Establishing yourself as a leader can be a scary thing. At first, it may mean you`re not as rebellious or cool as they thought, but if you choose between friendship and respect, you`re mistaken on the side of respect. Here are some examples: Don`t allow yourself to sneak in; No practical jokes about other cabins; Do not let children say the message in the club or sleep. Essentially, anything that seems like a bad idea or might distract someone else from hearing the full gospel message is nicely shut down. But be careful that you are not another of their parents. They did not come to the camp to be yelled at by their mother or father. Work with your team to prepare some sort of follow-up for the hut (or huts) to help them continue their walk with Christ when they return from camp. This is one of the most beautiful parts of Young Life, we don`t say goodbye to the kids after camp – we come back to the real world to live with them. Let them know that you will be there, with them and for them whenever they need you.
Leaders are part of the assigned team to help you. If you`re feeling overwhelmed, don`t be afraid to ask one of them to come and sit with you in your cabin. Don`t let campers know the agenda, even under the most persistent pressure. Excitement and surprise are key! Encourage your second visitors to keep the surprises of the week as well. And discourage them from comparing this camp to the one they were in before. Encourage them to see the camp through the eyes of their friends who are experiencing it for the first time. One of my favorite phrases my boss said to me when I was a camper is; “Don`t anticipate, PARTICIPATE!” It may seem obvious, but time spent with the Lord is what will lead you throughout the day. You will be tempted to sleep 30 minutes longer before breakfast or leaders` meeting, but start your day with the Lord. Getting up early to be in His Word and praying all day is of paramount importance, especially when you are tired.
Pray for the needs of your campers, staff, or anything else. Make your wishes known! We need the cross every day. If you lay down your life before Jesus, you can love your campers in a more Christ-centered way. As a new leader at camp, you may feel nervous or unprepared for what awaits you at camp. Here are some of the most important things I`ve learned about good service for campers. Our job as leaders is not to use cabin time to give another speech. Listen more than you speak. Don`t be afraid of silence. Wait. Invite everyone to the conversation. Try opening up cabin time with a question that anyone can answer. Involve people who would otherwise sit still.
The goal of the camp is to give our high school friends an amazing opportunity to hear the greatest love story ever written! Yes, the food is excellent. The rides are fun. But nothing can ever compare to what Jesus did for us. Knowing this, you will have fun enjoying life with some of the kids you can call friends. It`s a week these boys and girls will remember for the rest of their lives. How cool it is that we can share the trip with them! Be aware of your training. Meet with your regional manager/employee or other experienced leader and ask them how you can manage cabin time. Experience is the best teacher. Cabin time is one of the highlights of a week at Young Life Camp. If you`ve never managed to spend time in the cabin before, or just feel nervous getting ready to do it again, here are some ideas that will help you answer some questions you might have about cabin time. Often, children keep quiet if you ask a direct question about them.
Example: “What is the greatest temptation you personally face?” If you simply rephrase the question, for example, “What do you think are the biggest temptations your age face?” they are more likely to speak. Once you`ve spread mulch, washed cars, and sold donuts with the kids to help them raise money for camp, they`re much more likely to listen to what you have to say. My pre-algebra teacher had a sign on his desk that said, “People don`t care what you know until they know you`re interested.” Spend time BEFORE coming to camp to earn the right to be heard. I have a red pocket notebook that I take all over the camp.