Empowering Our Future: Introducing the Camper Green Team Program

As we confront the global climate crisis, the need to empower our young leaders is more urgent than ever. To address this, Green Camps is excited to launch the Camper Green Team Program, an innovative initiative that empowers campers to lead environmental projects and drive meaningful change within their communities. This adaptable program is designed to seamlessly integrate into any camp setting, regardless of its location, resources, or existing sustainability practices, making it an ideal choice for fostering agency and environmental stewardship among youth.

Scroll Down to Download Full Guide

Agency and Voice: Empowering Campers

Central to the Camper Green Team Program is empowering campers to take decisive action and lead meaningful projects. By encouraging campers to brainstorm, plan, and execute their own eco-initiatives, we foster essential leadership skills, enhance teamwork, and instill a significant sense of responsibility and accomplishment. Camp directors and staff provide essential supervision and support, but the initiative and direction are driven by the campers, giving them a powerful voice in their community.

Program Highlights

  • Create a Green Team: Campers form teams to plan and kick-start eco-friendly initiatives, empowering the youth voice to lead environmental stewardship.
  • Eco Explorer Quest: Campers explore and assess current camp practices to identify areas for environmental improvement, turning discoveries into actionable projects.
  • Eco Innovation Idea Incubator: A brainstorming session where campers can unleash their creativity to devise impactful sustainability initiatives tailored to their camp’s environment.
  • Green Team Dream Huddle: A dynamic gathering where campers discuss and refine their ideas, and plan how to involve the entire camp in their green projects.
  • Learning and Sharing: After implementing their projects, teams reflect on their achievements, learn from the experience, and share their stories, highlighting the importance and impact of going green at camp.

A Flexible Framework for Diverse Camp Settings

The Camper Green Team Program offers a flexible framework that can be tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of any camp. The intentional adaptability allows camps to integrate the program at various levels of involvement and commitment, aligning with their specific resources, schedules, and educational objectives. For instance, a day camp in Sanford, CA has plans to adapt the program for their Leaders in Training (LIT) program, using it as a foundation to cultivate leadership skills through environmental stewardship.

Community Building Through Collaborative Projects

Community building is a crucial component of establishing a culture of sustainability within any community. By fostering a collaborative environment, camps can create a sense of shared purpose and commitment that is essential for the successful implementation and long-term maintenance of green initiatives. Through activities like the Green Team Dream Huddle, campers not only share ideas but also actively collaborate on plans to involve everyone in exciting environmental actions. This process strengthens the sense of teamwork and camaraderie, reinforcing the idea that each member is a critical contributor to the camp’s environmental efforts.

Moreover, these collaborative sessions serve as a platform for building a cohesive community that supports sustainability. When campers work together to develop and implement green projects, they see firsthand the impact of their actions, creating a powerful collective experience that can inspire continued environmental stewardship. This community-oriented approach also helps in garnering widespread buy-in, as campers feel more connected to the initiatives they’ve had a hand in creating. By integrating these efforts into the fabric of daily camp life, camps can foster a culture where sustainability is not just encouraged but becomes the norm, leading to lasting changes that campers carry with them into their communities at home.

Laying the Groundwork for a Sustainability Culture

We aim to lay a strong foundation for a lasting sustainability culture within the camp community. Activities like the Eco Explorer Quest challenge campers to investigate how daily operations impact the environment, leading to innovative and sustainable practices that can be implemented camp-wide.

Let’s collaborate to empower our young leaders and make sustainability a core part of their camp experience!

Download the Camper Green Team Workbook by completing the form below.