Working toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals can feel overwhelming. Where do you start, how do you begin, and how can you satisfy people who have different perspectives on the right approach? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

Research conducted by University of Utah researchers in partnership with the American Camp Association emphasized that each camp’s approach to DEI needs to vary based on its context. Sure, a template would be easier to follow. But it would not account for your camp’s specific needs and circumstances or the communities that have been marginalized in this space.

This research provides a platform for you to consider how your DEI efforts currently align with the broader camp industry and what strategies you might want to incorporate in the future. While it cannot tell you exactly what to do to achieve DEI goals at your camp, it offers valuable insights and opportunities for reflection. The study surveyed 390 camp staff across 39 states and asked them about which strategies they used to promote DEI and how effective they were at using them. (Strategies assessed are listed in Table 1.) They could say they did a strategy well, they tried to do a strategy, they did not do a strategy, or they did not know. Afterward, we interviewed 19 camp staff to hear more details about their responses. Here’s what we learned.

Governance and Administration

Camp staff shared how crucial leadership support is for implementing DEI practices. Without backing from leadership, it’s challenging to allocate staff time and resources for DEI efforts, especially when budgets are tight. Prioritizing DEI often starts with written policies for equity and inclusion, along with clear goals and objectives. About a third of the camps reported doing this well. However, almost half admitted they didn’t have a dedicated DEI resource person or an official DEI committee.

One interviewee who worked as a DEI and access manager at their camp described the importance of policies to creating an inclusive environment: “This year, I had a camp call and say, ‘Hey, we’ve never had an openly trans camper before. We don’t have any policy around that. Here’s what our housing situation is. What do we do?’ And I said, ‘OK. First, let’s write a policy. And then we’ll decide what to do in the situation based on the policy that we write.’”

Hiring and Training

Almost all camps reported that they were trying to train staff on DEI topics and hire diverse staff who reflect their camper populations, although only a quarter to a third felt they did it well. Camp staff in less diverse areas said it was often easier to hire seasonal workers than full-time staff with diverse identities. They could recruit seasonal staff from more diverse communities farther away from their camp, and potential recruits were willing to temporarily live at camps despite having limited opportunities to connect with other people who shared their identity.

“We typically do a very good job of hiring diverse staff, particularly at lower levels, but not so much at upper levels of our organization,” said one interviewee. “So, that has been a focus of our organization the entire time I’ve been here. But our site is located in a rural part of New Jersey that is not particularly friendly to people of color. They wouldn’t see many people [like them] reflected in the townspeople or shop folks, or any of that.”

Staff training sessions for counselors often focused on behaviors, such as how staff could respond to campers in the moment when topics related to DEI arose, whereas training sessions for permanent staff were more likely to focus on attitudes and knowledge related to DEI. An important part of staff training was repetition, so that individuals could practice and reengage with content they learned.

Evaluation

Evaluating DEI efforts is a tough challenge for camps. Few camp staff said they excelled in this area. While many were trying to assess their DEI initiatives, a similar number were not. However, camp staff said they had limited access to effective tools to conduct evaluations, making it hard to track progress. They wished they had better ways to understand if and how their DEI efforts improved the camper experience. This conclusion aligns with a systematic review by Devine and Ash (2022), which highlights the lack of evidence on the effectiveness of DEI initiatives in achieving their goals across all industries, not just camp.

Programming and Climate

DEI efforts in programming and climate varied widely. Some initiatives, like accommodating diverse food choices, came easily to most camps. Others, such as providing all gender/nonbinary housing, were implemented by less than half of camps, and very few said they were doing it well. Often, programming and climate efforts were related to physical aspects of camp that were clearly visible to campers, such as hanging pride flags in a dining hall. These actions provided a visual cue to campers, potentially promoting emotional safety.

In describing their camp’s success in programming and climate, an interviewee said they ask themselves, “What is the physical space that I can create that would help to make this place recognizable as a safe space?”

Camper Recruitment and Access

More than 80 percent of camp staff reported they did well at providing financial assistance to campers in need. Most either did well at recruiting or were trying to recruit campers who reflected the diversity of their community. However, fewer camp staff said their camp excelled at providing transportation to campers who were unable to get to camp or outwardly communicating their commitment to DEI in marketing. Emphasizing DEI in marketing could have many significant impacts by welcoming diverse campers while also setting expectations for families less familiar with or tolerant of such efforts.

“I encourage people to put that [DEI goals] literally everywhere,” said one interviewee. “We post it on our social media at least every couple of months. There’s a reminder that, yes, this is who we are, and we do all of these things. One of my favorite examples of how to use it was actually at a camp that got a lot of pushback around queer stuff in 2021. They put it on their registration this year. Parents had to check a box that they had read it before they could register their kids for camp, so there weren’t any parents who were like, ‘I didn’t know there was going to be a pride flag, or that you let people use other pronouns.’”

Key Takeaways

These findings describe camps’ efforts to achieve DEI goals on a national scale. One limitation of this research is its broad perspective, aggregating stories across camps. While the findings highlight overarching trends, they likely do not capture any individual camp’s experiences. We know that context matters. Camps in liberal areas have different challenges compared to those in conservative regions. Working toward DEI goals for youth of color looks different than for LGBTQ+ youth.

One camp director shared her discomfort as she wrestled with what she wished to do versus what seemed currently feasible within the camp structure: “In general, I think easing into it is going to be the best way . . . It’s not how I would prefer to do it,” she said. “But I don’t know. I feel like we have to kind of meet people where they’re at, and I don’t want to push some people so far that we exclude a lot of our returning families or people who are like, ‘This is new. This has never happened here before.’”

With these concerns in mind, some camps may struggle with where to begin. Which strategies are most important? What comes first? This study data does not prescribe answers to those questions, but they do point to iterative and mutually reinforcing effects once camps initiate change. Communicating DEI goals in marketing affects camper recruitment, recruiting diverse staff enriches the camp climate, and creating clear policies improves the camper experience. Thus, rather than following a sequential approach to DEI, it appears crucial to simply start. Take that initial step, and let your efforts grow from there.

Table 1. Strategies Assessed in the Benchmarking Survey

Photo courtesy of Camp John Marc, Dallas, TX.

Reference

Devine, P. G., & Ash, T. L. (2022). Diversity training goals, limitations, and promise: A review of the multidisciplinary literature. Annual review of psychology, 73(1), 403-429.

Lisa Meerts-Brandsma, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on how to increase access to positive developmental experiences for youth, particularly those who encounter systemic barriers that limit their opportunities. Prior to becoming a researcher, she worked for a decade in outdoor education spaces. Lisa can be reached at lisa.meerts@utah.edu.