season work  (save money on small projects too )
Financial incentives for returners - also mid summer raises for summer staff  (in season bonuses $50-100- either to everyone or selective few?)
Holiday Cards/birthday cards in the off season
corporate gifts for camp leadership   (Merch gift specialized for the staff person)
Rubber chicken for best counselor for the week (tradition)

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Project Real Job
https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/jobs-recruitment/project-real-job

Staffing Summit Handouts (from keynote/breakout sessions) https://www.dropbox.com/sh/eslwi32hak5108j/AABSlWkRvtTY6Ixy8Z34VIeaa?dl=0

Staffing Summit Reflections by Kim Aycock https://www.dropbox.com/s/idz22slh8sq0x9i/KA%20Staffing%20Summit%20Reflections.pdf?dl=0

60 Minutes - Great Resignation https://youtu.be/brw-jN9b-Sg

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Had an incredible return rate prior to 2020. In 2021 we lost a lot of momentum.

When people are dragging their feet on confirming they want to return - encourage them to apply/we'll complete a background check no strings attached

Create a Team Leader position - not a supervisory role, but an intermediate leadership opportunity for returning staff. Pay increase and extra communication/peer leadership responsibilities

Personal connection: have returning staff reach out to their friends, or reach out to returners letting them know "________ is coming back, are you ready?"

Monthly Zoom calls/socials leading up to camp to get everyone on the same page before launching into the summer

Responding to staff feedback: letting staff know what we're acting on, what we can't act on, and working to support staff perception of those changes

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People not ready for leadership:
- Play to strengths & passions - *ask them* what they enjoy most before picking placement

Hiring Marathon ... immediate response to job postings - and interview same day (even before application)

Ability to schedule own interview as soon as application complete.

We need to learn to be more flexible ... we need us more than we need them.

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As you interview getting feedback on some previous schedule struggles and help to work on some of that schedule adjustments or to beef up your lesson plans to help ease the stress on your staff in the moment.

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End of summer check in on how they felt about summer and need intent on coming back due to experience.

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Early signing bonus for return, opening up the application system early for those return staff. Have them lead pieces of staff training.

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Reach out to last years staff one on one to see how their doing, see if a half summer might work easier than a full summer to still bring in their experience.

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Sign retention contracts, offer money to use within the camp store for returning. Feedback systems. New position that helps them return as counselors but gain more experience into other programs.

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Consider a week off for staff
Offering flexibility (hard with staffing issues)
Make brief and easy applications  (resume or video resume and a written response of why you want to work at camp)
More applications on the front end with brief application process
Found that they hired more people with this approach

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Staff dinner mid year to get together and connect.

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Growth over time and small ways to level up their leadership opportunities and being experts for the new staff.

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At recruitment fairs- pay your staff who are there to help recruit and run the table.

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Raising wages to be competitive not just in the camp industry, but when compared to other jobs as well (customer service, etc)

Early hire/early application sign-on bonus

Streamlining the application and hiring process: responding to applications by text, interview booking link for applicants to select a time, clear language to support applicants with limited/no work experience

Setting up an interview even if the app isn't finished as an incentive to finish the application

Robust referral system - send a gift card to people who make referrals, special t-shirt, monetary reward at the end of the summer. Also, continue to get staff referrals mid-summer and hiring for the second half of the summer

Sending a welcome package to staff who sign an offer letter

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-When hiring send contract right away
-Keep them engaged- monthly contact
-Camp brother/sister program i.e. ambassador
-Zoom meetings/personal connection
-Slack groups with new staff members
-Invite staff on the fence to monthly zoom campfire with campers to see more of who you are/what you do.
-Leveraging current staff/bonuses for new staff
-Sending out packet of info prior to interview; ability to do more of a deep dive during interview (i.e. expectations, time-off, food, training expectations, firing offenses, etc.)
-Whatsapp, band, sms

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R2- Hiring- Already Hired to bring in more

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R2- Hiring- Already Hired to bring in more

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Referral Bonus/ Business Cards with QR code/ hired staff get a new shirt to help market

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Help with resume blurbs for the resumes after camp

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Swag Bag putting out staff traditional information and then quiz on it to maybe earn that swag.

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Strategy to close the deal ...
- visualize what the internship may really look like vs the true skills and fun they could have with us

Strategies to keep early hires engaged through the Winter ...
- really get to know applicants during interview process - talk about how COVID has impacted them - really connect - video interviews
- staff Facebook page - revealing themes
- sharing staff discounts
- ask what the hardest thing is that they have been through during interview process

On boarding ...
- soft skills
- teacher camp

staff training competition to raise donations - Mobile Cause

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-We use Trainnual (an online platform) so that they can preread anything they need to prior to in person training
-To train on the boring but maybe easier content to train ahead before they are there. Create your own fun videos. Our directors recreated their own funny golf cart training to replace the old Redwoods golf cart training. It was fun, it stuck, created some connection to us and checked off a piece of content that needs to be covered.
-Pre-Interview Packet, Scheduled Calls with the staff before their exams, make your staff handbook interactive ( think prompted journals and coloring pages), Module emails with staff handbook information and videos in the email or comic strips, Google Forms Quiz after. We also do a book club that we use the zoom calls for- this year we are using Dare to Lead from Brene Brown and she has a great Hub on her website with prompts and a workbook set up with one hour meetings.

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Closing the deal  (send branded items to staff members-- welcome to camp ) and virtual sessions and mini sessions leading up to camp (camp activities) Try to reach out and get to know camp quickly (share incentives)  Keep in touch in the off season to retain staff (help with resumes, writing , job search)... Coming on with our staff for a relationship that lasts more than a summer.  Send emails every week or two (communication!) Connect staff on social media with current staff (check in with them on social media - connect with new staff with returners)  Stipend to have a former staff connect with new staff before camps starts
Pen pal with a new staff /returner
Give them JCC free membership as a new hire before they start
Returning staff Tik Tok to post on social media

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Lean into TikTok to connect with staff and trends. Monthly connection Zoom calls that you can record and send to those who missed out or add to your google classroom.

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Facebook groups/ reaching out to staff to ask for their ideas of better spaces they might enjoy instead. Creating a google classroom for shared content to recruit.

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Mentorship of return staff having mentees that they intentionally are giving unofficial evals and check-ins with the staff to keep them connected both pre summer and during.

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Return staff making intro videos to camp to engage and creating peer connections.

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Partner with parents with past campers who may have recently aged out and tell them about the job opportunities to reach potential applicants from a different direction.

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Looking for lifeguards by passing out flyers with QR codes to parents at local swim meets. Other possibilities could be recruiting at climbing gyms, etc.

For overnight programs: rethinking which positions need to live on site, and for all programs: are there any positions/programming that could just be offered certain days of the week by part-time staff

Recruiting staff to work for just a few weeks of the summer rather than committing to the full season

Looking to outside vendors to provide programming

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-Utilizing parents/families for leads on staffing.
-Paying for ads- coolworks
-Tik Tok; year in review video- highlights from summer.
-Changing job descriptions to include internships

Look to targets specific majors
Nursing schools/majors
Adaptive PE
Psychology
Rec/Rec Therapy

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Internships with recruitment/ partnerships with the local universities to be listed as an option. Culinary internships to help partner with your summer/year round kitchen needs. Creating a internship handbook.

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"DearScout" -- online program for mental health ~$30/staff member for the season

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new audio book - ANXIETY AT WORK - Covid specific

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Partner with local NOLS who may have some quality applicants but may not be as right of a fit for long trips for full summer but may be a good fit with your setup.

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Connecting with our local Latino and Black Achievers to help build up their interview skills and partner to support those programs and build connections for future potential hires.

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Focus on connections with professors at universities for better recruitment channels and funneling. Provide a fun connection day for local university students to come check out your camp and create good memories and connections.

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Room 3 -recruitment - recruiting much earlier this year - trying out new job boards - colleges/handshake, using ACA, LinkedIn, Camp Insta (create  marketing for former staff  to share on facebook, Linked In and insta) Staff referral program ($50 bonus per staff/person hired) IF... they make it through the summer

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Room 3 -recruitment - recruiting much earlier this year - trying out new job boards - colleges/handshake, using ACA, LinkedIn, Camp Insta (create  marketing for former staff  to share on facebook, Linked In and insta) Staff referral program ($50 bonus per staff/person hired) IF... they make it through the summer

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Recruiting - new strategies:
- ROTC Program
- Early sign on bonus - extra $100 week 4 if you sign contract before Feb 1
- Social Media
- College fair/career services/major specific
- Visit classrooms
- Room & board --> food and housing
- "Counselorship" donations towards staff parties/scholarships

Recruitment strategies with people who know your camp:
- Winter party - staff allowed to invite friends to help volunteer - free food & activities over the weekend
- When opened rehiring - google form to have them refer friends (no incentive)
- Referral bonus ($100-$150)
- Drawing for a $1000 bonus for one person who has referred staff

Internships to recruit new staff:
- Campership in the intern's name

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Geo Fencing- trying to find those who fit within your demographic to gain contact info to recruit from. First year test.

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contacting universities and getting a table for the student union to build relationships more directly and separate from fairs. Snack bags being handed out with contact information attached.

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Finding instructors for spring season to stick around - Handshake/ LinkedIn
Develop more active partnerships with universities
(education, theater, and traditional majors)
JCC did their own Job Fair   (and maybe invite others that are non competitors
Create quality candidate profile- in addition to JD  (higher level recruiting tool)
help those that have not interviewed before
Possible job boards: Association of Experiential Education, Bluefishjobs, National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education, North American Association of Environmental Education, Coolworks, Orion Magazine