Camp Muskoka’s Leadership Camp is offered to campers age 14-16 and is fully integrated into our traditional Summer Camp experience. Our 2-week Leadership Camps are specifically designed to empower our campers and unlock their potential to become leaders. Our supportive environment lets participants share their aspirations, further develop their strengths and face new challenges. Our LITs build courage and confidence while creating some of life's best memories with their new lifelong friends.
ACTIVITIES
Campers enrolled in the LIT program will participate in leadership centered activities daily, as well as having the opportunity to participate in the camp-wide “Choice Activity” program periods. This format allows leadership campers to create a wonderful balance between traditional summer camp fun and personal development. Included in our leadership camp, the LIT campers will experience Camp Muskoka’s Canopy Aerial Park. This ‘challenge-by-choice’ activity is a great way to strengthen communication skills while pushing personal boundaries in a safe controlled environment. Other favourite traditions include an exciting overnight camp-out, a movie night at the local theatre, and a legacy project. These experiences create bonds, help campers embrace challenges and learn the value of teamwork while giving them a first-hand opportunity to exercise their new leadership skills!
SOME EXTRA FUN
Our Leadership Campers will get to participate in a few extra fun activities during their stay at Camp Muskoka. These experiences create bonds, help campers embrace new challenges and learn the value of teamwork and group dynamics while giving them a first-hand opportunity to exercise their new leadership skills!
Counsellor Shadowing:
Included in our leadership camps, LITs will experience the life of a Counsellor. This challenge-by-choice activity is a great way to better understand how to care for campers, the daily planning and supervision of how camp works. LIT campers assist on camper arrival days, shadow the camper incoming process, shadow Program Heads and Camper Coordinators - all to inspire leadership and potential opportunities to work at Camp Muskoka as a Counsellor, Program Head, or other positions available. This structure empowers the LIT to practice skills that are fully-transferable to benefit all areas of their life.
Camp Wide Activity Planning:
LITs will also have an opportunity to create, plan, and run a camp wide activity for all campers! This collaboration is a great way to experience work as a cohesive team, communication, brain storming, planning, and putting thoughts into real action, debriefing and analyzing the outcome in methods and ways to improve moving forward.
LIT ACCOMODATIONS
Campers in our LIT program stay in their own community within Camp Muskoka known as Leadership Village. During their stay, campers reside in large tents, raised on canopy-covered platforms, equipped with comfortable bunk beds and their own washroom and shower facility.
CORE VALUES
Camp Muskoka’s LIT program focuses on the development of a variety of Life Skills that we believe to be the cornerstones of a responsible contributor to society. In addition to promoting Camp Muskoka’s core values of Respect, Honesty and Accountability, the following are some of the many attributes taught through our Leadership Program:
BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL:
If you are going to be a leader, be a good leader! Younger campers look to you for guidance and will mimic your behaviour. At camp, we often call this ‘PDP’ or Pass Down Principle.
BE KIND AND CARING:
To lead people, you must show respect for them. Leadership is about who you are and how you treat people, not what you know. People don’t care about how much you know until you show how much you care.
USE ACTIVE LISTENING:
Letting someone be heard and allowing them to speak is often the best way to resolve a problem. Try to let them work out a solution themselves while keeping them on track.
BE PREPARED AND ORGANIZED:
It is difficult to get somewhere you’ve never been without a map. By planning, making lists, and then following a set course you will be more likely to achieve the set goal. But remember, success does not come without adjustments. Always expect the unexpected.
BE GRACIOUS:
Thanks and acknowledgement of one’s contribution should be given both publicly and privately by a leader who appreciates everyone’s efforts, and acknowledging each participants unique skills and abilities.
BE ATTENTIVE:
By staying attentive, strong leaders can observe and resolve potential conflicting issues before they become major problems.
BE ACCOUNTABLE:
All progress starts with the truth! A good leader is able to accept responsibility for both the good and the bad and use that to improve next steps.
MAINTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS:
Leaders do not dictate directions and sit back and watch others do what has been told to them. A good leader participates instead of watching from the sidelines. Leadership is not something that you do to people it is something that you do WITH people.
As leadership campers gain experience they are encouraged to become more involved in mentoring some of our younger campers through our in-camp placements, all the while being supervised by our trained leadership team. The experiences gained through our leadership programs will assist our youth in refining life skills, making them great contributors to society and ideal prospects for future counsellor positions. At Camp Muskoka we work towards recognizing campers, not for competitive activity, but for the personal achievement of goals and the development of leadership qualities within themselves. Leadership campers will be required to complete a questionnaire prior to their arrival. LITs should be enthusiastic, creative, and eager to learn.
