1998 ACA survey of camp directors results.The American Camping Association conducts an annual survey Of directors of ACA-accredited camps to identify industry trends in educational programs and resources. Of the respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. to the 1998 survey, * 68 percent represented resident camps * 19 percent represented day camps * 9 percent represented camps with both day and resident programs * 4 percent did not indicate Camp Enrollment Continues to Rise Since 1992, ACA's Annual Camp Director SurVey has shown an 8 to 10 percent increase in total enrollment each year. This past year was no different. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. survey results, total camp enrollment increased 9 percent in 1998. Females made up 55 percent of total camp enrollment in 1998, and males made up 45 percent. Camp Gives Kids A World of Good Survey results confirm ACA's assertion that "camp gives kids a world of good." According to camp directors, parents rated the following as the most important benefit of sending their child(ren) to camp: * increased self-confidence (29 percent) * safety (23 percent) * fun (16 percent) New Camp Activities Of camp directors surveyed, 75 percent report adding new activities or camp program over the past few years. Among those most commonly added are: * adventure programming (e.g., mountain biking mountain biking Sports medicine A sport in which participants use specialized bicycles to navigate rough, steep trails covered with unforgiving rocks Injury risk Concussions, fractures, death. See Extreme sport, Novelty seeking behavior. and rock climbing rock climbing Sports medicine An 'extreme sport' in which the participant climbs rock formations, with or without ropes Injury risk Fractures, abrasions, death. See Extreme sports. ) * in-line In-line Used in the context of general equities. (1) An order or market in a specific security within the inside market; 2) any announcement (earnings) that adheres closely to Wall Street analysts' expectations. skating skating: see ice skating; ice dancing; roller skating. skating Sport in which bladelike runners or sets of wheels attached to shoes are used for gliding on ice or on surfaces other than ice. activities * fine and performing arts activities * travel programs * sports programs More Camps Offer Financial Assistance The number of camps offering some level of financial assistance for low-income campers rose by 9 percent between 1997 and 1998. In 1998, 65 percent of camps offered scholarships. Contributions ranged from small donations to $1,000,000 per camp. Camp Builds Community More than half of camps surveyed 56 percent - report offering community service or good deed deed, in law, written document that is signed and delivered by which one person conveys land or other realty (see property) to another. A deed may assure the extent of the conveying party's ownership or, if the party is uncertain of the precise extent, he issues a programs as a regular part of the camp curriculum. The most common service projects performed by campers included: * community clean-ups * food drives * recycling recycling, the process of recovering and reusing waste products—from household use, manufacturing, agriculture, and business—and thereby reducing their burden on the environment. programs * volunteering with senior citizens and hospital patients
Compelling Issues Facing Camps
1998(*) TOTAL 1ST 2ND 3RD
CAMPS CHOICE CHOICE CHOICE
Staff issues
Finding staff w/special
certifications 41.0% 13.0% 18.0% 10.0%
Finding counselors 62.0% 28.0% 22.0% 12.0%
Pricing/Competition Issues
Year-round school/extended year 23.0% 4.0% 6.0% 13.0%
Finding campers 44.0% 19.0% 14.0% 11.0%
Rising Expenses/Complexity
of Operation
Risk management 48.0% 18.0% 13.0% 17.0%
Behavioral issues 26.0% 5.0% 10.0% 11.0%
Governmental regulations 21.0% 5.0% 6.0% 10.0%
Camp maintenance cost 18.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0%
Higher insurance rates 6.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0%
Campers with disabilities 4.0% 1.0% 1.0% 2.0%
* In 1998, respondees were asked to select and rate the three most
compelling issues facing their camp operation. Total responses are
given, as well as percentage of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd responses.
Staff Recruitment Continues to be an Issue Staff recruitment continues to be the most compelling issue facing camp operations. This year, 28 percent of camp directors expressed difficulty finding counselors, up considerably from 1997 when just 15 percent considered staff recruitment as their greatest long-term Long-term Three or more years. In the context of accounting, more than 1 year. long-term 1. Of or relating to a gain or loss in the value of a security that has been held over a specific length of time. Compare short-term. issue. However, recruiting staff with special certification has decreased as a concern from 32 percent in 1997 to 13 percent in 1998. Therefore, total staff issue concerns have decreased from 47 percent in 1997 to 40 percent in 1998. Maintaining a Safe Environment Fuels ACA ACA - Application Control Architecture Accreditation accreditation, n a process of formal recognition of a school or institution attesting to the required ability and performance in an area of education, training, or practice. A whopping 70 percent of camp directors reported that the main reason their camp continues to seek ACA accreditation is to maintain a safe, quality environment for campers and staff. |
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