One of the most challenging (and rewarding) parts of my job at Cairn was leading sessions for the male staff. We called it "Male Call". It was a weekly opportunity for the men on staff to be together, and it provided space for some important moments of discussion, discovery and mentorship. For anyone thinking about a similar program, here's a list of resources to get you started:
- The Art of Manliness - some fun, some instruction.
- 1001 Rules for my Unborn Son - pure inspiration
- Joe Ehrmann (former NFL player) - great speaker...start with this video
- The Dangerous Book for Boys
- man-making.com (articles, resources) - more resources
- Being a Man in the 21st Century (Part 1 and Part 2) - essay
- Barak Obama's 2008 Father's Day Speech
- "Forced into Manhood", from the American Camping Association
- "Don't Assume I'm Straight" - from the American Camping Association
If your camp runs programs for boys or young men, I'd love to hear about it. What difference has it made as the boys grew into leadership roles?
As Red would say: keep your stick on the ice.
[Guest author Adam "Taps" Brown is a full-time Adventure Programming Manager at Adventureworks and a former camp director at CAIRN.]