Monday 30 December 2013

How to irritate a campfire leader . . .

There are lots of great ways to make the Campfire Leader's job harder for her - here are just a few . . .

Arrive after the campfire has started, and make a great deal of fuss, noise and chatter over getting everyone seated. The audience won't mind having to stop in order to shuffle up seats, wait for you to organise yourselves for 10 minutes, etc.

Insist on the girls sitting in a full circle, especially if the Campfire Leader has asked for a wedge shape - the fact that those sitting behind the Campfire Leader won't be able to hear anything doesn't matter a jot.

Sit your girls down near the front, then wander right up to the back of the circle to see your pal - no need to leave an adult with them, after all the Campfire Leader is there to take charge of them and their behaviour and safety so there's no need for you to hang around. Make it clear that it's fine to walk all over the log seats, stroll right up towards the fire, throw wood onto it, etc. Of course, you sitting with the girls, or joining in the singing yourself (or even pretending to) is out of the question.

If the Campfire Leader announces that she is going to sing a song a particular way (or starts leading it in a different way to yours) either loudly proclaim to all in earshot that she is doing it wrong, or try to get your group to do it loudly in your usual way in an attempt to drown out the others who are trying to do it the way the Leader asked.

Make it clear to the girls that joining in is totally optional, if they'd rather chat loudly or mess about than sing it's fine. Set the example by chatting away between songs yourself.

Make sure all of the girls have powerful torches, and full permission to play with them. Having 20 torches flashing into your eyes is great fun.

If there's a song the Campfire Leader hasn't done yet, barrack loudly for it to be put into the programme in every lull. Especially if it's one the Leader may have deliberately chosen not to do due to the range of ages present, or current sensitivities.

As soon as the campfire moves towards the quiet songs, get your girls to start putting on their coats, stuffing sitters into bags, shuffling in their seats, flashing torches and hunting for stray items - it helps the atmosphere no end. And the second Taps is finished (or before it is if you wish) make a noisy exit.

Make sure you avoid thanking the Campfire Leader (although the odd bit of advice on what you would have done if you were leading the campfire doeesn't go amiss). And don't even consider asking her to join you for your hot drinks before she tackles the long drive home.

All are great ways of ensuring you enjoy the campfire (but no-one else does).

It is easier to criticise than organise . . .

Once upon a time, I had a great idea for an activity which I knew lots of the girls in all the units would love and would find to be new and different, but great fun - and which could be quite straightforward to arrange. I took the idea and worked it all out it, thought of a venue for holding the activity, and some right-hand people to help me run it, sourced the materials, costed it, worked out a date which was convenient and didn't clash with any local events, and had it all planned out. I hoped that the other Leaders would be as keen as I was - after all, all they had to do was turn up on the day with their girls, take the photos of them doing the activities, then go home again - me and my team would do all the rest.

They weren't chuffed. The list of things they reckoned I'd got 'wrong' was indeed as long as your arm.

Transport arrangements were wrong. Catering was wrong. Toilet arrangements were wrong. Timetable was wrong. Paperwork was wrong. Instructions and rules were wrong. First aid arrangements were wrong. Deadlines were wrong. Fees were wrong. Communication was wrong. Activities were wrong. Staff were wrong. Venue was wrong. Date was wrong. Time was wrong. In fact, between the lot of them, the Leaders picked the whole thing to shreds within 5 minutes.

I then woke up suddenly from my dream, and decided that, whether it was selfish or not, it would be far easier if I just ran the event for my own unit, to suit ourselves, and left it up to the other units to go organise their own outings.

It is easier to criticise than organise . . .

The Local Expert

Do you have a local expert? Maybe someone who is great at all the outdoor activities, or brilliant at organising stage performances, or is a natural campfire leader, or knows all the contacts for sourcing whatever equipment is needed?

Isn't it great that whenever something of the sort is needed, you don't have to worry about who to ask, she's sure to agree to do it, and always makes a good job of it?

Yes, but.

Sure, it is good if these things are done well, and everyone enjoys them, and the girls have a great time.

But does the 'local expert' actually want to have to run Division Camp for the umpteenth year in a row, or might she be chuffed to get the chance to do something different for a change? Is it fair to say to someone "we've stuck you down for the campfire" without actually asking whether or not they'd like to do it, or givign someone else the chance to volunteer? Might there be someone who would love the chance to have a go at running something, but never gets asked because everyone goes straight to the 'local expert'?

Is it wise to have only one person in the area who has the experience, or might it be wiser to have more people learning from them, with the possibility that they could then take on the running of an event single-handed.

Yes, if you want something done, ask a busy person. Maybe the local expert actually does love to be asked, and would be miffed if she wasn't. Or maybe not. But please be aware of pigeon-holing, and consider spreading the opportunities a little wider, getting other people involved as assistants or trainees, remembering what was said in the first handbook that it's better to have everyone able to do things, not have one expert and the rest not very good . . .