Resource Community Series:
Newer Camp Directors (200-Level)

**While the first session has passed, we still welcome new registrations to begin with the group in November.**

For camp professionals with 1-4 summers of camp director experience

(Both day and resident camp directors are welcome! As space is limited to around 20 participants, we can only accommodate one director per camp at this time.)

We know that building community with colleagues from a variety of camps throughout New England will help you feel supported as you move forward in your camping career. Join us for a series of monthly facilitated discussions (October to May) where you’ll have the opportunity to share ideas and resources, get feedback, troubleshoot challenges, and explore opportunities in a safe and professional space.

Topics will be flexible based on the group’s needs/interests, but discussions in prior years have included:

• Building & supporting your team: recruiting, hiring, compensation & benefits, retention, training, evaluation
• Behind-the-scenes: risk management, budgeting, technology, marketing
• Being a leader: time management, hard decisions
• Mental, emotional, and social health (MESH): policies, best practices, resources, self-care
• Camp culture and tradition: exploring the “why,” innovating
• Parent engagement: handbooks, communication, recruitment

Emily Golinsky, Founder of Bright Moose Training, Consulting & Advocacy, former Executive Director at Camp Starfish and a member of ACA, New England’s New Camp Director Workshop faculty, will facilitate the sessions. Her role will be to encourage participant-led discussions, provide resources, offer observations and insights, all while keeping the conversation and session flow going!

This series is not designed to be a how-to, but an interactive discussion-based opportunity for directors looking to build their professional network and resource sharing as leaders. Sessions will not be recorded. For 2023-2024, there will be two sessions in-person (one local to Lexington, MA and one at the New England Camp Conference in Manchester, NH) and six Zoom sessions. Exact session dates will be confirmed soon:

• October 10, 2023, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – In-person, ACA, New England offices, 80 Westview Street, Lexington, MA
• November 14, 2023, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Zoom
• December 12, 2023, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Zoom
• January 9, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Zoom
• February 13, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Zoom
• March 21/22/23, 2024, In-person during ACANE conference in Manchester, NH (90 minutes, exact day & time TBD)
• April 9, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Zoom
• May 7, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Zoom

Trying to decide if this is a good fit for you? We’d say yes if you can prioritize and commit to attending the full series of sessions, have been in a director-level role for 1-4 summers, and your job responsibilities include at least a few of the following: overseeing staff teams, including HR functions and training; establishing policies for your camp/organization; setting and managing a budget; creating parent handbooks; and being involved with strategic business decisions for your camp/organization.

 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.

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

REGISTER HERE!

About the Facilitator 

Emily Golinsky is the Founder of Bright Moose, LLC, which provides training, coaching, consultation and professional development to camps, organizations and individuals guided by the motto “Help Others Shine Bright!” Her professional background includes over two decades of year-round and summer camp leadership in both day and residential environments for children in crisis, special needs youth, and traditional campers, including 15 years as Executive Director at Camp Starfish (NH). Emily is a regular presenter at conferences and is active in ACA, New England, where she is a Lead Visitor, conference committee member, and member of the Faculty for the New Camp Directors Workshop. Emily is on the Board of Directors for NHCamps and is a contributor to Camping Magazine, ParentingNH, the Project Real Job Blog, and the Day Camp Pod. She holds a BS in Health Psychology and an MS in Camp Administration and Leadership. She is also an education advocate for youth with special needs and a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Emily’s sense of humor and genuine warm connection to individuals comes through in her facilitation style. Fair warning: she is an avid collector of terribly awesome puns.