CAMP MENDOCINO
A Program of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco
FIRST-TIME CAMPERS
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WELCOME TO CAMP!
At Camp Mendocino, we recognize that sending your camper away for the very first time can be scary. Since 1931, we have been providing high-quality programs for young people, and we get excited every single time a new camper gets on the bus.
Camp Mendocino is a program of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF), who has been serving the youth of San Francisco since 1891. As part of this important organization, not only do we share a mission and core values, but our staff receive high-quality training and development from some of the best youth development professionals in the area.
OUR STAFF
Each summer, we hire nearly 100 professional staff members, including approximately 30 international staff members. Our foreign exchange program is designed to broaden our campers’ understanding of other cultures and backgrounds. All Camp staff are over 18 years old.
At Camp Mendocino, we look for talented individuals from all backgrounds to join our staff and play a critical role in developing the young people of our community. Staff work to develop moral character and instill a sense of belonging, competence, usefulness, and influence. They make Camp feel like home, fostering a family atmosphere and creating a sense of ownership for campers.
We have a full week of staff training prior to campers arriving, as well as part way through summer. In training, we cover our specific youth development practices, Camp policies and procedures, and work to create the best staff team we can.
MISSING HOME
Many times, first-year campers miss home a little in the first few days. During this time we make every effort to help your child adapt to the Camp environment and make new friends. By day three most campers feel comfortable with the staff and other campers and are having a great time! If your child is missing home, we may not call you right away. We find that for many campers, hearing from someone they love may actually make the homesickness worse.
On rare occasions, however, some children just aren’t ready to make the transition to an overnight camp experience. If your child continues to miss home on the third day, we will call you and make a plan. It is possible that the plan may include your picking your child up from Camp.
