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Social Networking and Camp
As the summer camp season wanes, campers and staff alike may be feeling "campsick"
for the friends, and for all practical purposes the "family," they have
to say good-bye to. And, while modern technology is a friend to those wishing
to stay in touch — it can quickly become tricky and murky waters to navigate.
Social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace,
and Twitter allow campers to keep in touch
with each other and with their favorite staff
members and counselors long after the embers
die down on the last campfire of the year.
However, through these same sites, campers
may inadvertently be exposed to more mature
content. How can this be avoided? Is there
a recommendation for dealing with this situation?
In his article Their
space… or yours? Internet Issues
come to Camp, Stephen Wallace recommends
camps use the following guidelines to keep
both campers and camps safe:
- Establish and disseminate
policies regarding the posting of personal
information online — If
you currently do not have a social networking
policy for camp staff, create one. It is
important that rules are explicitly outlined,
and that consequences are clearly stated.
If you are just now developing this policy,
be sure to send it home with campers and
to include it in camp e-newsletters to
families.
- Prohibit the use
of images (pictures or logos) of or from
your camp — Again,
this should be clearly stated in your policy.
- Visit the sites
to monitor compliance — Let
staff and campers know that sites will
be checked. Ask for full disclosure from
staff of any social networking pages.
- Notify campers and
their parents about violations of your
policy — If a
violation occurs, you need to let families
know that you are aware of the violation
and that appropriate actions are being
taken.
- Follow through with
consequences — Let
violators know that this is a matter to
be taken seriously and that you will follow
through with policy. It's important
for the safety of campers and for your
camp staff that the rules apply to everyone.
Social networking sites can be fun and keep
your camp community connected. Many camps
already offer a "cyber-space" for
camp alumni, staff, and campers to gather,
comment, and receive updates. It's
important to make sure that this is done
with intention and that safety and appropriateness
are a top concern. In the end, it will only
serve to benefit everyone. Camp is a place
for children and youth to make authentic
human connections and take healthy risks
in a safe and nurturing environment. It's
critical that this environment extends beyond
the campus, and into every aspect of "camp
life."
A more in-depth article on the complexities
of social networking and its impact on the
camp community can be found in the September/October
2006 issue of Camping
Magazine.
For more information on social networking,
visit ACA's Web site.
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