The Taylor Statten Camps Leaders in Training Program

The Taylor Statten Campsare excited to announce a new program for the summer of 2015: The Leaders in TrainingProgram. The Taylor Staten Camps (TSC) are wilderness overnight camps made up of a boys and girls camp, Camp Ahmek and Camp Wapomeo, which are located on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park, Ontario. The Leaders in Training (LIT) program is a one month program running from August 1 – 27 designed to prepare 16 year olds for their staff career. Because the Taylor Statten Camps focus on both in-camp activities and wilderness canoe tripping, the LIT program will be divided between time spent in camp and time spent on canoe trip.

While in camp, LITs will have a counsellor responsible for them, however, they will also shadow activity heads to experience life as TSC staff members. LITs will choose an activity that they are interested in and then work with the respective activity head to develop competencies in this area. We want to use the LIT program as an opportunity to develop the activity skills of our future staff members so that we have a well-trained pool of applicants to select from when hiring activity staff.

Another important skill set for TSC staff members is wilderness canoe tripping. As such, LITs will receive formal training on emergency procedures from the Lifesaving Society of Canada and the Wilderness Medical Association. LITs will also complete hard skills workshops that are aimed at improving their canoe trip abilities. These workshops will focus on topics such as orienteering, equipment safety, and no trace camping. LITs will then have the opportunity to put these skills to use when they depart on their two week Temagami canoe trip.

In addition to hard skills workshops, LITs will complete soft skills workshops. These workshops are aimed at fosteringabilities that are important when working with children. LITs will complete workshops on bonding, gender equality,and the value of play. Additionally, LITs will receive training from High Five, an organization that sets quality standard for children's recreational organizations. LIT's will complete High Five's "Principles of Healthy Child Development" course which helpsfront-line leaders understand what to do to ensure each child's social, emotional and cognitive needs are met.

The goal of the LIT program is to groom former campers to be the best staff members possible. We believe that the combination of formal training from workshops and courses, combined with the opportunity to put the training into practice by assisting activity staff and going on canoe trip, will prepare LITs to be exceptional staff members. For more information about our LIT program, please contact Sean Whelan at (416) 486-6959 or by email at [email protected].