Core Services Task Force update.

Core Services Identified

At its meeting last January, the Core Services Task Force grappled with issues that revolve around member and camp services. In this issue, I want to share with members specific findings of the task force and again invite your comments.

Core Services and ACA's

Mission Statement

Task Force member John Lee helped us become focussed by suggesting that core services should directly emanate from our mission statement. Because of this, I share the ACA mission statement with you first.

"The mission of the American Camping Association is to serve organized camps, affiliated programs, and the public by promoting better camping for an. To accomplish this mission, ACA:

* educates camp personnel to create positive growth experiences for children, teens and adults, using the outdoors responsibly as a program environment;

* protects the public by promoting health and safety practices and effective management through accreditation, certification, and education programs:

* promotes advocacy of issues affecting camps: and

* communicates the value of camp experiences to the public and encourages camp opportunities for all."

Mission-Based Core Services

Identified by the Task Force

Using the mission statement, the task force identified mission-based core services. Listed below, these services have been organized into five service groups. Note that a letter code following each service indicates how each is currently delivered (N=national; L=local section or council; P=partnered/shared responsibility between national section or council).

Education of Camp Personnel

Standards development (N)

Certification (N)

Camping Magazine (N)

Networking opportunities (P)

Educational opportunities (P)

* national conference

* issue conferences (risk management, year-round school)

* Basic Camp Directors Course

* regional conferences

* section events

Bookstore (N)

Newsletters (N)

* ACAOM, R&R, CamPR, etc.

Section newsletters (L)

Protection of the Public

Accreditation program (P)

Certification mentor program (P)

Ethics (P)

Advocacy

Federal regulatory and legislative activity (N)

State and local regulatory and legislative activity (P)

Communication of Value

of Camp Experience

Public relations program (P)

Guide to Accredited Camps (N)

Section directories (L)

Ambassador program (P)

Information Services 

Camp crisis "Hotline" (N)

Technical support (P)

Public information - local and national (P)

Media information (P)

Essential Functions of Sections

The task force also felt it was necessary to acknowledge that the association, its sections and its councils carry out functions that are essential to the association, but do not directly relate to delivery of services to members. These essential functions are listed below.

Delivery of Mission-Based Core Services

Governance

nominations and awards

members to nominating committee 

Council of Delegates

Association Leadership Development

leadership to deliver core services locally

leadership for national board and committees

Membership Recruitment and Retention

Association Fund Development

"I Believe "

foundation campaigns

Business Administration

section business and financial meetings

operation as a 501(C)(3)

financial management and audits

Major Outcomes of Our Meetings

The bulk of the task force's work centered on identification of the problems within the association that prompted the strategic planning committee to commission the task force's work.

We used the term problem broadly in our thought process as a quandary or dilemma facing die association. During our discussions the term Field Service emerged and became a part of our problem statements. For clarity, it is explained below.

Field service component: the annual travel pool and national conference training for section board members and consulting services provided by the director of member and field service, other staff, and the vice president of the ACA National Board, who has responsibility for field service.

Problem Statements

* ACA's current structure of sections, councils and regions, and its lack of a strong field service component, is ineffective in consistently providing essential functions and core services which are in accord with its mission and of uniformly high quality.

* Current lines of authority and accountability for the provision of essential functions and core services are inadequate, not clearly defined, and/or are not accepted.

* The current system for establishing, collecting and distributing dues and fees does not ensure equitable delivery of essential functions and core services.

What Do You Think

of What We Think?

Each section's delegates, including your president, and the members of the task force, are people with whom you can discuss your thoughts and feelings. If you would like to add those thoughts to ours at any point in this process write to me, Ann Sheets, at Camp Fire 2700 Meacham Blvd., Ft. Worth, TX 76137-4699. Dave VanDerWege can also receive your comments at the national office and distribute them to the task force. See "Core Services Task Force Update" in the May/June issue for a complete fist of task force members.

We look forward to hearing from you prior to our next meeting, Sept. 10.