The Australian Camps Association recently ran its first face to face Conference since pre-COVID times and it was a resounding success. It brought together camp managers and their staff for two days of PD and socializing, focusing on the theme of ‘Recharge’. We aimed to push some positive energy back to our members, who, like many of you, suffered financially, physically and emotionally during 2020.
Australian camps are now back up and running across the country, with very high demand from schools and all types of community groups – all of whom see camps as the best way to reconnect with their friends, class mates and schools. The downside is that Australian camps remain understaffed and have had little time to recruit, train and induct staff teams going into the current busy period – just a different form of stress, but at least we are back at work.
Our Conference presenters spoke on topics related to looking after yourself and your staff teams, being optimistic, improving accessibility for people living with a disability and for older people, accreditation and strategic planning. We were also delighted to hook up with Tom Rosenberg from the American Camps Association via Zoom, and to hear from ICF President Fahrettin Gozet via video message.
With best wishes to our friends and colleagues in the camp sector around the world,
submitted by Pete Griffiths
CEO, the Australian Camps Association
All photographs are from Natalie Finney Photography
ACA 2021 National Conference Highlights Reel: