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Pathway to a Brighter Future
STAFF DEVELOPMENT … ADVANCED SKILLS TRAINING … CREATING THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW
A pilot project to help camps find a more equitable approach to staffing.
Did you know that over 78% of camp staff in the US identifies as White and that 73% of all overnight camps rely on international staffing agencies to find summer staff? As individuals, potential BIPOC staff have little context for the value of a camp job and few support systems for feeling accepted and successful at camp. We believe that, as a group, well-trained teams of 5 BIPOC leaders will have a better understanding of camp, will feel more accepted at camps, and will be better prepared to provide a transformational camp experience for themselves which will benefit ALL children.
why Trail Team?
The Trail Team Pilot Project is part of a broader effort to make the summer camp industry more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, so all young people have the opportunity to experience the magic and power of being outdoors. While we are tremendously proud of the individual work Trail Blazers has done for over 135 years. The camp industry, including Trail Blazers, must pursue systemic change in order to truly meet the needs of all children. Trail Team commits to creating systemic change by borrowing wisdom from Margaret Mead that says, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” As applied to camping, the potential of Trail Teams rests on the power of small cohorts to change camps and for those camps to make the industry more just and equitable for everyone.
We at Trail Blazers understand how hard it is to recruit, hire, train, and manage a camp staff member– especially this summer. We also recognize that the best intentions of being more diverse, equitable, and inclusive to all staff and campers does not always match the realities of programmatic and economic survival. For pilot camps, we aim to show how, compared to contracting with an international staff agency, Trail Team is a “double bottom line” opportunity; camps save money AND make a social impact.
Trail Team’s pilot season launches Spring 2021 with 3-5 camps hosting a Trail Team cohort. For the pilot, space will be limited to camps who complete an initial DEI assessment and have already demonstrated an ability to successfully include BIPOC staff and participants. Starting with camps already wrestling with DEI work will help us develop criteria for working with camps and identify areas where camps need the most support. This summer, host camps will have access to following services.
relationships with non-profit camp networks, BIPOC camp alumni, and an investment in social media, we will find cohorts of young leaders (18-22) who are generally hard to find through traditional ad campaigns.
Each pilot cohort is asked to pay a fee of $7,000 to host a Trail Team cohort ($1,400 per participant). If cohort members return a second year, camps pay $500 per returning member for a second year of more individualized training and coaching. After the second summer, camps pay no fees for returning cohort members and they are eligible to host another first-time cohort.
The fees associated with Trail Team are approximately half the cost of hosting international staff. Moreover, we understand that low pay is the biggest barrier to BIPOC staff participation. That’s why the Trail Team project is committed to fundraising an additional $1,000 per first year cohort member to augment their base salary and pay for all Trail Team cohort time commitments.
In addition to a financial commitment, we ask that camps designate staff leadership make the following time commitments.
Be Part of a Trail Team cohort and have the experience of a lifetime!
Are you the type of person who…
Did you know working at camp…
Trail Team is a new initiative started by camp directors and youth advocates to attract talented BIPOC staff by ensuring they are welcomed and supported by their host camp and cohort of team members. To join a Trail Team and work at camp, here are the steps applicants are asked to make.
1. Apply Online (April and May)
Fill out a simple online application and schedule a brief interview, so we learn more about you and find a camp and teammates that best fit you.
2. Meet your Trail Team cohort and match with a host camp (May and June).
Once selected, you will be asked to attend an orientation meeting over zoom where you will meet the 4 other members of your trail team, learn about the host camps, and as a team, rank the potential host camps in order of preference.
3. Attend the Trail Team Summit (June 13-14)
At the summit, participants will have the opportunity to experience camp as a participant, learn strategies for thriving as a BIPOC staff member, visit your host camp and connect with your summer support team.
4. Work the camp season and reunite with your Trail Team (July-September)
During the summer, you and your team will work at your host camp and you will have access to Trail Team coaches throughout the entire experience. In the fall, your cohort will reunite in the city for dinner, reflection, and an opportunity to receive further professional development.
In addition to their base salary, all trail team participants will receive a $1000 stipend for participating in all Trail team activities.
The Trail Team Pilot Project is sponsored by Trail Blazers Camps and is dedicated to connecting teams of qualified camp staff with host camps committed to creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) experience for campers and staff alike. Be on the lookout for updates on our partner camps and reports about the Trail Teams this summer. If you have any questions or you would like to learn more about the direction of the Trail Team after the pilot, join our mailing list here.
What Our Parents say
“We love Trail Blazers. I like that it’s not super fancy with tons of fancy equipment. I like that it is about surviving with what’s right in front of them. It uses nature itself as a teacher. And the diversity of campers and counselors.”~ Parent, 2020
“Trail Blazers Overnight Camp provided a rich, traditional outdoor camp experience for our daughter. The core values of the program, including the focus on developing independence, were evident in her behavior upon return and have stayed with her to this very day.” ~ Parent, 2019
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