The Leaders of Tomorrow

Of the many skills camp teaches children, leadership just may be the most important.

by Stu Saunders



As summer approaches, the mere thought of children heading into two months of summer without anything to do can send shivers up some parents’ spine.

     When it comes to summer programs for your children, there are a few obvious options. They could hang out at the local mall, they could sit in front of the television and play their new PS3 and, of course, there is the ever popular pastime of simply “hanging out.”

     On the other hand, there are a group of parents that choose a different option: Summer camp. Since I was six years old I have not experienced a summer without camp. Whether it was attending day camp or residential camp as a camper or venturing on canoe trips or working at camp as a staff member, camp was where I spent my summer vacation.

     I was lucky to have a mom that was of the opinion that a child’s learning should not end when school did in June. She felt that the classroom simply changed.

Choosing a summer camp for your children is a big decision, with many factors to consider. Some of the items to examine when selecting a camp are its history; whether it is an accredited member of the Ontario Camping Association (OCA) or another provincial camping association; its location; its size (both physical and how many campers it accepts); and the varying learning opportunities it offers your child.

Most traditional summer camps offer such programs as canoeing, arts & crafts and swimming, while some offer specialized programming in sports, the arts and outtripping. Regardless of the camp you choose, always ensure that it offers leadership training. Not only should you expect your children to come back from camp with new friends, new experiences and new skills, but also new-found confidence, stronger self-esteem and an ability to make better choices.

The simple act of sending your child to a quality summer camp will help increase a child’s self-esteem. Being on his or her own, learning a new skill, such as paddling a canoe on their own, will no doubt instill a stronger self-confidence within them. All of this leads to your child building their personal leadership.

If you truly want your children to learn new skills in leadership, look for a camp with a very progressive and systematic skills development program. Think of it this way: if you wanted your child to become an accomplished equestrian you would send them to a camp that specializes in horseback riding. Many camps may offer riding as an activity option, a chance for campers to try it on some basic level, but when you want them to learn the intricacies of equestrian and become good at it, you send them to a specialized camp where the focus is on the acquisition of related skills.

This is the exact same approach you should take when you want your child to strengthen his or her leadership skills. If leadership training is an important factor in your summer camp decision, then look for camps that can teach very tangible skills, such as goal setting, time management, conflict resolution, team and trust building, listening and speaking skills. In addition, see if they have any follow up throughout the year: Are there any reunions or newsletters? Does the camp have an online forum for campers to communicate and support each other?

The most exciting part about a quality leadership camp program is that your children will return with a new and rejuvenated outlook on life.

The bottom line is that sending your child to any quality summer camp will help build their self-esteem and confidence. But if leadership is the skill that you want your children to learn, ensure that the camp you choose has a program in place committed to teaching this important life skill.


Stu Saunders is the director of Youth Leadership Camps Canada (YLCC).