As teenagers transition from childhood to young adulthood there are key skills that they will need for this transition to be successful and for them to be independent.
We focus on growth in the following areas:
- Assuming responsibility
- Thinking outside themselves
- Taking accountability
- Developing communication skills
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Expressing feelings assertively
- Building self-confidence
- Understanding their strengths and how you can use these to support others
- Fostering initiation and follow through in working toward goals
- Asking for help
- Organization/planning skills
- Conflict resolution
- Negotiation and compromising
- Dealing with strong emotions
- Being able to bounce back from mistakes
Structure of Program
Week One:
CIT's complete a special Leadership Training Program designed just for them in which they develop their personal goals and advance their teamwork skills through special experiential activities. They will each be asked to create their own Leadership Goals so that we are really able to foster self-awareness. Their peers and staff will then provide them with support and feedback as they work toward these goals.
Week Two:
CIT's transition to a Leadership Role in working with the younger campers. The CIT's work as a team the second week with their peers and staff to assist with lesson planning and program activities. Each CIT is provided group supervision and regular feedback by staff that actively mentor them and monitor their progress. Younger campers enjoy the connection with older mentors, while the teenagers are able to feel empowered by their leadership role.
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PRACTICE
As a team, the CIT's have key roles and responsibilities for helping staff and campers plan and coordinate the Roundup Day. One teen may be assigned to coordinate the food preparation, while another will be in charge of decorations. A third may have specific strengths in horse related skills and thus work more with the equine staff to teach younger campers key riding skills.
The CIT's will meet at the beginning, middle, and end of the day as a team to plan, organize, and give feedback to each other about how it's all "coming together" so that everyone is ready for the BIG DAY! This gives them an excellent opportunity to think outside themselves, problem solve, negotiate, and compromise, practice their Leadership Goals in context, and receive feedback and assistance as necessary to develop their skills.
TEEN YEARS ARE CRUCIAL!
The teen years are critical in terms of the neurodevelopment of key executive functioning skills, metacognition, and social/emotional intelligence. Research now shows us that the brain is in a crucial "pruning" stage, in which certain connections are strengthened and others are eliminated.
How are parents involved?
We involve both the parents and the teens in establishing personal goals. The parents have their very own program on Parent Day that focuses specifically on parenting issues related to the teenage years.
Counselors in Training must meet certain requirements before qualifying for their leadership position, as they serve very important roles for the camp. They must exhibit the ability to be a good role model for their peers, and they must be willing to work toward personal development.
