Camp Code - Leadership & Staff Training Podcast for Camp Directors
Camp Code helps resilient camp leaders hire, keep, and train staff better. Each episode gives practical tips that solve real problems and build strong teams. Our hosts understand camp staff and share useful ideas that work in everyday camp life. You’ll learn ways to make camps more welcoming, help staff feel confident, and prepare your team for anything. Find simple advice for recruiting, training, and supporting your camp staff from trusted experts. Listen to Camp Code and discover how to build a resilient camp staff where everyone feels like they belong and can grow. Featuring 3 of the top trainers in...
Why Do I Have to Tell You - Camp Code #173
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/whydoihavetotellyou
Moving Beyond the "Answer Key": Cultivating Staff Initiative
In the high-stakes environment of summer camp, directors often find themselves asking, "Why do I have to tell you to do that?" This frustration usually stems from a belief that staff either lack initiative or simply don’t care. However, as explored in this episode of Camp Code, the real issue is often that we haven’t treated initiative as a teachable skil...
The Small Interactions That Shape Camp Culture - Camp Code #172
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/the-little-moments
The Little Moments That Shape Camp Culture
On this Camp Code episode, our hosts Gabz and Beth explore one of the most overlooked parts of staff training: the in-between moments.While most camps spend time preparing staff for emergencies, conflict, and big activities, this conversation focuses on the small interactions that quietly shape camp culture every day. From transitions and mealtimes to walking between activities and waiting in line...
How to Recover When You Mess up - Camp Code #171
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/recoverwhenmessingup
Repair, Reflect, Reenter: Teaching Staff How to Recover From Mistakes
On this Camp Code episode, our host Gabz and Beth dig into one of the most important staff training topics at camp: what happens after someone makes a mistake. They talk about how many staff members are not struggling because they fail, but because they do not know how to recover well. Young staff often become defensive, avoid hard...
Teaching Professionalism - Camp Code #170
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/professionalism
Teaching Professionalism at Camp Without Losing the Fun
On this episode of camp code our hosts Gabrielle and Beth talk about what it really means to teach professionalism in a camp setting where fun and silliness are part of the culture but responsibility is always present. They explore how camp is often one of the most meaningful first jobs young people will ever have, and why it still needs...
Cool Heads, Quick Thinking. Teaching Staff to Solve Problems Under Pressure - Camp Code #169
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When Counselors Freeze: Teaching Staff to Think Clearly Under Pressure
On this episode of camp code our hosts Gabrielle and Beth get real about a moment every camp leader has seen. A camper is crying, two kids are arguing, the plan is falling apart, and the counselor just freezes. Instead of treating that as a failure, they unpack what is actually going on. Most staff have never been taught how to think...
Less Talking, More Doing: Making Leadership Training Experietial - with Shoshi Rothschild - Camp Code #168
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/lesstalkingmoredoing
Bringing Leadership Training to Life at Camp
In this episode of Camp Code, Beth Allison, Gabrielle Rail, and Shoshi Rothchild challenge a common trap in staff training: too much talking, not enough doing. They make a compelling case that leadership isn’t learned through lectures; it’s built through practice. From marshmallow tower challenges to role playing homesick campers, the episode is packed with hands-on strategies that turn passive sessions into active lear...
Teaching Staff How to Notice Things - Camp Code #167
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The Skill No One Trains (But Every Great Camp Leader Needs)
On this episode of Camp Code, Beth and Gabz dig into one of the most overlooked and most essential skills in camp leadership: teaching staff how to notice. Not just supervising for safety, but observing with purpose. It’s the difference between running an activity and truly understanding the campers within it. From spotting the quiet camper who’s pulling away to r...
The Best and Most Effective Staff Training Schedule - with Shoshi Rothschild - Camp Code #166
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/the-best-and-most-effective-staff-training-schedule
Designing Staff Training That Actually Prepares Your Team
On this episode of Camp Code, Beth and Gabz sit down with consultant and former camp director Shoshi Rothschild to explore how to design a staff training schedule that truly prepares people for the realities of camp. Instead of cramming information into a packed week of lectures, Shoshi encourages leaders to think intentionally about the staff experience; building a sequence that develops confidence, relationships...
How to be a Boss - with Kate Taylor - Camp Code #165
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How to Be a Boss Who Builds Trust, Not Tension
On this episode of Camp Code, Gabs and Kate unpack what it really means to be a good boss. The throughline? Trust. Through transparency about decisions, honest follow-through, and prioritizing their own mental health, leaders model the kind of steadiness they hope to see in their staff. They explore tools like 360-degree feedback, empathetic language (“the story I’m telling myself…”), and giving c...
Our Favourite Beth Practices - with Kate Taylor- Camp Code #164
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/ourfavouritebeth
Let me be perfectly clear…
When Beth “Topaz” Allison isn’t in the room, you feel it. So this week on Camp Code, we did what made the most sense: we turned the episode into a tribute—surfacing the Beth practices that have quietly (and not so quietly) shaped how so many of us lead.
Emerging is a clear picture of Beth’s core philosophy: start with people, lead with intention, a...
RE-RELEASE: Best Interview Practices - Camp Code #19
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Hiring with Intention: Spotting the Right Staff Before Training Begins
Though we often consider the first day of staff training the time when we begin absorbing our new team into the camp culture, the reality is that staff orientation starts during the application process. Is the person trainable? How will he or she work on the team that is assembled? Does the applicant "get it?" Join Gab, Beth, and...
Preparing Staff for the Reality of Today’s Campers - with Ruby Compton - Camp Code #163
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/preparingstafffortherealityoftodayscampers
Training Staff for the Kids That Show up Today
This Camp Code episode explores the realities children are facing today and how those realities must reshape the way camps train their staff. Beth, Gabrielle, and Ruby unpack how comparison culture, constant visibility through photos and video, heightened global awareness, anxiety, loneliness, sensory overload, and shortened attention spans are showing up in camper behavior. They emphasize that today’s campers arrive overwhelmed, not br...
Anxiety in Young Adults - with Ruby Compton - Camp Code #162
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/anxietyinyoungstaff
Anxiety in Young Staff—and How Camp Leaders Can Respond
This Camp Code episode explores how anxiety is increasingly shaping how 17–25-year-old staff show up at camp, even when they don’t name it directly. Beth, Gabrielle, and Ruby connect the rise in anxiety to global instability, declining trust, perfectionism, constant visibility, heavy phone use, and missed developmental “practice reps” during the pandemic. At camp, anxiety often appears as repeated reassurance-seeking, freezing on decisio...
Navigating Difficult Conversations Part II - with Diane Slater - Camp Code #161
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/navigatinghardconvopt2
Hard Conversations, Real Practice
In this second installment on having hard conversations, Beth and Gabrielle welcome back HR consultant and longtime camp person Diane Slater to do what staff training needs most: practice. Moving through real camp scenarios, they dig into how leaders can stay clear and kind when feedback gets messy. Diane starts with the “defensive star”—the beloved staff member who shuts down whenever coaching arrives—and reminds us to lead wit...
How to Ask for Help - with Kelly Schuna - Camp Code #160
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The Art of Asking for Help
In this episode of Camp Code, Beth and Gabrielle sit down with Kelly Schuna to unpack why asking for help has become such a critical leadership skill for camp staff. They explore the mix of pressures keeping people quiet—fear of looking incapable, low trust, and a generation used to solving problems through phones or having adults step in automatically. The point they keep returning to is...
Navigating Difficult Conversations - with Diane Slater - Camp Code #159
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/navigatingdifficultconversations2025
How to Have Tough Staff Conversations with Clarity and Compassion
Let’s face it—having tough conversations with staff who aren’t meeting expectations can feel downright uncomfortable. At camp, where relationships and community are everything, addressing performance issues can seem at odds with the culture of care and belonging we work so hard to build. Too often, directors and leadership staff hesitate to give feedback because they fear defensiveness, gossip, or escala...
Phone Down and Leading with Presence - Camp Code #158
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Breaking the Phone Habit: Leading with Presence at Camp
In the latest episode of Camp Code, the hosts tackle a growing challenge for camp directors: managing cell phone use while fostering an unplugged, connected camp culture. They explore how to shift from enforcing strict no-phone rules to celebrating off-phone time as part of what makes camp special. Through creative ideas like “disconnect to reconnect” challenges, mindful moments, and intentional “third spaces” for connecti...
A Culture of Inclusion - Camp Code #157
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/cultureinclusion2025
Building Bridges: Inclusive Leadership in Camp Culture
In this episode of Camp Code by GoCamp.Pro, the hosts discuss the importance of integrating peripheral staff members, such as kitchen, maintenance, and admin staff, into the camp community. They emphasize that running a camp should focus on people rather than paperwork, and they share practical ideas for including these essential team members in daily, weekly, and camp-wide activities. Strategies include sharing stories, creating...
Leadership Strategies for Camp Directors: Building Resilience and Community with Travis Allison - Camp Code #156
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/leadershipstrategieswithtravis
Leadership, Resilience & Rekindling Passion in Camp Operations
In this episode of Camp Code, hosts Gabz, and Beth Allison return for the twelfth season to explore leadership training, industry updates, and practical strategies to support camp directors in a post-pandemic landscape. The trio dives into key operational challenges and introduces the Resilient Camp Blueprint, a new framework designed to help directors maintain focus, manage burnout, and improve systems with simple, daily...
The Summer Health Checklist with Amy Greer - Camp Code #155
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/summerhealthchecklist2025
Camp Health Essentials: Expert Tips for a Safe Summer
In this episode of Camp Code, hosts Gabrielle and Beth speak with Dr. Amy Greer, an infectious disease expert, about maintaining a healthy camp environment. They discuss key health risks such as COVID-19, measles, and whooping cough, and the importance of vaccination, hand hygiene, and outdoor activities. Practical tips for dealing with sick campers, the relevance of proper air quality and public health...
Creating Safer, Braver Spaces with Simone Gamble - Camp Code #154
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Inclusive Leadership at Camp: Insights from Simone Gamble
In this episode of Camp Code, hosts Gabrielle and Beth sit down with Simone Gamble from OAAARS to discuss creating safer spaces for BIPOC communities through intersectional, anti-oppressive lenses. Simone shares the importance of using play as a tool for justice education, the impact of the Kids Already program, and how camps can implement these practices to build inclusive and supportive environments. Simone's insights...
12 Things you Should be Focused on as the Camp Season Approaches - Camp Code #153
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/12-things-you-should-be-focused-on-as-the-camp-season-approaches
Preparing for Camp Season: Key Focus Areas for Success
As the much-anticipated camp season draws closer, it's essential for camp leaders to shift their focus onto key areas that ensure a successful and enriching experience for everyone involved. In the latest episode of Camp Code, Beth and Gabrielle share their top recommendations catering to staff, campers, and personal preparations for camp leaders.
We hope you love this...
Camp Code Classic - Engaging Multigenerational Staff During Training
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.camphacker.tv/camp-code/engaging-multigenerational-staff-during-training
A Great Episode From The Archives!
Beth and Gabz are still in full-on conference season wrap up so we'll be back with a new episode in two weeks.
In the meantime, here's a "Camp Code Classic!" - our most downloaded episode.
Enjoy!
Multigenerational staff may not be applicable to your camp today, but it absolutely will happen at some point, and what better time to have...
Training Campers to be Leaders - Camp Code #152
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/trainingcamperstobeleaders
Camper Leadership Skills: Strategies for Effective Development
In this episode, the hosts of Camp Code dive into the importance of developing leadership skills in campers. They discuss strategies such as creating a list of desired skills, celebrating mistakes, offering campers choices, and setting examples through staff behavior. The episode also covers how to build leadership skills through specific activities, mentorship programs, and encouraging reflection.
Additionally, Gabrielle and Beth share practical t...
Technology and Social Media in Camp Leadership - with Travis Allison - Camp Code #151
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/technology-and-social-media-in-camp-leadership
Tech & Camp Leadership: Maximizing Tools Without Losing Focus
In this Camp Code episode, our hosts dive into the impact of technology and social media on camp leadership. They explore whether technology has been beneficial, how it has changed the game, and the best ways to utilize these tools effectively. Joining the conversation is Travis Allison, co-founder of GoCamp.pro, who shares valuable insights on managing staff communication, engaging with...
Best Ways to Deal with Conflict Between Campers and Staff - Camp Code #150
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/best-ways-to-deal-with-conflict-between-campers-and-staff
Navigating Camper-Staff Conflicts: Building Relationships & Win-Win Solutions
In this Camp Code episode, Our hosts recognize that our industry is all about relationships. We're people. We're learning to live in community five days a week or around the clock. Today, we're diving into the best ways to deal with conflict between campers and staff. Because even in the happiest of places, summer camp, conflict between these two groups can still exist.
...
How to Run Effective Scenarios During Staff Training - With Chris Rehs-Dupin - Camp Code #149
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/how-to-run-effective-scenarios-during-staff-training
Align, Think, Respond: Scenario Training Staff
In this Camp Code episode, Chris Rehs-Dupin from TQAMP discusses the importance of running realistic scenarios during summer camp staff training to foster critical thinking and create safe and inclusive environments for individuals. The conversation highlights the need for well-structured scenarios that allow staff to practice responses to various challenges, from simple daily questions to worst-case scenarios, ensuring they are prepared for real-life...
Unpacking MORE of the Ultracamp Summer Camp Employment Study - with Donnie Keele - Camp Code #148
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/moreultracamp-summer-camp-employment-study
Hiring Trends and Challenges in Summer Camps: More Results from Ultracamp!
In this episode of Camp Code, Donnie Keel from UltraCamp shares findings from the Summer Camp Employment Study, offering valuable insights on hiring, training, and retaining camp staff. The discussion covers student mindsets towards summer employment, the importance of word-of-mouth recruitment, and effective hiring practices, such as reducing application barriers and maintaining constant communication with potential hires. The...
The Critical Role of Accountability - Camp Code #147
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Building Stronger Teams Through Accountability at Camp!
In this episode of Camp Code, hosted by the GoCamp.Pro team, Gabz and Beth discuss the critical role of accountability in summer camp settings. Highlighting its impact on trust, productivity, and performance, they delve into practical methods for instilling accountability among staff. They stress the importance of clear expectations, consistent feedback, role modeling, and staff empowerment. They also touch upon the need...
Mergers, Medications, and Mental Health - Exploring Diverse Scenarios - Camp Ahead #3
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Exploring Diverse Scenarios for the Future of Summer Camps | Camp Ahead
In this episode of Camp Ahead, hosts Joe, Jess, and KJ put their scenario planning skills to the test as they discuss diverse future scenarios related to organizational mergers, technology, and mental health, exemplifying the need for camp professionals to be prepared for various possible futures. Along the way you’ll hear some great tips on the benefits of being transparent, intentional an...
Scenario Planning 101 - Camp Ahead #2
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Exploring Camp Futures: Key Drivers and Scenario Planning
In this episode of Camp Ahead, hosts Joe, Jess, and KJ expand on the idea of scenario planning as an essential tool for thinking about the future. They discuss key drivers such as climate change, economics, demographics, technological advancements, and social shifts that can shape the next decade of summer camps. Through imaginative scenario planning, they aim to prepare the industry for both positive and c...
NEW SHOW! - Intro to Mental Time Travel - Camp Ahead #1
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A new show from Go Camp Pro! Camp Ahead!
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your favourite Podcasts!
Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/campahead/intro-to-mental-time-travel
Welcome to Camp Ahead: The Futurology of the Summer Camp Industry
In this inaugural episode of the Camp Ahead podcast, Joe Richards, KJ Williams, and Jess Elfring-Roberts dive into the concept of future-proofing the summer camp industry. They discuss the importance of mental time travel, scenario planning, and preparing...
Unpacking the Ultracamp Summer Camp Employment Study - with Donnie Keele - Camp Code #146
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/employment-study-1
Summer Camp Staffing: Challenges and Solutions Revealed
In this episode of Camp Code, Donnie Keele from UltraCamp unveils the findings of the Ultracamp Summer Camp Employment Study, which surveyed 157 camp directors and 615 students to unearth key trends shaping summer camp hiring today. Gabz and Beth and Donnie dive deep into the complexities of staff retention, the impact of director turnover, and the contrasting definitions of 'positive experiences' between camp directors and staff...
Digging Deeper Throughout the Hiring Process - with Kim Aycock - Camp Code #145
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/digdeeperhiringprocess
Dig deep with your hiring process!
In this episode of Camp Code, brought to you by GoCamp Pro, the hosts delve into advanced hiring processes for summer camps, sharing favorite interview techniques, key questions, and critical steps to take once staff are onboard to ensure retention. Featuring guest Kim Aycock of Kimspiration, they discuss the benefits of personalized interview questions, the importance of transparent communication, and maintaining continuous connection w...
Supporting our Staff - with Kim Aycock - Camp Code #144
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/supportingstaff2024
Dive In!
One of the most important decisions we make every season is who we hire to fulfill our mission and care for our campers and their families. This is of course one of the most important jobs, it’s also one of the most stressful.
How do we get our vision and help our potential staff members feel supported during the process and make the best decisions for our prog...
Part Two of Evaluations - with Travis Allison - Camp Code # 143
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/readysetaction
Ready, Set, Action!
Welcome to part two of evaluations we covered options and now we’re moving onto creating a vision and putting things into action.
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How to Get Staff Onboard With Changes - Camp Code #142
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/sooooooo
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
We’ve discussed program and procedures we shared how we would take that information and create some strategic planning and now we’ll be talking about how to get on board with any changes bigger or small that you’ll be implementing this coming summer.
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We hope you love this episode of Camp Code! If you do, please consider subscribing to the show, and leaving us a ratin...
How to Use This Time of Year - Camp Code #141
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/reflectreviewanalyzeevaluate
It’s That Time of Year!
Let’s reflect, review, analyze and evaluate. We need to give our brains an opportunity to pause after the chaos joy of the summer to really sort through and think about our observations and experiences. We need to review our skills, shortcomings, dreams and plans for the future. Join us today as we discussed how to use this time of year.
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Reflecting on the Successes and Challenges of 2024 - Camp Code #140
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We’re Back!
And so it begins another summer in the can and now we reflect on the challenges and successes of 2024 as we begin to prepare for the 2025 season. Join us today as we share the issues, the stresses and the rewards of this past summer.
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We hope you love this episode of Camp Code! If you do, please consider subscribing to the show, and leaving us a rating in your Podcast app. It’s SO easy, just head to https://ratet...
How to Teach Accountability to Your Staff - With Kim Aycock - Camp Code #139
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Find full show notes and links at: https://www.gocamp.pro/campcode/teachingaccountability
Teaching Accountability: where character meets competence, creating champions of responsibility!
One of the most important traits to teach staff at any company, not just at summer camp, is accountability. Join us today and our special guest Kim Aycock as we discuss how to teach accountability to your staff.
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We hope you love this episode of Camp Code! If you do, please consider su...
