Hi! My name is Carly, and I’m a Talent Operations Specialist at CampMinder, a role in which I’m helping build our team and support our culture. I am also a graduate student earning my Master’s Degree in Ecopsychology.
I am passionate about creating a more sustainable future because my connection to nature has shaped me in countless ways. I want to make sure future generations can experience that too.
I’m posting this to the world because I believe that I have found myself in the right place at the right time.
Me at the summit of Gray’s Peak – 14,278 feet
First, a bit of the back-story: Before joining CampMinder, I spent nearly a decade in the nonprofit world doing case management with at-risk populations. It was hugely inspirational. And exhausting over time. Eventually, I found myself burnt out and began looking for a new opportunity. That’s when I found CampMinder. The work environment here mirrors the camp experience in so many ways: friends, community, core values, and no shortage of chances to learn and grow. It is the right place, a place where I am supported, energized, and my ideas are welcomed.
At this year’s CampMinder Camp, Sekou Andrews’ message about the potential we all have to make an impact on the world deeply inspired me. It sparked an idea, which I then shared with my manager, who encouraged me to take it straight to Dan and Paul. How could I help inspire eco-consciousness to a wider world? It occurred to me that camps could be an incredible forum. As it turns out, creating and supporting a sustainability initiative is something Dan and Paul have wanted to do for years. I was immediately given a green light. Talk about the right time! And the right place!
Introducing Mindful Camps
CampMinder works with nearly 900 camps around the world. I believe we have a unique opportunity to come together as a community to address the global issue of climate change. What if camps wanted to teach sustainability practices to their campers, but just needed some help with materials and lesson plans and a community to support them?
We’ve designed the Mindful Camps Initiative to leverage the power of our community to implement and teach sustainability practices and to bring these practices to life in the camp setting.
To help us with this new program, we’ve partnered with Earth Guardians, a global non-profit headquartered in Boulder, whose mission is to empower young people by providing them with leadership opportunities and tools to bring their innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Earth Guardians has created lesson plans customized for camps, designed to inspire, educate and support your campers this summer and beyond!
This summer, the Mindful Camps Initiative will include opportunities for camps to:
- Take action during the camp season by using Earth Guardians lesson plans and implementing sustainability projects. We’ll be here to help support you!
- Connect campers to the Earth Guardians app, EarthTracks, before they return home, allowing them to track their conservation efforts, participate in gamified challenges to keep them engaged, and connect them to other youth taking action around the world.
- Engage in our community forum to share best practices, talk about what is working for you, where you’re stuck, and support each other in furthering your efforts.
I envision this initiative growing in future summers to further support your efforts by providing a set of best practices, potential grant opportunities, and more.
In the meantime, we want to hear from you! Please complete this brief survey to share how we can best support you with sustainability efforts at camp.
How to Get Involved Right Now
We have two webinars to kick us off that will take place in the coming weeks. You can sign up using the links below!
April 29, 11:00-11: 30 am MST: Introductory webinar with CampMinder & Earth Guardians
- Additional information will be provided on the Mindful Camps Initiative
- Earth Guardians lesson plans will be shared
- Overview of the online forum
- Quick tips on how to expand sustainability efforts at camp
- Sign Up Here
May 15, 10:00-10: 45 am MST: Training webinar with CampMinder & Earth Guardians
- Review the Earth Guardians lesson plans
- Discuss resources available to you
- Invitation to participate in the power of story and our social media efforts
- Sign Up Here
Keep an eye out for our Community Forum that will be available soon!
Already this initiative has prompted CampMinder to take a look at our business practices to see where we can make changes. The spark of an idea can turn into something bigger. We hope you’ll join us as we walk the path to a more sustainable future right alongside you!
Creating change,
CampMinder, in partnership with Earth Guardians
