{"id":31207,"date":"2018-12-14T03:36:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T11:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/?p=31207"},"modified":"2018-12-12T13:28:41","modified_gmt":"2018-12-12T21:28:41","slug":"significant-shifts-in-thinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/2018\/12\/14\/significant-shifts-in-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"Significant shifts in thinking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(photo from jewishcamp.org<\/a>)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s world requires camp to adapt to an unprecedented\npace of change. Through innovation and building \u201cadaptive capacity,\u201d the\nFoundation for Jewish Camp, which works with more than 180 Jewish summer camps,\nwill be better suited to help Jewish camps evolve and ensure long-term,\nsustainable results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adaptive capacity, as defined by Ronald Heifetz\n\u2013 co-founder of Cambridge Leadership Associates and author of numerous books \u2013\nis \u201cthe practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and thrive.\u201d\nIt requires the ability to be reflective; to be open and curious to changes in\nthe environment; to use data and evaluation to determine the best path forward;\nto innovate where new approaches are required; to work collaboratively and\nleverage diverse experiences and perspectives; and to successfully lead\nsystemic change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Foundation<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

FJC is challenging what it means to be a Jewish\ncamp. This evolution has resulted in significant shifts in how FJC thinks about\nthe field and its work. \u201cCamp\u201d is now framed as a year-round continuum of\nimmersive, meaningful experiences beginning at the earliest ages and continuing\nthrough the teen years, college, and into adulthood and family life, delivered\nthrough day camps, overnight camps, family camps and year-round offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, FJC has identified three\nstrategic priorities for the field that include investments in new initiatives\nand in existing areas of proven impact: develop adaptive talent, deepen\nimmersive learning and drive field growth. These priorities are designed to\namplify one another, and the success in any one area is co-dependent on success\nin the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Adaptive talent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talent development is critical to grow and\nenhance the field of Jewish camp. FJC has long invested in field professionals.\nAs Jewish camp evolves, FJC must now take an adaptive approach to leadership\ndevelopment, both professional and lay, that meets the needs of current and\nfuture Jewish leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Counselors<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Counselors are the linchpin of the Jewish camp\nexperience. These Jewish role models inspire campers to return year after year.\nAdditionally, when a camper returns as a counselor, the impact of the camping\nexperience is amplified, as staff internalize the lessons of their own\nexperience to create similar (or better) ones for their campers. At the same\ntime, it has become more challenging to recruit and retain counselors due to\ncompetition from internships and parental pressures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FJC will uncover and create new staffing and\nsupervision structures that create a learning framework for these future\nleaders as well as recognition of the purpose-driven nature of their work. The\nnew models will seek flexibility in camp schedules and create new modalities of\ntraining staff to enhance college, career and life-readiness skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other leadership<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jewish camps are experiencing ever-increasing\nturnover of executive leadership, which is expected to continue over the next\nfive years. FJC seeks to increase investment in the leadership and talent\npipeline of camps, cultivating new and refreshed opportunities to engage with\nand propel Jewish camp and lay leaders at every stage of their development.\nThese initiatives represent opportunities to retain and accelerate the careers\nof outstanding young talent, build crucial networks among the field and provide\nhigh-level, skill-building professional development opportunities. Rather than\nfocus on one single cohort program or development workshop, FJC will ensure\nattention to the entire talent pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Envisioned outcomes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Increase retention rates by 25% or more over\ncurrent benchmark; easier recruitment of seasonal staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Improve quality of leadership that will drive\nretention rates and satisfaction scores for campers and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Immersive learning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jewish camps must adapt, expand and evolve in\nresponse to societal changes and the manner in which families belong and engage\nJewishly. FJC is prioritizing initiatives that will bring the \u201cmagic\u201d of camp\nfurther into the community by helping camps articulate their Jewish missions,\ndevelop programs and ensure the entire camp community is safe and secure for\nboth campers and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year-round activities<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As participation in traditional Jewish\nactivities has declined, camp has become a primary immersive and educational\nexperience for many children. Camp is often the preferred Jewish brand for\nthese families, where their children feel a profound sense of belonging. With\nsummer participation in experiential, immersive learning as the anchor, Jewish\ncamps can and should play a greater role in the community, supplementing the\nsummer with year-round experiences that ensure campers have opportunities to\nconnect with peers through Jewish activities and educational experiences. FJC\nwill invest in year-round programs to maximize the impact of the camp\nexperience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
(photo from\u00a0jewishcamp.org<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Amplify education<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From FJC\u2019s inception, ensuring that summers at\nJewish camp translate into a robust Jewish future has been central to the\nmission. To do so effectively, FJC takes a holistic approach \u2013 working closely\nwith camps and their various stakeholders, giving them a framework to help them\nenrich and refresh how they articulate and realize their unique Jewish vision.\nInvesting in the enrichment of senior camp professionals, as well as attracting\nand recruiting talented Jewish educators, will bring this vision to life, and\nare critical to a strong Jewish educational program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Envisioned outcomes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 30% of camps have increased their year-round\nengagement opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Higher-quality Jewish and Israel learning\nopportunities for campers and staff have been put into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Field growth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past 10 years, camp enrolment has\ngrown 22% in an era of overall declining participation in the traditional\nJewish institutions. To accelerate this growth, FJC is prioritizing initiatives\nthat will both increase the pipeline of Jewish campers and ensure accessibility\nfor campers from all backgrounds. To this end, FJC\u2019s initiatives will focus on\nhow to attract families with young children by engaging them at an earlier and\nhighly formative time; continue the work of increasing competitiveness of Jewish\ncamps through the development of specialty programs; expand access through\nfinancial incentives; and promote full physical, social, educational and\nspiritual access for all campers and staff, irrespective of their abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Younger children<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Families are seeking meaningful connection and\ncommunity in new ways. Building an earlier entry point to the Jewish camp\nexperience will increase the number of campers and families making Jewish\nsummer choices. The focus will include incubating, expanding and strengthening\nintentional Jewish day camps and family camps in order to engage children at\nthe earliest ages along with their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enrolment, participation<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FJC\u2019s core growth programs, including One Happy\nCamper and new specialty camps and tracks, have driven growth in the field.\nDiversity and inclusion, as well as community care, must endure and evolve so\nthat the Jewish camp field continues to increase enrolment and improve both\nretention and camper satisfaction. Continual investment in physical facilities\nwill also increase overall enrolment and ensure that camp is a welcoming and\nsafe environment for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Envisioned outcomes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Grow the field by 20%, reaching 215,000\nannual camp participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Year-over-year increases in family\nparticipation in camp experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Increase training, application and family\nvisibility for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Increase diversity at camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more on FJC and its strategic plan, visit jewishcamp.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(photo from jewishcamp.org) Today\u2019s world requires camp to adapt to an unprecedented pace of change. Through innovation and building \u201cadaptive capacity,\u201d the Foundation for Jewish Camp, which works with more than 180 Jewish summer camps, will be better suited to help Jewish camps evolve and ensure long-term, sustainable results. Adaptive capacity, as defined by Ronald […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[8604,7599,2851,8605,3753],"class_list":["post-31207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world","tag-camps","tag-diversity","tag-fjc","tag-strategic-plan","tag-youth"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31207"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31207\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}