Avoid the formation of fronts?
Good morning,
Background:
I volunteer at a children's camp. Last year, under the previous management, there were massive problems, particularly in the form of divisions between the approximately 30 "regular" counselors and the approximately 15 members of the organizing team.
The problem was that a lot of things went wrong. There were too few caregivers and too many children, which made the workload incredibly high. We had people who could barely walk straight due to lack of sleep. Furthermore, communication between people was extremely poor, etc., etc.
In addition, there were unfortunate coincidences such as bad weather and a child fainting in front of the assembled crew
Well, this year I'm in charge, and I don't plan on letting things escalate like this again. I've already changed a few things. There will be a break tent for the counselors, with snacks, a coffee machine, seating, etc. Furthermore, at least one counselor in each children's tent will be given a walkie-talkie (last year, that was reserved for the organizing team). I'd also like to employ one or two counselors as "mailmen" who would simply run around and relay information.
Another idea is to make the evening meeting much more positive. Last year's meeting was very technical and more or less served as a platform for the supervisors and the organizing team to insult each other…
Essentially, every tent should be given the opportunity to share a memorable moment of the day. Furthermore, the technical aspects will be outsourced, and the next day's program, for example, will no longer be discussed in great detail. This will simply be displayed in the lounge tent.
Furthermore, this year we have significantly more emergency plans regarding rain and heat, for example, than last year.
I would also say that I am much more assertive than the old manager.
Do you have any ideas what else can be done to avoid the formation of conflicts and ensure optimal cooperation?
(1 votes)
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I’ve been organizing camps for children for a few years as part of my job. So, not even the care taken, but the administrative part, including the acquisition and organizational care of the caregivers.
My tip for you would therefore be that you not only roughly shape the plan for the week(s) to hang up (but it is also essential for the kids to be able to orient themselves – also ensures more order and “rest”!), but you really do a very detailed Excel table for it. There the following columns come in: Who, with whom, when, where, with which (possibly still supplemented by a column, which task / assignment must be completed beforehand). You can also make an additional column for later sorting, where you can distinguish the tasks in daily recurring or only once recurring tasks.
And then you really write as small as possible everything in the course of the day and week. Not only the program highlights for the kids, but also everything that concerns you as a supervisor! So, for example, something like “children wake up”, “wash off” or “send children for teeth cleaning”.
You can then do a kind of service or Development of a shift plan and the distribution of tasks for individual persons during the week. This is also a very central element, especially with regard to the absolutely necessary breaks! Because they can then take place just and regularly. Without good planning, unfortunately, it’s always the same ones that are skillfully twisting away and always the same ones that can catch up and do not take their breaks…
For the evening round, I would recommend a kind of protocol. On the one hand, so that you can hold any agreements directly readable. On the other hand – and much more important – but also to make this round ordered by them! So, for example, as the first “What was good today?”, then “What was not good today?”, then briefly presented “What’s up tomorrow?”, then maybe a short block for questions and at the positive conclusion a round “What am I looking for tomorrow?”.
Thank you for the detailed answer! Designing a precise layer plan is really a very good proposal!