2019 Winter Issues Forum
featuring
Bob Ditter 

The Bob Ditter Professional Development Series for Camp Professionals 

Bob Ditter has developed a series of short, intensive programs for camp professionals designed to improve their practice and ratchet up their level of professionalism. The programs are each 2 hours long and include an interactive presentation with ample time for questions and discussion. 

Sessions
Camper and Staff Anxiety: The New Normal

In just a few short years the level of stress and anxiety among young people in the US has skyrocketed. In a survey conducted recently by the Healthy Camps Committee of ACA, of which Bob was a member, camp directors from around the country indicated overwhelmingly that, when it comes to staff, anxiety was their number one concern. When it comes to campers, after homesickness, anxiety was also the number one concern of camp directors. Come listen to the insightful reasons behind the epidemic of anxiety we are experiencing in our young people at camp and learn what you can do about it with parents, camper and staff. It might just help you keep some campers, win over some parents and retain some staff! And lower your own level of anxiety!

Specifically, in this session you will learn:

1)    Four critical contributors to high stress and anxiety among young people today
2)    The failures of many interventions among young people with anxiety
3)    A critical and practical approach to anxiety in youngsters
4)    Specific practices for managing one’s own anxiety
5)    Strategies and exercises to use with staff to help them manage their stress and anxiety  

Gen Z Frequency!
Working Effectively with 16-21 Year-olds!

Who is Gen Z and how are they different from Millennials? What do you need to know to communicate with Gen Z’s, build community with them, and execute better training with them? Based on research from a few different sources, Bob will walk us through all of these questions. Whether your Gen Z’s are CITs, LITs, Junior Counselors or full-fledged staff members, come learn ways to work more effectively with them regardless of their place in camp.

 Specifically, in this session you will learn:

1)    Specific characteristics of people born between 1996 and 2010—“Generation Z”
2)    How to build trust and credibility with this generation
3)    Elements of practice that are critical in creating community with Gen Z
4)    Aspects of staff training that are more impactful with Gen Z, including specific tools and        skills critical to the success of and camp counselor

Day's Agenda
9:00am - Sponsor Breakfast (coffee & pastries) and Check-In
10:00am - Morning Session Begins
Noon - Lunch (provided by NCYCA)
1:00pm - Presentation by David Knight, Director--Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
1:30pm - Afternoon Session Begins