American Camp Association New England

From Plan to Practice: A Virtual Tabletop Session that Actually Works
2026-03-05 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Now more than ever, camps are investing more resources into making sure their staffs are adequately prepared for any emergencies that may arise. But a comprehensive action plan isn’t enough. The real test of preparedness comes when the plan is put into action. Join Patrick Dollason, founder and CEO of The Base Camp Initiative, for a hands-on session to practice translating your emergency plans into practical tools that build confidence and empower your staff to act.
Base Camp’s services are designed specifically for the camp environment and are grounded in FEMA and DHS principles. Through guided discussion and facilitated tabletop exercises, participants will learn the actionable steps for creating their own tabletop exercises that they can in turn facilitate with their own staff teams.
When: Thursday, March 5, 2026
Where: Zoom (meeting links will be sent prior to the start of the session)
Cost: 1st Person: Member $40; Non-member $55, 2nd and Additional: Member: $30; Non-member $45
Click here to register!
Questions, reach out Gillian Gold, Events & Logistics Manager at gillian@acanewengland.org or 781-541-6080 ext. 106.
Use of Images and Audio by ACA, New England: Through my registration, I give American Camp Association, New England (ACANE) full rights and permissions with respect to any photographs, video, and audio recordings taken during the ACANE event. These images and recordings may be used by ACANE and its agents in any format or medium and for any lawful purpose.

New Camp Director Workshop 3/25/26
2026-03-25 08:00 - 18:00 | DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St, Manchester, NH, 03101
ACA, New England: New Camp Director Workshop
(a 101-level offering)
ACA, New England’s New Camp Director Workshop is a fast-paced, one-day program designed to give new and aspiring camp directors greater understanding of the scope and key functions of the professional role of the camp director, including the following:

Transition to Leadership and the Camp Director Role
Knowing your Camp – mission & values, culture, your audience
The Business of Camp – finances, policies & procedures, continuous improvement
Risk Management & Emergency Planning – best practices, mandated reporting, assessing risk, emergency action plans, and crisis response
Building and Managing a Team – recruitment, hiring, training, supervision, retention
Hot Topics & things you don’t think of

Participants will also be assigned a “Resource Group” with other attendees and an instructor and can expect the opportunity to connect with them at least three times within a year of taking the course.
Ideal participants are full-time and part-time camp directors in their first three years of the role, and aspiring camp directors.
The course is taught by instructors from a variety of different camp backgrounds who have at least 7 years of experience as a camp director.
Participants will come away from the day with:

A welcome to the American Camp Association, New England, which serves camps throughout the region with programming, resources, and accreditation services;
Increased knowledge related to the topics above;
A library of handouts and resources to utilize; and
Connection with experienced instructors and a network of new colleagues to connect with for ongoing support

ACA Core Competencies covered in this workshop:

Business Management
Evaluation
Family & Connection
Health & Wellness
Human Resources
Leadership
Risk Management
Youth Development

*Please note: this course does not cover basic youth development, curriculum, or program design principles.
When: Wednesday, March 25, 2026; 8:00am to 6:00pm
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, Manchester NH
Member Price: $110
Non-Member Price: $140
The New Camp Director Workshop is a full-day program. Attendance for the entirety of the program is required to receive education credits and a certificate of completion.

Have questions? Reach out to Gillian, Events & Logistics Manager, at gillian@acanewengland.org, or call our office at 781-541-6080
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Use of Images and Audio by ACA, New England: Through my registration, I give American Camp Association, New England (ACANE) full rights and permissions with respect to any photographs, video, and audio recordings taken during the ACANE event. These images and recordings may be used by ACANE and its agents in any format or medium and for any lawful purpose.

Accreditation Volunteer Course 3/25/26
2026-03-25 09:00 - 18:00 | Goffstown YMCA, 116 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown, NH, 03045, United States
ACA New England needs YOU to join an amazing team of volunteers! Join us for our next Accreditation Volunteer Course (formerly known as the Associate Visitors Course).
This course is an in-person training. Participants must attend all learning sessions over the timeframe to successfully become an accreditation volunteer. This course requires active participation and engagement.
ACA’s accreditation program is the only national peer review program of its kind for the camp industry. Being an ACA accreditation volunteer (visitor) provides you with the experience to build your network, polish your skills in observation and risk management, and develop mentoring opportunities for both you and the camps you work with. As much as you give to this experience, you’ll gain from new ideas, perspectives, and approaches to the mission-driven work of the camp industry.
To become an accreditation volunteer, please complete these steps:

Submit an Accreditation Volunteer Application (online)
Register for this Accreditation Volunteer Course (formerly known as the Associate Visitors Course)

Once you are registered for the course, you’ll be enrolled in the required online pre-course work. The online pre-course work includes the Accreditation Process Workshop so you are up to date. This online pre-work must be successfully completed in order to attend the Accreditation Volunteer Course. To become an accreditation volunteer, you must fully attend and participate in ALL parts of the training.
If this course date does not work for your schedule, when you complete the Accreditation Volunteer Application, you will have other live virtual and in-person course options to select from.
Additional steps:

Review the ACA Associate Visitor/Visitor Service Description.
Review and be ready to sign the Volunteer Conflict of Interest and Code of Conduct.
Be a current ACA individual member (contact us if you have questions about this. We also offer a discounted membership rate for visitors).

The registration Deadline is March 16, 2026. Pre-registration is required for this course.
There is an online portion that must be completed prior to the in-person portion of this course.
Click here to register
Cost: Free
Where & When: Goffstown YMCA, 116 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown, NH 03045; March 25, 2026 from 9:00am to 6:00pm
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In conjunction with the New England Camp Conference, this course will be held in person as part of our pre-conference programming. To register for the NE Camp Conference, click here.
Questions, reach out Haillie Mousseau, Accreditation & Volunteer Manager at haillie@acanewengland.org or 781-541-6080 ext. 100.
Use of Images and Audio by ACA, New England: Through my registration, I give American Camp Association, New England (ACANE) full rights and permissions with respect to any photographs, video, and audio recordings taken during the ACANE event. These images and recordings may be used by ACANE and its agents in any format or medium and for any lawful purpose.

2026 New England Camp Conference
2026-03-26 08:00 - 2026-03-28 15:00 | DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St, Manchester, NH, 03101
Registration for the 2026 New England Camp Conference is OPEN!
Join us in Manchester, NH for 3 days (March 26-28) of education, connection, and FUN!
Click here for registration details
