Assessing the Impact of Summer Camp Employment on the Development of Workplace Skills

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess the impact of working at a camp on summer camp staff while simultaneously seeking to understand what facilitates and inhibits growth in that context. This study examined differences in levels of leadership, teamwork and resilience before and after working at a summer camp as a staff member. It also assessed staff perceptions of staff culture, support, and care. Results indicated that summer camp staff members can and do grow in the areas measured over the course of a summer at camp and that some elements of the staff experience related to staff support, staff care, and staff culture may be important factors in contributing to that growth. This study enhances our understanding of the impact of working at a camp on staff by providing a pre-post assessment while beginning the conversation about best practices to facilitate growth. Subscribe to JOREL