straight to the point

Why Well-Being Matters at Camp Right Now

If you know anything about Sacred Playgrounds, you know that we do all we do through a lens of evidence. We act based on what we hear and what we learn. That’s also been our call to camp leaders – to gather insights and then use them to make well-informed choices and tell impactful stories.

And, the evidence tells us that well-being matters in our world right now, and it matters at camp. We’ve spoken on the Sacred Playgrounds Podcast about MESH+. We heard once again this past summer that staff burnout continues to be a challenge for camps. Camper behavior continues to be a rough spot for summer staff. To camp culture, effectiveness, impact, mission…

Well-being at camp matters.

The Alliance for Camp Health (ACH) is the leading authority on health and well-being in camps and out-of-school time programs. They prepare youth development leaders, healthcare providers, and behavioral health specialists to address youth well-being through expert-led education, resources, evidence-based practices, and partnerships. Over the last few years, ACH has been developing CampWell, a six-hour skills-based, in-person, multi-tiered, training course that guides participants to identify, understand, cultivate, and create a community of well-being. Created in collaboration with the American Camp Association and supported by the H.E. Butt Foundation the CampWell training program aims to help all be well at camp and seeks to create consistent care across the spectrum of all summer learning spaces. As an immersive learning program CampWell is uniquely designed to help leaders shape programs that incorporate the tools, self-awareness, and understanding needed to enhance the experience and safety for all.

Jake Sorenson, our team’s Director & Lead Researcher, has been working with ACH to adapt a version of CampWell specifically for Christian camps, with language, ideas, and messaging designed for faith-based Christian camp ministries. Leaders who have implemented the concepts and theories of CampWell have seen the culture of their camp shift in a way that has improved retention, performance, and the well-being of staff and participants. Join your fellow camp community leaders on a journey to harness the power of well-being at camp – safe, supported, connected, and contributing – as a foundation for thriving beyond the camp environment.

We’re all in on the difference CampWell can make. Why? We’re here to help camp thrive, and this upcoming CampWell x Sacred Playgrounds training experience can help camp thrive in our world today. Register below, or keep reading for 3 reasons

reason #2

Well-being is your mission.

Across the Christian camping landscape, while we differ in model and theology and strategy, there is a common thread (yet again). We call it different things, but positively impacting the faith lives of those who experience our people and programs is there for all of us. We don’t always call is the same thing, but we all work toward a deeper well-being in faith – both in spirit and in practice.

For anyone who walks your grounds, connects with your teams, and worships in your sanctuaries, our goal is their well-being as a whole person, a beloved Child of God.

REASON #3

Well-being impacts your sustainability.

In the OMC Director’s Survey, one of the questions we ask camp leaders is about their confidence that their ministry center will be operating in 5 years. Here’s what they had to say:

As you can see, 93% are at least somewhat confident in the next 5 years, with nearly half being extremely confident. That’s great news! Camp is in the people business, so when we consider what makes us sustainable – what makes us thrive – it’s our people.

We know that the best path to being fully staff for a given summer is a solid base of returning staff. As we learned above, when staff members are well, they are more likely to return in future summers. Well-being contributes to a sustainable culture of staffing at our camps.

Similarly, it is returning families that often give foundation to our camper numbers – something directors have again identified as a top threat in the recent OMC Director’s Survey. Those families are our most effective recruiters, and we know from the research that when campers grow in factors like self-confidence, leadership, and faith-relevance, they are more likely to return. Camper well-being contributes to camper number sustainability.