Volunteer Training at Camp Big Sky

Session 1: During session one, we allowed time for everyone to get to know one another.  The students learned names and got acquainted with other volunteers from Galesburg.  During this session, we also created an outline of characteristics that make a volunteer.  These characteristics included: Proper uniform, accountable and punctual, following directions and problem solving, being safe, knowing our strengths and weaknesses, networking and socializing, and learning from the experience. We then connected how similar an employee is to a volunteer.
Session 2: During session two, we began to look deeper into one of the characteristics of a volunteer.  This week the characteristic was being punctual and accountable.  It just so happens that EP!C got lost on the way to camp this week and was fashionably late.  This kind of turned into the joke of the day.  During our lesson, we discussed the five main characteristics of being a punctual and accountable volunteer.  These characteristics included: Being prepared, being on time, knowing the information, wearing your uniforms, and being respectful.  The students received their name tags, binders, and shirts during this session.  However, they had to work to get them.  The students went on a scavenger hunt to find each of the items.  During this scavenger hunt they also performed some camp safety or volunteer activities.  The volunteer trainees were then given the responsibility to bring back their binders, name tags, and shirts next week to camp.
Session 3:  During session three, the focus was safety.  The volunteers quickly learned the basic safety rules at Camp Big Sky.  We play charades to learn all the rules. Once the students learned these rules, we put them to the test.  The volunteers went out and practiced some of the rules they had just learned for each of the following locations: Dock, Boat, Hayrack ride, Crafting, First Aid, and Camp overall.
Session 4: During session four, the focus was still on safety.  The volunteers became actors/actresses for the day to help create a safety video.  The editing is still in the process, but we hope to have it out to all soon.
Session 5: During session five, the focus was on building personal relationships and networking.  First, we had to refresh our memory on safety and fill in our volunteer outline with the safety rules.  Once that was complete we took some time to fill in a concept map of all the network connections the volunteers already had.  Then the volunteers got to take a break and head out on the hayrack ride.  After returning we discussed and completed our volunteer characteristics outline for networking.  The characteristics included: Staying connected, sharing your knowledge, keeping it professional, and communicating properly. 

By: Megan LaPage