https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/inclusive-camp-pathway-toward-friendship-between-campers-without-disabilities

In the summer of 2014, I was the association director of inclusion for the South Shore YMCA in Massachusetts, with oversight of the inclusive day camp sites. It was officially our first summer of...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/innovation-work-2024-eleanor-p-eells-award-winners

Each year, ACA’s Eleanor P. Eells Award for Program Excellence honors camps that embody the spirit of the award’s namesake through their efforts to provide exceptional programming that effectively...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/new-geographic-demographic-day-camps-hiring-staff-outside-your-area-code

If you’re responsible for hiring staff to work at day camp, you may be summing up today’s to-do list in one short phrase: Find more people! Far from being the second choice for those who don’t...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/reimagining-faith-based-family-camp-model-family-togetherness

The Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia were settled by strong and resilient families. In Nelson County many families were in these mountains long before a local government was established in 1807....

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/are-your-vehicles-drivers-rolling-safely-season

The summer camping season is upon us! Welcoming user groups, families, and campers to join you for a one-of-a-kind experience of fun, camaraderie, and personal growth takes considerable preparation...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/inclusive-camp-making-summer-camp-joyful-place-everyone

Summer camp is a sacred community which, as a rule, has always been willing to find common ground in respecting and accommodating individual values and needs. The values and needs of campers with...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/ensuring-camp-safety-13-steps-get-most-out-your-background-screening-process

Camp is a place for adventure, exploration, growth, and lasting memories. Whether it’s a child’s first time at camp or they’re returning for another summer of fun, one thing remains paramount:...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/continuous-improvement-program-quality-lessons-learned-part-two

As established in the first “Lessons Learned” article (...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/top-25-staffing-solutions-gathered-through-collaboration

Highlighted here is a curated collection of great ideas about how to recruit and retain staff — a direct result of the last two years of conferences and various collaborative brainstorming sessions...

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/continuous-improvement-program-quality-lessons-learned

Program quality (PQ) is essential to youth programs, and research shows that high-quality programs are directly linked to more positive outcomes. PQ refers to the environment that is created at...