Camp Includes Me Conversations - Avoiding Silos and Cliques by Understanding People and Navigating Conflict

When communication styles, expectations, and lived experiences differ, conflict can surface quickly at camp, often resulting in cliques and silos. This solution focused session explores five conflict resolution styles while creating space for reflection and exploration. Participants will gain insight into their own communication and conflict tendencies, examine the assumptions and biases they bring into professional relationships, and recognize how staff behavior often signals underlying feelings and needs. Through activities, guided discussion, and reflection, participants will explore conflict dynamics to build empathy, strengthen self-awareness, and grow as more effective, thoughtful leaders. As an added bonus, leave with plug-and-play staff-training activities!

Join us for Camp Includes Me, a welcoming space for allies and individuals eager to support and learn about diversity, belonging, inclusion, equity, access, and more. Whether you're just beginning your journey or bringing years of experience, this is a safe place to ask questions, share perspectives, and grow together. Through open conversations, we’ll explore how to build safe and inclusive environments in camp and beyond. Over time, we'll delve into topics such as inclusion, cultural intelligence, unconscious bias, and the systemic patterns that shape our interactions with people of diverse cultures, backgrounds, identities, belief systems, and ages.

These events are not intended as a selling opportunity for businesses or consultants. Affordable sponsorships are available. 

Meet the Presenter

Our May conversation will feature Sterling Nell Leija from Innovative Camp Company! Sterling Nell Leija, co-founder of Innovative Camp Company, is a seasoned nonprofit executive advancing youth-serving programs through strategy, capacity-building, continuous improvement, and positive youth development. She is a strategic partner with camps and national leaders, including ACA, and advocates for safety, quality, and outcome-based programming. As a consultant, educator, speaker, and writer, she shares best practices, research, and tools with industry leaders.