Adult Leadership and Training Programs

Camp Fire offers training for individuals and groups in the areas of Youth Development and Health and Safety.

Youth Development Methods Courses include the following:
Live workshops are typically two to three hours in length, and are delivered by Camp Fire trainers who have completed the Weikart Center’s Training of Trainers course.

Introduction to the Active-Participatory Approach – Youth programs can be optimized for youth needs, motivation, and engagement. The Active-Participatory Approach to youth work was designed to address these goals. This youth-centered approach is the foundation for the Youth Work Methods Series.

Active Learning (Y/SA: II-H) Do you know the difference between active learning and “hands-on” learning? Giving youth materials is just the beginning. This interactive workshop introduces strategies for incorporating active learning, and helps participants create more powerful learning opportunities for youth.

Ask-Listen-Encourage(Y/SA: II-J) Do you communicate with youth in a way that makes them feel supported and heard? This workshop introduces communication techniques that help you build more supportive, youth- centered relationships. Participants learn how to ask effective questions, to listen actively to youth, and offer youth encouragement rather than praise.

Building Community (Y: III-L, SA: III-M) Do you know what it takes to build an emotionally and physically safe space for youth? Building an emotionally safe community of peers and adults is essential for youth to learn and develop as individuals. This interactive workshop will introduce participants to a variety of activities designed to support the community building process.

Cooperative Learning (Y: III-M, SA: III-O) Do the youth in your program have opportunities to work together in groups, teaching and learning from each other? Cooperative learning is an excellent way to nurture youth leadership, build community, and keep things fun. This interactive workshop will equip participants with grouping strategies and ways to think about building cooperative learning into any program offering.

Homework Help – This course focuses on making homework help time effective by helping youth get organized, by providing an atmosphere that helps youth focus on their work, and by building a supportive relationship with youth. These elements help participants reconsider Homework Help as an opportunity to build relationships and nurture positive growth, beyond getting the work done.

Planning and Reflection (Y: IV-P, IV-R, SA: IV-Q, IV-T) Are you engaging youth in the critical life skills of planning and reflection? Are you ready to be more intentional about including planning and reflection strategies into your daily activities but not sure where to start? This workshop introduces participants to powerful and easy to use methods that promote youth engagement in planning, implementing, and evaluating activities and projects.

Reframing Conflict (Y: II-K, SA: III-P) What role do you play in conflict situations in your program? Do you know how to turn a conflict situation into an opportunity for growth? This interactive workshop introduces participants to a step-by-step model for reframing conflict as well as general principles of conflict resolution.

Structure and Clear Limits I-A through E, II-G) – How do you prevent chaos in a youth environment without stifling the positive energy of youth? Youth need structure and clear limits in order to feel safe. This interactive workshop helps participants analyze the level of structure in their programs and practice identifying and maintaining clear limits.

Youth Voice (Y: V-C, V-D, III-N, SA: III-O, IV-S) Are you providing young people with authentic, meaningful choices throughout your program? Does your program reflect the input of the youth involved? Research shows that quality programs incorporate youth input at both activity and organizational levels. This workshop will emphasize the importance of offering real choices and meaningful participation to youth, and nurturing youth leadership. This interactive workshop is focused on providing meaningful choice within activities and opportunities for youth input within the youth program itself.

Teen Advisory Council (Y: V-C, V-D, III-N) – This course is a collaborative project of the Weikart Center and the Neutral Zone teen center. It emerged from an exciting two-year venture called the Youth Driven Space initiative. A goal of this initiative was to learn about the key ingredients for creating dynamic youth-driven programs for teens. We learned that one of the best ways to make a space youth-driven is to support a teen advisory council!

Autism Empowerment This program is designed to teach adults and older teens the necessary skills to provide youth development programs to youth with Autism. The program was developed by Autism Empowerment and is delivered by Camp Fire Program Staff. The curriculum teaches participants how to engage with youth on the spectrum. It includes information, tools for inclusion, identifying difficulties, overcoming barriers, and safety and mental health issues.

Safety Courses include:

Youth Mental Health First Aide Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.

CPR and First Aid Courses—Certification courses for individuals who are working with youth and families as well as the general public

Emergency Readiness Training – Prepares adults to work with youth in areas of emergency readiness and disaster assistance. Programs include

  • Teen CERT—done in collaboration with county emergency readiness personnel
  • Prepare Today-Lead Tomorrow—a Middle and early High School emergency readiness curriculum that teaches youth skills that they can use for life and assists them in planning service projects for their communities.

The following is a brief description of the Self-Reliance courses and age groups best served by each program: COUNT ON ME KIDS, Grades K, 1
Count on Me Kids helps children develop strong, positive self-images by emphasizing healthy lifestyles and encouraging children to do their best. Topics include: how to keep your body strong and healthy, protecting yourself from harm by being safe and careful, how to be a good friend and care for others, saying “no” to negative peer pressures and the many ways I am unique and special.

I CAN DO IT, Grades 2,3
This class teaches youngsters many different “how to” skills such as: making healthy snacks, answering telephone call from strangers, handling emergencies, escaping from fires, and mush more. Basically, the course provides knowledge about situations which can arise while being home alone, on the way to school or being out in public on your own.

I’M PEER PROOF: Friendship and Refusal skills, Grades 3, 4, 5, 6
Games and role-playing make this a fun way to learn important lessons about making good friends as well as being one. Topics include: starting conversations and keeping them going, giving and receiving compliments, using good manners, dealing with bullies and teasers, and saying “no” and still feeling OK. The students are shown the difference between Aggressive, Assertive and Non-Assertive behaviors.

STRESS BUSTERS, Grades 5,6,7,8
School grades, sports, peer pressure, family problems…. teens these days deal with a lot of stress. This course is designed to help teens learn to identify with the stress in their life, feel less alone, more positive about themselves and better able to deal with disappointment.

BABY-SITTING BASICS, Grades 5,6,7,8 and High School Students
Learn the how to’s of babysitting – everything from the proper way to hold a child to what to do in an emergency. Topics include: infant and toddler care, play ideas, behavior management, age characteristics, emergency procedures, fining sitting jobs and working with the parents.

SPECIAL SITTERS 7-12th an add-on to the Babysitting basics course. Teaches youth the skills necessary for providing care to children with special needs. DIFFERENT AND THE SAME, Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4
Using videos, role playing, and discussions, children will learn to address the complex issues of human relationships and to identify bias so that it can be prevented. The children will learn how to identify bias and prejudice, to share their feelings, and deal with these issues in a positive and productive manner.

THE GIFT OF GIVING, Grades K-12
A service learning program designed to encourage children to become involved in their community. Students assess community needs, plan and carry out a service project, and reflect on their experiences.

Courses may be modified to higher or lower grades depending upon the needs of the students. Class duration may also be varied to meet the schedules of the hosting group.