The Role of Supportive Relationships
Building Camps That Care About Kids—First in a Series of Four Articles

Survey Domains

Supportive Relationships • Guidance
How many counselors or camp staff . . . .
• Pay attention to what’s going on in your life?

Emotional Support
How many counselors or camp staff . . . .
• Say something nice to you when you do something good?

Practical Support
How many counselors or camp staff . . . .
• Could you go to for help in a crisis?

Adults’ Knowledge of Youth
How much do you agree that . . . .
• The counselors/camp staff here know me well.

Peers’ Knowledge of Youth
How often do these things happen at camp?
• I get chances to do things with other people my age.

Safety • Physical
How often do these things happen at camp?
• I feel safe when I am at camp.

Emotional
How much do you agree or disagree with the following?
• I feel respected by the counselors/camp staff here.

Youth Participation • Input & Decision Making
How often at camp this summer have you gotten to . . . .
• Decide which activities you are going to do here.

Leadership • How often have you . . . .
• Helped plan activities and events?

Belonging
How often do you feel like these things happen?
• I feel like I belong here.

Skill Building • Interesting
How often do you experience the following?
• I get to do a lot of new things here.

Growth & Progress
How often do you experience the following?
• I get to learn things here that I don’t get to learn anywhere else.

Challenging
How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
• The counselors/camp staff here challenge me to do my best.

Originally published in the 2006 September/October issue of Camping Magazine.