The Benefits Gained by Staff Members in a Residential Camp Experience.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to explore the perceived individual and community benefits gained by individuals employed as residential camp staff. The benefits of the camp experience on campers are well documented, however little research exists exploring the positive outcomes and benefits gained by camp staff.

As in any recreation setting, camp staff work long hours and receive little pay, and yet find the overall experience rewarding. The findings of this research not only identify what life skills and attitudes result from camp employment, but also discuss the relationships made during their time at camp. Exploring the motivations of staff who spend their summers at camp, will enhance the directors' ability to both recruit and retain a more qualified staff to entrust with programming.

It was hypothesized that a difference exists in the perception of (1) life skills and attitudes, (2) the quality of relationships among staff members from three camps, Camp Lakeview, Camp Lutherhoma, and Camp Lakeview, and (3) motivations to work at camp between male and female staff. The two independent variables used in this study were: camp association and gender.

Data were collected using a mail survey to staff members (N=302) who worked during the 1996 -2004 camp seasons of Camp Lakeview, Camp Lutherhoma, and Camp Lutherhaven. Analysis was implemented utilizing the statistical software SPSS 13.0 for Windows. No significant differences were found in the first two hypotheses. However, three significant differences were found between male and female staff members and their motivations to work at camp.