Proposed Structure of Camp (Leadership Training, Execution, and Follow up)

Transcription

1 Proposed Structure of Camp (Leadership Training, Execution, and Follow up) Training and Build up to the Week of Your Camp: Follow up Webinar in April Address questions, comments, concerns Bradley and others to be on hand to assist with any planning needs Can be an open forum for discussion Perhaps Q&A focused? Leaders and Counselors training meeting(s) on the week of June Archdiocese office would host Focus would be on building team leader skills Take advantage of existing T.N.T. (Training and Nurturing Teams) programs Offer opportunity to also pray together Would likely take the form of a day retreat Would want to have Mass and perhaps opportunities for Adoration and Confession Opportunity to root ourselves in God s mission and plan for these camps and our parishes, as well as to specifically pray for the students who have registered We would work more on general practices that would work for all camps Training on small group facilitation Leading Lectio Divina Praying with youth Opportunity to work out logistical difficulties Could also serve to help unite those camps that will be held on the same week Could end with opportunity for last minute problem solving, Q&A, what have you

2 Week of Your Camp (Example) The days before your camp are an excellent chance to wrap this ministry up in prayer i.e. Start a Novena (to patron of your parish, your camp, or even just to St. John Bosco), with the last day of prayer being the last day of your camp (or the day after) Sunday Ensure that any spaces at your parish (or hosting parish) are prepared for the week This includes a space for large group presentations, small group break outs, and any recreational or eating spaces For small groups, meeting outside (weather permitting) can be a great solution! Lay out any camp materials to be used and test any equipment that you will need your registrants and leaders to remind them of check in details for the next day Monday Meet with your leaders for prayer and prep EARLY (7:30 8:00 am work great) Opportunity to pray novena (or other daily prayer) together 9:00am Check in your participants This process can take up to a half hour (especially on the first day) Collect fees, release forms, and distribute any camp materials Wristbands can be a great way to divide a large group into manageable teams by color There are a variety of different check in apps that can be used depending on how registration is handled 1 At the very least, paper lists will work just fine! Have an easy game on hand (9 Square, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, etc.) for youth to play as they arrive Depending on the daily life of your parish community, the following times may not apply to you however, each segment can be easily incorporated into any parish model or group size 9:30am Gather group and give notes on the day A large group game or up front game is helpful here If you have access to music, you can do opening worship Spotify also has a variety of karaoke/instrumental versions of worship songs if you do not have access to musicians (or are not one yourself) It can also be extremely cool to instead make a prayer service that might introduce your students to the Liturgy of the Hours 10:00am Formation/Teaching time 10:30am Small Group Breakouts

3 Introductory questions on teaching topic for the day Again, the easiest way to do this (regardless of group size) is to work with groups of ten youth per small group It is nice to break them down even more into A & B groups of five each (i.e. having Red A and Red B teams) You can have that teams adult leader 2 and high school counselor team up, or each take a group of 5 10:45am Eat Packed Lunches 11:15am Small Group Breakout Lectio Divina Use prayer style of Lectio Divina with students, utilizing a Scripture passage apropos to the day s topic 11:45am Prepare for Mass 12:00pm Mass 12:30pm Daily Activity This often involves travel time 4:30pm Wrap up Daily Activity Conclude day, remind of topic, close in prayer or worship 5:00pm Dismissal 5:30pm Leader pow wow and dismissal 3 This Model can be followed for the next two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) Thursday Will largely follow same model, but will transition into a larger activity for the day Parents would not pick up students at normal time; instead, you would begin a mini retreat /overnighter centered around the Eucharist and Mary 6:30pm Open with a talk on the Eucharist 7:00pm 8:30 pm would be a time with Examination of Conscience, Adoration, and opportunity for Confession This evening portion is an excellent opportunity for parishes that are close to one another/doing their camp at the same time to come together Afterwards, you can offer some time to break out and discuss their experiences 9:00pm Offer pick up for those not wishing to spend the night They can join the next day at the regular time Night activities for those staying over can include movies, games, etc. Would be left to the discretion of those planning and the resources available Sleeping arrangements are split by gender and should be Virtus compliant Friday Would include early morning drop off for those that didn t spend the night Do breakfast together, have a talk on Marian devotion Small group breakouts and time to share experiences from the camp

4 Have some closing activity at Noon (Mass, prayer service, etc.) that parents and families are invited to You can also, following your closing, host a picnic reception (grilled cheese, catered sandwiches, etc.) Possible Schedule of touchpoints throughout the year to build off camp Follow up to camp in August Could handle at parish level, archdiocesan level, or both Serve to help young people continue to unpack experience and to introduce your ministry s plans for the school year Further invitation into community Chosen: Called to be More October 17, 2015 Advent 2015 Retreat Parish based, overnight Similar to the camp, there could be shared resources, but each parish would take it in their own specific direction Bring youth into an experience of the humbling reality of the Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Our Lord Lent Retreat Similar to above, focus on Passion, Death and Resurrection Spring 2016 Chosen Event IGNITE 7 8th grade discipleship retreat (2016) Start gearing up for camps again

5 Notes: 1. Programs include Constant Contact (paid, many parishes already use for communication), Eventbrite (free), and others. 2. During small group break outs, it is important to keep consistent with Archdiocesan/Virtus standards in regards to adults working with youth. A great solution is to do breakouts in several large rooms (so that you retain small groups but there are still multiple adults) or outside (able to see one another). 3. It is a good idea to to the families of participants each day to let them know how things went, set up expectations for the next day, and to give the families the tools to unpack the teaching and experience at home.