Rebuilding Camp Programs RESULTS Safe, Inclusive and High Quality - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Building Markham’s Future Together

Rebuilding Camp Programs RESULTS

Safe, Inclusive and High Quality Programs

General Committee Monday, November 19, 2012

Towards a Sustainable Community

Building Markham’s Future Together

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Towards a Sustainable Community

Building Markham’s Future Together

Purpose of Presentation

• To provide the results of the Camp action

plan for the 2012 camp season which was developed to address concerns raised at Camp Chimo in the summer of 2011

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Towards a Sustainable Community

Building Markham’s Future Together

Overall Objective

Markham is committed to ensuring – Safe, inclusive and High Quality programs for all participants in a manner that meets or exceeds the expectations of our residents.

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Towards a Sustainable Community

Building Markham’s Future Together

Overall Management of Plan

• Hired external consulting teams to respond to the

recommendations in the Plan:

• Development of Hiring Practices – KPMG, Human Transformation
• Development of Programs and Training – The Human Factor
• Established an Advisory Panel to oversee process:
• External : Parks and Recreation Ontario, YMCA, Ontario Camp

Assoc., Markham Stouffville Hospital, Youth Representative and Parent Representative

• Community : Youth Representative and Parent Representative
• Senior Town Staff: CAO, Commissioner CFS
• Established an Internal Steering Committee : Commissioner

CFS, Town Solicitor, Director of HR, Director of Recreation, Director of Corp. Communication

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Action Plan: Key Improvement Areas

There were five key areas that formed the basis for improvements in the overall camp program in 2012.

• 1. Supervision
• 2. Programming
• 3. Training
• 4. Hiring Practices
• 5. Communication

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Building Markham’s Future Together

Supervision Outcomes

• Supervision increased and improved

through qualified individuals with experience in programming, child development, and staff management. Additional oversight and staffing to monitor compliance of all programs consistent with Town of Markham standards.

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Actions to Address Supervision:

• Oversight of Eco Camp @ Chimo –re- assigned

to be managed by the East Area

• A dedicated full-time staff person was located

at Chimo for the operational season.

• Training plan developed by The Human Factor

included additional training hours (10 – 15 hrs)

• Camp Director – introduced 4 new positions to

provide front line supervisory support to each area.

• Development of online pre camp information

package for parents.

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Supervision – Key Recommendations

Recommendation Status Comments Increase the training hours Completed Training hours have been increased by 10 -15 hours New Dedicated Supervisor Completed Recreation Coordinator worked on site all summer Management staff daily visits Completed in 2012 Ongoing practice Reviewed weekly Formal reporting of daily logs to management Completed Logs books maintained and reviewed weekly Weekly meetings with management staff Completed in 2012 Ongoing practice Camp Directors met management staff - reviewed log books and address issues

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Supervision- Key Recommendations cont’d

Recommendation Status Comments Issue Escalation Protocols and Management Reports Completed Finalized Enhance the annual program and performance planning and reviews Completed Performance Mgt documents completed, positive feedback from staff Develop Performance Management and Corrective Action Protocol Completed Corrective Action Protocol

• finalized. Performance

Mgt documents completed Enhanced Parent Communication Completed Sent each week prior to camp with all information

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Programming Outcomes

• Programming changes based on best

practices, a peer evaluation prior to implementation and a complete review of all camp programs related to administrative structures, training, communications protocols, monitoring, and auditing. Complete program changes to Camp Chimo and redesign of the 12 to 14 age group

• curriculum. External expertise will be utilized

to review and implement the changes to the program and systems.

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Actions to Address Programming

• Eco Camp @ Chimo program was revised

with much more emphasis on the eco system.

• Development of program planning and

activity templates available to all staff

• nline www.leadershiponline.ca
• Review of survey weekly, response within

48 hours if requested on the survey and results tracked on a weekly basis.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromE mail=true&formkey=dEtxN2VydVU3MjUyZ2ZPMFk2Wjh Rd1E6MQ

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Programming – Key Recommendations

Recommendation Status Comments New Program Development Completed New program at Chimo Refocus the programs at Camp Chimo on ecology, nature and survival in nature Completed Eco Camp at Chimo – program reflects ecology nature Update the existing camp manual Completed Completed, available on line Integrate the Voyageur program and rename programs Completed All age groups were integrates into the program Align staffing structure with new program Completed All staff integrated – specialist positioned redefined

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Programming – Key Recommendations cont’d

Recommendation Status Comments Align training program with new programming Completed New program and resource tools developed Provide Mandatory Annual training Completed All staff attended all sessions – make up sessions provided Develop program plan standard template Completed Templates developed and available on line Surveys on Quality through surveys from Parents and Campers Completed Survey to parents sent out after each session, to staff at end of season

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Training Outcomes

• Training curriculum committed to a safe,

inclusive, and high quality program and based on the High Five national quality standard, an Employee Code of Ethics, and Health and Safety and Respect in the Workplace policies. Current pre-camp training programs were enhanced to ensure consistency with Markham’s standards and expectations. Additional training will be provided throughout the camp season.

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Actions to Address Training

• Implemented a new centralized training

program

• Provided additional training hours –

programming planning, behaviour management

• Ensured all staff trained in High Five including

all management staff

• Developed an online training program that all

staff had to complete prior to attending camp training week. www.leadershiponline.ca

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Training – Key Recommendations cont’d

Recommendation Status Comments Review and Revise Training program Completed Centralized training to ensure consistency of information Mandatory training prior to each camp season for all Completed Training week was very successful – based on feedback from staff, we will be adjusting to provide more time for on site training Train staff on appropriate games for ages and stages of campers Completed HIGH FIVE principles fully included in all training programs – included in activity templates Train staff on how to use resource tools Completed Included in training and as part of online component.

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Training – Key Recommendations

Recommendation Status Comments Ensure all staff sign off on training Ongoing New consistent process developed – central record keeping Mandatory training program for supervisory and management staff Completed All staff attended – HIGH FIVE training – Quest 2 Develop clearly stated policy/protocols and train staff on proper Camper/Counsellor interactions Completed Included in training program – HIGH FIVE program addresses this

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Hiring Practices Outcomes

• Hiring practice changes and

enhancements to validate candidate’s skills, abilities and behaviours to support the camp program, and to ensure candidates understand the important role they have in demonstrating good judgment and accountability for children in their care.

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Actions to Address Hiring Practices

• Identification of core competencies for each position:

leadership, safety and risk management, team building, judgment, organization, problem solving, customer service.

• Trained all staff on how to conduct effective interviews.
• Supported staff throughout the interview process with

a HR specialist

• Development of consistent candidate screening tools,

interview guides and questions

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Hiring – Key Recommendations

Recommendation Status Comments Review and Revise Hiring process Completed New process included development of competencies, interview guides and training Senior staff involvement – lead by HR Completed Process lead by Mona Nazif Hiring policies updated and included in staff manual Completed Policies developed, manual developed End of Season Review Completed Report has been written and suggested changes being implemented Mandatory Training Program Completed External vendor hired to train staff in interview skills Development of HR Hiring manual Completed Includes process mapping, and timelines

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Communication Outcomes

• Communication practices that will

provide a protocol for addressing concerns and clear, timely and appropriate information sharing among campers, parents and staff; including regular progress reporting on camp performance to management staff and increased use of feedback surveys with parents and campers.

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Actions to Address Communication

• Development of a online camp survey

that was sent to all parents the Friday

• f the conclusion of camp.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fro mEmail=true&formkey=dEtxN2VydVU3MjUyZ2ZPM Fk2WjhRd1E6MQ

• Weekly newsletters to staff were

distributed by area directors to keep them informed of program changes, upcoming events, etc.

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Communication & Issue Management – Key Recommendations

Recommendation Status Comments

Single point of contact will be communicated to parents Completed Communicated as part of the Welcome to Camp package. All parent concerns tracked and reviewed Completed Tracked all concerns, response within 48 hrs.- reviewed weekly Post camp survey for parents Completed Sent out the Friday of the conclusion of camp Established email communication with parents. Develop a Parent Communication Protocol Completed Completed. Increased Communication with Staff Completed Daily site meetings held, weekly newsletters Develop an Issue Management Protocol Completed Finalized

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Financial Impact

• Key recommendation in work plan had financial impact:
• Increase of training hours by 10 – 15 hours (depending on the position)
• Increase in # of Camp Directors hired to ensure daily site supervision.

This will be mitigated in 2013 by:

• A streamlined training that will meet all desired outcomes.
• Change in staff structure that will include more supervisors as part of the camper to

staff ratio

• Increased revenue through change in program offerings and price increase (annual

CPI)

Recreation YTD Actual YTD Budget Variance 2013 Budget Personnel 1,110,828 876,462

• 234,366

1,044,855 Non Personnel 230,678 201,279

• 29,399

293,734 Revenue 1,420,430

• 1,387,984

32,446

• 1,679,629

Net

• 78,924
• 310,243
• 231,319
• 341,040

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Building Markham’s Future Together

The Results

• In 2012 there was an increase in registration of 12% - an

additional 2,137 children participated in camps this summer.

• Customer Survey: We received an approximately 15 –

20% return rate (depending on the week) from the weekly

• nline survey to parents.
• Each survey was reviewed. Any issued or concerns

identified were immediately followed up.

• Response from parents was very positive about the

communication, programming and survey.

• RESULTS: 94% satisfaction rate of

this 47% were extremely satisfied

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QUESTIONS

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