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Great summers start long before June
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Twenty years ago (and of course longer), college students met their roommates on move-in day. Showed up with boxes. Shook hands. Figured it out. Today? Students find each other on social media months before arrival. They text. They follow each other. They’re already friends before walking in the door. Camp staff are no different. Showing up to a place with no idea what’s going on used to be normal. Not anymore. The Two Things Staff Need Before SummerStaff have two fundamental needs between hiring and arrival: Community → A sense of belonging before they show up. Familiar faces. A way to ask questions and calm nerves. Access to learning → One place to find everything they need. No guessing. No scavenger hunts. Some camps provide neither until training week. That’s a big problem that could even be costing you enrollment. Why This Matters Right NowWe’re in early January. Some camps are already hiring. Others are just starting. Either way, the window between “you’re hired” and “see you in June” is when staff anxiety builds or confidence grows. Their nerves mirror campers' nerves. They’re wondering if they’ll fit in. If they’ll know what to do. If they made the right choice. Strong onboarding answers those questions early. Part 1: Building CommunityCommunity doesn’t require fancy tools. The simplest version: a Camp WhatsApp group. Hire someone? Add them immediately. Let supervisors or returning staff lead conversations. Directors don’t need to manage daily activity. The platform matters less than early connection. Some camps use Slack, Band, or Discord for larger teams. It’s all the same principle: give staff a place to talk, ask questions, and start building relationships. Oh, and the best camps definitely delegate this with program leaders and staffing folks owning the space. Sometimes directors who try to control every message create sterile environments. Healthy culture starts with just a general shaped, not all kinds of micromanagement. Part 2: Access to LearningStaff need one centralized place to find resources. The simplest setup for even the most tech-adverse folks? A Google Drive folder with a master index document explaining where everything lives. Include required paperwork, travel instructions, cabin photos, weather expectations, training videos, recorded sessions, and links to third-party resources. This doesn’t in any way need to be incredibly polished. It needs to be clear and in one place that a new staff member can bookmark. Why Both MatterWithout community, staff feel isolated. Anxiety builds. Commitment weakens. Without access to learning, staff feel unprepared. Confidence drops. Performance suffers. Together, community creates emotional safety and learning creates competence. That combination drives retention. The Enrollment ConnectionMentioned this before and here’s the reality: Staff retention correlates directly with camper retention. When staff return year after year, families notice. Returning staff become visible proof of stability and culture. When staff announce on social media that they’re coming back, parents see it. That creates confidence. Strong onboarding solves two problems at once: keeps staff engaged and gives families reasons to stay. Great summers start long before June. The months between hire and arrival determine whether staff show up confident or anxious. Connected or isolated. Prepared or confused. Community and access are the foundation. Build them early, and everything else gets easier. Sincerely, Senior Consultant at Immersive1st Learn more about Immersive1st's Approach |
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Subscribe to the Immersive1st newsletter for new openings and smart job search tips. Hiring? The next issue will show how your organization can reach the right candidates.
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