How We Staff A Camp
As a parent, the welfare and safety of your child's experience at camp is just as important as the fun they have. So we thought we'd share with you a little bit of information about the steps that go into identifying, training, and equipping the adults and youth who volunteer at our various camps.
We take the care of your children and youth seriously. Every volunteer and staff person at camp must pass a background screening check every year prior to camp. Everything at camp is done in groups of three or more so that campers are never alone with an adult. Volunteers are trained in these and other practices to be certain that we provide the best care possible for your youth and children.
Deans
We'll set modesty aside and share with you that we take pride in our deans at Mingus Mountain! In addition to drawing a number of Arizona clergy from The United Methodist Church who serve as deans, but we also have a variety of other talented and dedicated individuals who give their time to help organize and lead our summer's camps. Many of our deans return to Mingus year after year to lead camp!
Every dean for one of our camps is thoroughly vetted and background checked, and meets with our Desert Southwest Conference and camp personnel well in advance of camp to understand the policies and procedures in place for the safety and well-being of children. Deans work together to share and learn best practices for working with summer camp staff and attendees. Working with camp and conference staff, deans are personally involved with the identifying, recruiting, and training of other staff throughout the year.
Remember, neither deans nor any other staff at our camps are paid, but give this effort and time throughout the year – and an entire week during the summer! – because of their deep support of summer camp as an extension of the ministry of the Church.
Cabin Leaders
What is your image of a cabin leader? Might it be based on old movies of "wild" camp counselors, sponsoring pranks and other irresponsible behavior? Or on your own experience of an adult (or, perhaps, older youth) who spent time with you doing camp activities?
For summer camps at Mingus, our deans work with local church leaders to identify and recruit responsible adults who can help children and youth to have fun, while also nurturing a deep sense of community within the camp setting. One of the core strengths of summer camp at Mingus is the campers' experience of dedicated, Christian community, and to that end our cabin leaders are carefully selected and trained to lead activities where campers are involved and included.
All Cabin Leaders are adults (generally 21 or older) who have been thoroughly background checked and attended training prior to camp. In addition, each individual camp's dean may set additional training events and sessions in preparation for the week's experience.
Nurse(s)
It goes without saying that to have a community of children and youth, there are inevitably some medical needs, from adult supervision of medication dosages to bandaging scraped knees. Every camp at Mingus has an established ratio of the number of nurses required per camp size, and each camp generally has two camp nurses, one of whom is always present in the "Nurse's Cabin."
Cabin Assistants (CAs)
Many times at our camps – and in our churches – we identify responsible youth with the talent and ability to be effective leaders. Our Cabin Assistants are youth who have been identified and endorsed as responsible and accepted to serve at an elementary camp in the role of assisting leaders. Like our Cabin Leaders, all CAs:
In addition, CAs
Are you a youth interested in being a CA at camp in 2012?
We take the care of your children and youth seriously. Every volunteer and staff person at camp must pass a background screening check every year prior to camp. Everything at camp is done in groups of three or more so that campers are never alone with an adult. Volunteers are trained in these and other practices to be certain that we provide the best care possible for your youth and children.
Deans
We'll set modesty aside and share with you that we take pride in our deans at Mingus Mountain! In addition to drawing a number of Arizona clergy from The United Methodist Church who serve as deans, but we also have a variety of other talented and dedicated individuals who give their time to help organize and lead our summer's camps. Many of our deans return to Mingus year after year to lead camp!
Every dean for one of our camps is thoroughly vetted and background checked, and meets with our Desert Southwest Conference and camp personnel well in advance of camp to understand the policies and procedures in place for the safety and well-being of children. Deans work together to share and learn best practices for working with summer camp staff and attendees. Working with camp and conference staff, deans are personally involved with the identifying, recruiting, and training of other staff throughout the year.
Remember, neither deans nor any other staff at our camps are paid, but give this effort and time throughout the year – and an entire week during the summer! – because of their deep support of summer camp as an extension of the ministry of the Church.
Cabin Leaders
What is your image of a cabin leader? Might it be based on old movies of "wild" camp counselors, sponsoring pranks and other irresponsible behavior? Or on your own experience of an adult (or, perhaps, older youth) who spent time with you doing camp activities?
For summer camps at Mingus, our deans work with local church leaders to identify and recruit responsible adults who can help children and youth to have fun, while also nurturing a deep sense of community within the camp setting. One of the core strengths of summer camp at Mingus is the campers' experience of dedicated, Christian community, and to that end our cabin leaders are carefully selected and trained to lead activities where campers are involved and included.
All Cabin Leaders are adults (generally 21 or older) who have been thoroughly background checked and attended training prior to camp. In addition, each individual camp's dean may set additional training events and sessions in preparation for the week's experience.
Nurse(s)
It goes without saying that to have a community of children and youth, there are inevitably some medical needs, from adult supervision of medication dosages to bandaging scraped knees. Every camp at Mingus has an established ratio of the number of nurses required per camp size, and each camp generally has two camp nurses, one of whom is always present in the "Nurse's Cabin."
Cabin Assistants (CAs)
Many times at our camps – and in our churches – we identify responsible youth with the talent and ability to be effective leaders. Our Cabin Assistants are youth who have been identified and endorsed as responsible and accepted to serve at an elementary camp in the role of assisting leaders. Like our Cabin Leaders, all CAs:
- apply to be on camp staff and receive endorsement from other Christian leaders
- undergo background checks
- attend training prior to camp
In addition, CAs
- must be 16 and
- at least 4 years older than the campers in their supervision.
Are you a youth interested in being a CA at camp in 2012?
- First, please contact your local pastor or youth leader for their recommendation and then
- Be sure to attend one of the forthcoming CA Training Events:
- February 25, 2012, 10a-2p at Paradise Valley UMC
- Saturday, April 28, 2012, 10a-2p at First United Methodist Church of Mesa.
If you have more questions about our staffing, please feel free to complete this form (link coming, form on separate page)
and a member of our Mingus Site Advisory's Program Team will contact you.
and a member of our Mingus Site Advisory's Program Team will contact you.
