Aminah's Reflection
Now that summer camp is coming to a close, explain three key takeaways from the experience? How will you apply it in the future?
1 – It’s okay to lean on others: One major takeaway was learning that I don’t have to handle everything on my own. Collaborating with others (whether it was with fellow site leaders, or my counsellors/volunteers) made challenging moments more manageable. My counsellors were always ready to help, often asking if I needed anything, which made me realize I shouldn’t feel bad when delegating tasks or asking for assistance. In the future, I’ll remember to lean on my team when needed and delegate tasks, instead of feeling like I have to take everything on alone.
2 – Adaptability is essential: Whether it was dealing with last-minute schedule changes, camper adjustments, material shortages, and other such unexpected challenges, flexibility was crucial. This experience taught me how to quickly adapt to situations and remain calm under pressure. Moving forward, I’ll carry this adaptability with me in any fast-paced work environment.
3 – The importance of clear communication: From managing camper information, to giving instructions to counsellors, to holding debriefs, to providing updates to directors via Slack, communication was key. I realized how essential it is to keep everyone on the same page, avoiding misunderstandings or confusion. I will apply this by prioritizing clarity and consistency in all my future leadership and teamwork roles.
Describe one of the biggest challenges you faced, how you overcame it, and what you learned from it.
One of the biggest challenges for me during my coop was definitely managing the volunteer appreciation event. As this was my first time planning an event on of that scale, it was an extremely intimidating process for me when first starting off. There was a lot of things to complete for the event that I was learning about for the first time. This was especially difficult come the time that the event came when we had to make several last minute changes to both the script, slides, and content of the overall event. I think what helped the event go well was the planning that was done beforehand and the incredible support from my coworkers and volunteers. While a lot of the heavy lifting had been done in terms of decorations, sponsors, endorsements, and advertisements from previous months of planning, my team really helped me during the event. I owe it to them that the event went so well and I’m so glad I was able to lean on them for support during one of the first big events I’ve planned. What I’ve learned from this is to having a meticulous plan for events and to communicate throughout it to keep things in the clear, as well as that having an amazing team for support is essential to events such as this
To close off the term on a high note, what were 3 highlights from your time at U+?
Working closely with my fellow university co-ops during the first half of the term, and with my university and high school counsellors (as well as my volunteers) during the second half of the term, was definitely a highlight of my time here. Our collaboration helped build strong connections, which made the work we did not only effective but truly enjoyable and memorable. Another highlight was interacting with the campers at my location. Learning all of their names and building relationships with them was incredibly rewarding. Some campers even gave me heartfelt cards during the last week, which made the experience even more special. I also loved seeing them perform at the talent show!! Lastly, I gained valuable leadership experience as a site leader. Managing the site and helping things run smoothly gave me a sense of accomplishment and confidence in my abilities.
What is some advice/tip that you would offer to future staff?
Set boundaries early: Make sure to define when you’re on and off the clock. It’s easy to let work take over, so prioritizing balance will help you stay energized throughout the term.
Lean on your team: Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Your fellow counsellors and site leaders are there to support you, and working together makes things much smoother.
Be adaptable: Things will change often, so flexibility is key. Stay calm and adjust as needed-you’ll get through it!
Plan ahead: Anticipating needs, like materials or logistics, will help prevent last-minute stress.
Please nominate someone who deserves the employee of the month award and explain why briefly. You can nominate more than one person.
I would love to nominate all of my staff (i.e. counsellors). They have been AMAZING: Alyna, Clement, Erin, Darwyn, Kaylan, Iris, Jacob, Jodi. I nominate them because they show incredible dedication, teamwork, and a positive attitude that has greatly contributed to the success of our camp.
Also, I would love to nominate Carson + my fellow site leaders for this as well: Anjali (+ Megan), Esa (+ Vanessa), Christina, Edel. I nominate them because I would not have been able to manage as site leader at my own site without all of their support and shared experiences. The site leaders are always ready to share tips from their site and offer help when needed – it feels like we’re all in this together. And Carson is always a Slack message away, ready to help when needed, providing crucial support that ensures everything runs smoothly.
