Leaders In Training
The LIT (Leaders In Training) program at Pioneer Camp has been successfully training and developing young leaders for over 40 years. This co-ed, five week leadership development program provides a personalized, innovative mix of formal and hands-on learning experiences.
Five Week Program Outline:
The first three weeks of the program are dedicated to learning and developing the components of leadership through a variety of teaching sessions and experiences. Some features include: one to one coaching, leading various program elements and hot topic conversations. LIT’s will experience a four day leadership development canoe trip or hiking trip. The LIT’s will be engaging together with staff around how Jesus led in scripture and is working in their life today. During this time, campers develop close mentoring relationships with experienced leaders who will provide them with valuable feedback, constructive debriefing and close personal support to help LIT’s identify and develop their strengths and build the skills they need to be extraordinary leaders.
For two weeks after the teaching sessions LIT’s will go on placement! This is where they put their skills and training to the test by becoming a member of one of our superb Pioneer Camp staff teams! The LIT’s will live in a chalet and partner with a senior leader to lead a group of campers at Girls Camp, Boys Camp or Adventure Camp. LIT graduates may also be placed in one of our special needs programs to support either children or adults with special needs.
Program Components
A four day canoe or hiking trip gives you a chance to try out your leadership skills with other LIT’s as you take turns leading. It is also a great time to enjoy creation and have fun getting to know eachother. In order to go on a canoe trip, LIT’s must achieve a blue lanyard in a swim test (including swimming 200m continuously (100m face in) and treading water for 5 min). While we try to accommodate preferences, we cannot guarantee which of the great trips an individual will experience.
Growing in your understanding of servant leadership and developing skills and strategies to lead effectively is at the core of LIT. Our interactive training style will help you learn about yourself and grow in your understanding of teamwork, group dynamics and managing challenging behaviour. You will be trained in child and youth development, how to engage and draw people in from off the sidelines, and restorative practices. There is also an emphasis on leading in a camp context and how to navigate a chalet full of kids.
This is a chance for you to lead your small group in a discussion on a relevant topic like role of character in leadership and what is the role of suffering in Christian leadership. These discussions will help you learn valuable facilitation skills, giving each person a better understanding of issues that you encounter in the world.
This is a chance for staff to spend time with you, talking about life and what you are experiencing at LIT. The LIT staff will be there to support, encourage and challenge you as you grow in your faith and as a leader.
At Pioneer Camp we believe we are deeply known by Jesus and can get to know Him deeply, too! We believe we should follow Jesus’ teaching to love God and love our neighbours, so we spend time looking at what the Bible can teach us about how to know God better and how we should live. These sessions are a foundational part of the Leaders In Training Program.
Games are a regular part of our time at LIT, because at camp we love having fun! Not only is it a chance to have a good time, it is also an opportunity for you and your small group to practice running games in preparation for your placement with the other staff teams.
As a camp leader you will be helping teach activities such as mountain biking, sailing, or sports to campers. Time will be spent during LIT to participate in these activities, learning how to teach them to others.
The placement is the challenge you have spent two weeks preparing for, where you put your skills to the test by becoming a member of one of our superb Pioneer Camp staff teams! You will spend a session of camp living in a chalet and partnering with a senior leader to lead a group of campers at Girls Camp, Boys Camp, or Adventure Camp. LIT graduates may also be placed in one of our special needs programs to support either children or adults with special needs. Both programs run across all of our sites with our adult program focusing on growing its participants life and job skills.
Program FAQ
The online application is only the first step in the process so your place is not reserved. You must complete all paperwork, submit it to camp, and interview successfully. Interviews are also not guaranteed and your spots in specific placement option are not reserved until acceptance is confirmed to the program.
Fill out the online application and references as soon as possible as your session preferences are given priority based on the date that all forms are submitted.
Applicants invited to the interview stage will be notified within two weeks of their interview date regarding their acceptance. A place will not be reserved in a specific LIT placement option until you have been accepted to the program. Not all applicants will receive an interview but will be notified regardless.
We have partnered with World Vision Canada to include a module on social justice. This partnership will allow us to continue to look for ways to offer a more complete leadership development experience for our LIT participants.