Resource Community Series: Business of Camp (200-Level)

Have you been in a leadership role at camp for several years (think executive director, CEO, COO, camp director), understand at least the fundamentals of “business of camp,” and are interested in digging deeper to intentionally explore these areas with colleagues? If so, this resource community is for you! Discussion topics will include:

• Budgeting and finances,
• Risk management,
• Human resource management,
• Strategic planning, and
• Marketing and camper recruitment

Through a series of monthly facilitated discussions (October to May), you’ll share and get feedback from others, troubleshoot challenges, and explore new ideas and tactics in a safe and professional space. Nick Teich, PhD, LCSW, founder and former CEO of Harbor Camps and owner of Fairwinds Consulting, LLC, will moderate the group. His role will be to encourage participant-led discussions, provide resources, and offer observations and insights, while keeping the conversation and session flow going!

This series is not designed to be a how-to, but an interactive, live, discussion-based opportunity for camp leaders looking to build their network and grow their skills. Sessions will not be recorded. There will be two sessions in-person (one local to Lexington, MA and one at the New England Camp Conference in Manchester, NH), one hybrid opportunity, and five Zoom sessions. The schedule is as follows:

• October 5, 2023, 10 am – 1 pm, In-Person
• November 2, 2023, 9:30 am – 11 am, Zoom
• December 7, 2023, 9:30 am – 11 am, Zoom
• January 4, 2024, 9:30 am – 11 am, Zoom
• February 15, 2024, 9:30 am – 11 am, Zoom
• March 21/22/23, 2024, In-person at ACANE conference, 90 minutes (day/time TBD)
• April 11, 2024, 10 am – 1 pm, Hybrid (in-person attendance highly recommended),
• May 2, 2024, 9:30 am – 11 am, Zoom

Cost:      $269/ACA members; $319/Non-members. (Registration is for the duration of the series – eight sessions in total.) 

REGISTER HERE!

Trying to decide if this is a good fit for you? We’d say yes if your job responsibilities include overseeing several of the bullet points listed above and you can prioritize and commit to attending the full series of sessions. Day and overnight camp staff are all welcome.

As space is limited to around 20 participants to ensure meaningful interactions, we can only accommodate one staff member per camp at this time. Participants will receive 14 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for their full participation.

If you are looking for more skill-based sessions or other resource communities, please look at ACA, New England’s event calendar or reach out to ACA, New England for help identifying other opportunities to meet these needs.

About the Facilitator

Nick Teich, PhD, LCSW, runs Fairwinds Camp Consulting, where he trains and consults with camps on a myriad of issues. In 2009 Nick started Harbor Camps, and, over the next 13 years, oversaw the purchase and renovation of its own lakefront property and grew it to more than 800 campers each summer. Nick has a master’s degree in social work from Boston College and a doctorate in social policy from Brandeis University.

Nick began his overnight camping career in Maine at the age of 10, where he subsequently became a CIT, counselor, and a member of the camp leadership. Prior to overnight camp, he was a day camper in NY. Nick is a member of the ACA-New England Board of Directors and Maine Summer Camps.  He lives in the Boston area with his wife and two daughters.