All Grown Up - Older Teenagers on School Camp

Dealing with older teenagers outside the normal boundaries of the school environment. Primary and early high school students on school camp tend to expect and respect the same level of supervision and discipline that they receive in the normal school environment with perhaps a little lenience towards holiday high jinks. However, in the middle and later high school years, students on the cusp of adulthood can take a very different view of what camp means in terms of their behaviour. Dealing with diverse stages of development and parental freedoms within a mixed group of teenage campers can be a minefield for supervising teachers and one that should be approached with plenty of preparation.

Teenagers from 15 to 18 years of age are often already leading quite independent lives, getting themselves to and from school and social events, organising their own activities and often working weekends or evenings. Statistics also show that many in this age range are already sexually aware if not active. How then does a camp organiser ensure safe and appropriate behaviour amongst campers in this age group on their watch?

Of course, there is no simple answer to this challenge, but preparation is an important step in creating a successful event for teenagers. In the first instance, a school camp must offer interesting and age appropriate activities if students in the upper teens are to be convinced it is a good idea to participate. A boring program or disorganised leaders will quickly put off prospective participants who are usually entering a phase of their life where social activities are crucial to their sense of self. A school camp must be seen to provide an enticing alternative to their usual schedule before they will commit to coming along. Once students have signed up for a camp activity, whether it be overnight or a lengthy trip interstate or overseas, they need to be clearly and thoroughly briefed on what they will be experiencing and what is expected of them during the camp. For extended camps, this briefing process should take place over a number of weeks prior to the departure date, taking the opportunity to go over key instructions several times and encouraging questions from students to ensure the message has been received.

Another way to elicit appropriate behaviour and get teens working as a team is to assign responsibility for programming activities to them. Students who are charged with creating their own schedule are more likely to respect the boundaries set although obviously all programme content must be carefully checked by a teacher or supervisor before any activity begins to ensure the safety of students.

Kids in their teens place great value of social interaction with their peers so a balanced camp program for this age group must allow time for them to meet. The best way to keep a level of control during this time is to make it part of a lightly structure event such as a music sharing session after the evening meal or group walking activities where students can naturally form into their preferred groups and converse while strolling to a set destination.

After dark, teens need to be supervised in a way that allows them to express their sense of approaching adulthood whilst ensuring no individual student is placed in a potentially risky situation. Teenagers will usually want to stay up as late as possible, especially when in the company of peers. Allowing this to happen in the context of a contained environment, such as communal movie viewing with teachers observing comings and goings of individuals can be a simple solution. Naturally, students on mixed camps need to be housed in single sex accommodation. Teachers do need to be vigilant at night and when planning a mixed camp, it is worth seeking a site where students do not need to leave the dormitory to access bathrooms during the night.

Sometimes even the most attentive staff cannot prevent determined teens from finding a way to bend the rules, so clear briefings on the consequences of unsafe activities, including sex, must be conducted before the camp begins and refreshed frequently. Part of this must include methods for students to report unsafe behaviour to staff without the potential embarrassment of being identified to their peers. This can be achieved by having scheduled small group briefings with supervising staff throughout the camp where students are offered the opportunity to reflect on their own concerns and any they may have for fellow students in a constructive way.

Technology can pose problems in a school camp environment and as tragic as some students may find it, the easiest way to avoid issues is to take mobile phones into safe storage at the beginning of the camp and return them as students depart. Despite protests, many students may find the freedom of not having to respond to electronic demands surprisingly enjoyable and it most certainly helps them to focus their energies on the people around them for the duration of the camp experience. Personal music devices can also be discouraged to help promote group dynamics and ensure students converse with each other rather than retreating into a private world.

Generally, teenagers will respond well to an active and full program in a stimulating environment and although they may moan about the lack of their usual "rights" and home comforts, most will learn important lessons from a peer camping experience.