CampMinder Magazine Volume 2 | Page 12

How much does it cost for a camp to subscribe?
G A R Y: Up until fall 2012, it had been offered at no cost to both AMSkier and CampMinder clients. Other camps could subscribe to plans starting at about $ 15 per month. We recently decided, though, that we ought to simply make it available to all camps at no charge, as long as they add their staff members to the database. If you want to benefit from Staffer, it’ s important that you contribute to it as well.
What made you decide to make it a free service?
D A N: This summer, Aimee Skier and I were talking about an unfortunate situation whereby an inappropriate individual had been able to gain employment at numerous camps over a series of years. This is precisely the type of situation that Staffer was designed to prevent. While the service had been generating some revenue to offset development and maintenance costs, we felt that child safety is more important than defraying our costs. Now that it’ s free, we hope that all camps include checking the Staffer Index as part of their standard hiring practices.
How does it work?
G A R Y: It’ s pretty simple. Staff names are automatically entered into the index through CampMinder at the end of each camp season. Camps that do not use CampMinder provide spreadsheets of staff names each year and upload them. During interviews, camp directors alert potential employees that they will be listed in the index as a way to track their camp employment history. Camp directors check the Staffer Index for each applicant to see if he or she had been employed at other camps in the past. If a match is found, the camp director is provided the names, addresses and phone numbers of the applicant’ s previous employers so that the director may obtain a direct reference.
So is this like a rating service, like Yelp for camp staff?
But if there are no ratings or reports, how does that stop camps from hiring predators?
G A R Y: By encouraging open and valuable communication between camps, the Staffer Index lessens the likelihood that a camp will unknowingly hire a predator. Not only can camp directors validate references and job history, but they also can deter the wrong people from working around children. Camps using the Index tell staff during the hiring process that they will be listed in the database. This has caused several potential hires to withdraw their applications.
D A N: Telling prospective staff members that your camp uses the service sends a powerful message. It lets them know that you’ re willing to go the extra mile to prevent predators from gaining inappropriate access to young people. Similarly, it affords camper parents a little more peace of mind.
How can camps get started with the Staffer Index?
G A R Y: For more information, camps can visit the website at www. stafferindex. com. Camps that want to talk to someone can call the AMSkier office at 800-245-2666.
s t a f f e r i n d e x. c o m

International Camp Staffing

NEW for 2013 …

BUNAC will be fully integrated with CampMinder’ s ClientLink!

BUNAC continues to set the pace in international camp staffing …

Excellence and Experience …
Celebrating our 50th year in cultural exchange, BUNAC remains on the cutting edge, providing excellence in each and every summer camp placement.
Tailor Made for your Camp …
Look for new updates in 2013 making our Camp Directors’ portal more user friendly, more efficient, and search our pool of applicants more easily.
D A N: Not at all. Staffer is not rumor mill. It isn’ t a website like“ ratemyteacher. com.” There are no reviews, asterisks or references. The only information provided is what you need to perform due diligence in hiring: name, date of birth, and employment history. The Staffer Index is designed for you to learn facts as opposed to opinions and innuendo, and it allows access to information that is always accurate, without exposing its users to liability for defamation.
Renown for our Expertise …
Our Summer Camp Team have an average of 10 years camp staffing experience.
Our Commitment: Quality staff, Competitive fees, Second to none service.
22 | Volume 2
camps @ bunacusa. org 1 800 GO BUNAC www. bunac. org / usa