Group Camp Adult Leader Info

 

 

Welcome!

Thank you for accepting, or considering, the responsibility of helping teenagers with this life-changing opportunity to grow closer to God through service. Get ready for an unforgettable, faith-building experience!

 

Group Camps Mission

We serve churches by providing mission trip experience, helping youth and adults grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Group Camps Statement of Purpose

  1. To help young people grow in their Christian faith through service.
  2. To provide cross-cultural service experiences for young people.
  3. To assist the elderly, the disabled, and low-income families with home-repair projects they cannot manage themselves.
  4. To support local service agencies with their backlog of home-repair and weatherization projects.

 

Group Camp Priorities

Spiritual growth is the #1 goal of Group Camp, but we focus on the following priorities:

  1. Safety
  2. Faith-building activities
  3. Meaningful home-repair projects

 

Group Camps carries out our mission and priorities through hands-on service projects-helping elderly, disadvantaged people, and needy communities. At a Workcamp, the participants could work on projects including interior and exterior painting, fixing porches and steps, building wheelchair ramps, mobile home skirting and roof coating, or weatherization. At a large Week of Hope Camp, teenage and adult participants will serve elderly or disabled residents in their home by cleaning, doing yard work, deep cleaning and organizing, or just spending meaningful time with them. At our smaller Week of Hope camps, participants will prepare food baskets, put on Vacation Bible School programs, tutor children or serve meals at a homeless shelter; they could even be involved in a community sports camp.

 

If you are a pastor, youth leader, or volunteer adult leader, you already have your hands full. You probably don’t have time to arrange this kind of experience for your group. It’s a ton of work. That’s where we come in! Group Camps are expertly organized from start to finish, enabling you to concentrate on providing your teenagers with an unforgettable adventure. We work in cooperation with local sponsoring agencies to handle all of the logistics. We plan the work, deliver all materials, provide the food and lodging, design the programs and devotions…so you can focus on the spiritual growth of your teenagers!

 

You’ll work side-by-side with people from several Christian denominations. For many, it’s the first time they’ve experienced Christian service with people from other traditions. Our camp environment helps people learn that we have more in common with people from other churches than we have differences. The body of Christ will work together to serve!

 

Your Role As an Adult

This is a week to be enjoyed! You’ll make new friends, learn new skills, and be a positive role model for Christian teenagers from throughout the country!

 

Adult/staff team. As an adult participant, you are to be both mentor to youth as well as a mature partner with Group Camps staff. Working together as a team provides a smooth, empowering community in which young people feel supported, motivated, and loved. Adults are expected to participant fully in all scheduled activities, serving as positive role models for youth.

 

Adult responsibilities. Group Camps provides a Code of Conduct for every adult and youth to read and understand expectations for all participants. You are responsible for the behavior of your young people.  Our staff expects you as an adult leader to handle your youth-discipline problems. It’s your job to make sure the camp rules are followed. And, as stated in the Code of Conduct, adults are expected to follow the same camp rules young people are to follow- as positive role models.

If you see something is not safe, please correct the situation. If something inappropriate is happening at the project site or school, such as profanity, putting people down, refusing to work as a team, misusing materials (i.e. paint fights), being a negative Christian witness to the residents/community bring served, you are requested to correct the situation-even if it involves people from another group. Treat teenagers and adults with equal respect. At the project site, you are to act as equal members of the team- you won’t be the boss, you’ll be a partner who encourages each young person. Allow youth to make decisions and help them to take ownership in their projects.

Camp staff have in the past, and will in the future, send youth or adults home for inappropriate behavior. Please refer to the Code of Conduct to avoid confusion on discipline guidelines.

 

Worksite mentoring. You will work with teenagers from different churches while on your worksite. During the week, avoid being the primary decision-maker. Instead, help the youth to use good judgment and common sense as you tackle your work projects together. You’ll help the youth grow in maturity and develop self-esteem.

 

Where You’ll Live for a Week

Your camp home is typically a local high school or middle school. At some of the smaller Week of Hope Camps it could even be a church. Whatever if may be, we will turn it into a “home away from home” for the week. There will be a place for eating meals, a gym, auditorium or sanctuary for programs, locker rooms or outdoor structures for showering, and floors for sleeping. (Remember to bring your air mattress!) Guys and girls are separated into different rooms for the week. Typically, your group will be in the same room with campers from other groups.

For one week, you will be living in a community where people are in need. School conditions vary. Most do not have air conditioning. Sometimes your showers will be refreshingly cool. In most cases, the community allows us to use the best facility available.

 

Schedule Details

Camp Schedule. A camp schedule will be available to your youth leader, ask him or her for a copy.

Programs. The first day of your camp is a welcome day; during the programs on this day

you will have a chance to meet the camp staff, receive your project assignment for the week and meet the crew you’ll be working with.

The evening programs throughout the week will build on the day’s activities and devotions.

Adult meetings. There are two scheduled adult meetings during the camp week. It’s important for all adults to attend these meetings to learn guidelines and expectations for the camp week, to ask questions, and to hear new information.

Daily devotions. Group will provide you with devotions to follow every day at your site. You will also receive devotions to use with your youth group each night.  Encourage everyone to participate. Each devotion is carefully designed to help everyone grow closer to God.

Free time! There will be free time each day after returning from your site. You will be able to clean up, visit with others, or just hang out with your group. Depending on your camp, there may be an afternoon or evening free during the week, your group is welcome to use this time however you chose! Make sure to check your Camp Schedule for this information.

Lights out time. Please respect everyone’s physical need for sleep and respect the “lights out” time. It’s your responsibility to ensure all your teenagers and adults are in your room by 10:30 p.m., with lights out at 11 p.m.

Check out. On the final day of your camp, your group will eat breakfast, pack and load belongings, then clean your sleeping area. After a room check, your group will be checked out by the camp staff.

 

Important Notes

Come prepared to serve teenagers this week, and provide discipline and structure for them in their faith-walk. Also prepare to be blessed abundantly!

Eat well. Encourage youth to eat and drink plenty of fluids. Teenagers often get sick if they don’t eat of drink enough.

Safety first. Protect youth by staying alert for hazards and unsafe situations. Also, no one is required to do anything that he or she feels is unsafe or uncomfortable. If you do encounter an unsafe situation, alert your camp staff to it immediately.

Medical emergencies. Most camp medical problems are from “horseplay”! However, instructions on how to respond to emergencies are provided at the camp. All camps have medical facilities reasonably close for treatment if needed.

Sun exposure. Urge youth to wear proper clothing, such as t-shirts, jeans or longer shorts and sunscreen.

Telephones at camp. Feel free to bring your cell phone, although wireless service may be limited in some areas. There is a possibility that there could be a pay phone nearby, either at your lodging facility or “down the road” from it. The camp office will have a phone, but it needs to be reserved for office use and emergencies.

Valuables. Please leave your valuables at home, or locked in your vehicle.

 

Contact Information

We would love to answer your questions! Contact us at 1-800-385-4545, option 3 or visit our website www.groupworkcamps.com.