Canadian Adventure Camp Training
Module 2: A Safe and Supportive Environment
Today’s Learning Goals
By the end of this module, you should have a better understanding of some of the ways we work to make CAC a safe and supportive space for all campers and staff. We will introduce you to a variety of topics that connect to this theme to give future discussions a foundation.
The Why
Diversity
Consent and Boundaries
Duty of Care
Communication and Healthy Relationships
Anti-Bullying
Module Two Sections
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2
5
3
6
The Why
1
The Why
The choices we make as individuals and as an organization should be backed up by a ‘why’. This is healthy question to ask, and it helps us think critically about the decisions we make.
The reason why this is the second module of staff training - and why these discussions and ideas will be brought up throughout the summer - is because we strongly believe that camp should be a place for EVERYONE. There is always work to be done in making spaces more welcoming and supportive for all, and having these initial conversations helps us create space to learn how we can do better.
Diversity
2
Camp is for Everyone!
Everyone should feel that they have a place at camp, and their identity is respected and valued. Everyone at camp gains from a space where you have the opportunity to get to know people who are different from you.
Diversity: All the ways in which people differ.
It is important to remember that many of the ways that we differ are not visible to others. People may not always be comfortable discussing these aspects of their identity.
In 1993, John Burnham developed a framework called Social Graces to help people examine visible and invisible aspects of identity. When thinking about diversity, it is important to understand all aspects of someone’s identity and the ways in which aspects of identity intersect.
Social Graces - A Framework for Examining Identity
More information can be found by following this link.
G: Gender, Gender Identity, Geography, Generation
R: Race, Religion
A: Age, Ability Appearance
C: Class, Culture, Caste
E: Education, Ethnicity, Economics
S: Spirituality, Sexuality, Sexual Orientation
Some aspects of our identity are visible to others, and are more likely to be discussed. Important parts of our identities are not visible to others, but can also have an important impact on our perspectives, thoughts and actions.
Consent and Boundaries
3
A critical part of children and adults feeling safe in a space is having their physical boundaries and bodily autonomy respected.
Having open conversations about personal boundaries, and respecting what is shared, is a foundation of healthy interactions and relationships.
What Might Consent Look Like at Camp?
Asking “Would you like a hug?”
Saying “OK” when someone says “No thank you” to a hug.
Reminding campers that they have to ask before sitting on someone’s knee or getting a piggyback.
Asking permission before putting sunscreen on someone else.
Asking before borrowing something, or going into someone’s personal space.
Modelling Asking for Consent
When we have conversations about consent and use language that respects people's bodily autonomy, we model to young people how to have those conversations and how to react respectfully when someone says no.
Consent is a critical aspect of healthy relationships between adults too!
Reflection Questions
How might I feel when my personal boundaries are not being respected?
How might I recognize when someone feels uncomfortable in a situation?
How might I help campers have conversations about their personal boundaries?
What might I do to help others feel comfortable in shared spaces?
Professional Boundaries
As an adult working with children and youth, maintaining appropriate boundaries is of the utmost importance. These boundaries are outlined in more detail in the Code of Conduct to Protect Children and the accompanying cheat sheet.
Harassment, Abuse & Violence Policy
As staff members at CAC we live and work in a very close knit community, therefore we must also maintain appropriate boundaries within our working relationships, as community members, as well as when working with children. Some of those boundaries, our stance towards them, and information around reporting & consequences can be found in our Harassment, Abuse & Violence (HAV) Policy. This document will be available to you at anytime during your employment at CAC, and you will be required to sign off that you have read and agree to abide by the principles once you arrive on Adventure Island.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Anti-Discrimination Statement
Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Discrimination Statement, which accompanies our HAV Policy, declares our stance around discriminatory behaviours and our focus on an inclusive environment for all.
CAC is unique because we bring together a wide range of people of different backgrounds; cultures; ages; education; lived experiences etc. That is one of the many things that makes CAC great. But we recognise that with this social dynamic, it can happen that someone will unknowing (or knowingly) behave in a discriminatory way that is harmful to others. As staff members, it is our responsibility to ensure this behaviour is dealt with appropriately. This is not always an easy task, but it is our task. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, this cheat sheet provides some frameworks that could be useful.
Duty of Care
4
Protecting the Health and Safety of Campers and Staff
We all have a role to play in creating a safe physical environment for all campers and staff.
This includes things like:
Protecting the Wellbeing of Campers and Staff
We all have a role in creating an emotionally safe environment.
This includes things like:
Seeking Support
We all should recognise when we need support, guidance, and help from others. To maintain a safe and healthy space, we must work within our abilities.
Duty of care applies to individuals responsible for others, but it extends beyond this to a camp-wide duty. We must all play our roles individually, and as a collective. Communicating with others is key to allowing us to do this!
Notice if something doesn’t look or feel right.
If you see it, say it.
Communication and Healthy Relationships
5
Positive Communication at Camp
Camp can be a fast-paced, high intensity environment. Effective, thoughtful communication is important. The next few slides will go through aspects of positive communication.
Respectful, Inclusive Language
Inclusive language is person-centred, gender neutral, non-ableist and open to change.
We want to make sure that the language we use doesn’t make others feel uncomfortable or excluded.
As people make changes in the language they use, slip-ups happen. We can apologize and correct ourselves.
Check out this video on another way to frame and understand micro-aggressions
Listening to Understand
Active listening is the practice of listening to understand what someone is saying. When you practice active listening, you’re exclusively focused on what the other person is saying instead of planning what to say in response as you would during a debate or conversation. To confirm you understand, you then paraphrase what you heard back to the other person. Depending on the conversation, you can also ask a specific, open-ended question to dig deeper into the topic.
Find out more by following this link.
Body Language
Communication is not just what we say, it is also our nonverbal signals such as facial expressions and body movements.
When we become more aware of our body language, we can make sure that we are communicating the meaning we intend. When we become more aware of the body language of others, we become better at identifying what others may be feeling or wishing to convey.
Friendly Body Language
Optional Video If You Are Interested
Less applicable at camp, but maybe useful in your everyday life…
Anti-Bullying
6
Anti-Bullying:
(adj.) opposed to or acting against bullying.
When we can work as a team to act against bullying, we make camp a safer and more supportive space for everyone. Understanding what bullying is and being able to identify when it is happening is an important first step in acting against it.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause harm.
Verbal bullying – name-calling, teasing, spreading rumours, threatening, making negative references to Identity Characteristics (social GRACES)
Social Bullying – excluding others from a group, humiliation, discrimination
Physical Bullying – hitting, shoving, coercing, damaging or stealing belongings, unwanted contact
More information and resources can be found on the Bullying Canada website.
Anti-Bullying at Camp
It is important that we create an environment that does not tolerate bullying. This is a camp wide responsibility. As staff members we are role models. We should model respectful and considerate behaviour at all times. Our responses to bullying is should be consistent and uniform. We should implement measures to reduce the likelihood of bullying, for example making sure there is adequate supervision, and any concerns are addressed appropriately or communicated with the right people.
Ready to check for understanding?
Follow this link.