Staff Training at Boys Camp - Interview with Luke Durham

After examining training at a girls camp, the ladies of Camp Code called in an expert to talk about training at boys camp. Luke Durham is the Program Director at Camp Laney in Mentone, Alabama. After spending many years as a camper and then transitioning to summer staff, Luke came to be living the dream as a full time Program Director. As if life is not busy enough as a year-round camp pro, Luke is also finishing up his masters at Vanderbilt University and launching a new camp training business called Camp Sense. He took some time to share with us about his favorite moments at boys camp, how to teach young men to talk about the gushy stuff, and how to train staff to make the most of all that is special about a single gender camp.

Best Practice for Leadership Training

Provide a wrap up to your staff training and utilize role-playing to put the skills learned in to practice. Have return staff set up in a series of rooms or cabins with each ready to perform a scenario as the new staff come in. The new staff will have no idea what they are walking in to and must jump in and try out the strategies they have been learning throughout training. From walking in to a fight in progress in to the next room with a homesick camper to the next room where a camper is being bullied, this provides copious teachable moments and opportunities to rewind and try again.

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