Tips to Manage Your Counselor’s In Training (CIT) at Camp

Counselor in Training Course

Managing CIT’s can be rewarding but sometimes a challenging part of running a successful summer program. CIT’s bring energy, creativity, and extra helping hands that make activities smoother and campers happier. However, to truly benefit from their support, camps need clear processes and expectations for managing them. With the right approach, CIT’s become an invaluable extension of your staff team, helping create a safe, organized, and memorable experience for every camper. Once camp starts you will begin to manage your CIT’s the same way as your staff and treat them as assistant camp counselors. Here are some tips to manage your CIT’s:

• Flexibility: Be as flexible as you can with scheduling and only schedule them based on their availability that meets your minimum requirements. Schedule out the entire camp and once they receive and confirm their schedule, make them responsible for filling a shift if something comes up.
  
  
• Responsibilities: Make sure your CIT’s are given some responsibilities within their groups. They shouldn’t just do all the dirty work or things their counselors don’t want to do. Give them the opportunity to coordinate activities and other camp things just as counselors would.
  
  
• Managing Groups: Don’t leave your CIT’s in charge of groups on their own. They should be paired with paid staff to assist them where needed.
  
  
• Parent Communication: Keep parents informed if disciplinary action is needed or the student is not meeting expectations. The last thing you want is that a CIT has to be supervised like a camper. If that is the case and improvement is not made, remove them from the program.
  
  
• Recognition: Give recognition after they complete the program. Make sure to keep in touch with those that would advance to a paid staff member and have a way to facilitate that transition. Those that are not ready yet can continue in the CIT program until they can become a staff member.

Training, managing, and retaining your managing your CIT’s can provide your camp with a constant and consistent flow of quality staffing resources. Combat any shortfalls you may have with staffing with a well-run and organized CIT program that will take your camp to the next level.

Need help managing and training your CIT’s? Check out our online courses and training resources!