Adult Orientation Material

Your role at camp:

1. Participate in everything. If you’re involved, your students are more likely to get involved as well. There’s nothing worse than for adults to sit off in the background while the students and staff are involved in a session, a game, or singing. Your students need to see you involved. As always, you will get out of the week as much as you put in!

2. Be open and willing to be fed this week. I imagine that your souls are thirsty, too. Open your hearts to the Spirit’s leading this week.

3. You are responsible for your students. Please don’t ask the staff to monitor/discipline your youth. This includes seeing to it that lights are out at 10:30pm each night and that everyone is up at 7:00am each morning.

4. Please monitor language. No put-downs (“shut-up”) or showing disrespect for God (“Oh, God,” etc…).

5. Please adhere to JP’s policies & procedures. We realize that some of you may have lots of experience with other mission organizations. We probably do things a little differently here at JP. Please respect the way we operate our camp week. However, we are always open to new ideas. Share your thoughts with either the Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director.

6. Name tags. Make sure your students are wearing them! Nametags help the staff get to know the campers and assists in campers getting to know each other. If students or adults lose their lanyards, they will be given “gorp” as a replacement.

7. Be on time for all events. We have a very tight schedule and need to begin on time. Devotions: Please stay until we ring the bell.

8. Stay in camp. Please don’t leave the camp at night to do errands (i.e. gas, ice cream, etc). If you need gas, please stop on the way home from the work site. If you need some items from the store at night, please see the Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director to discuss your needs. We will work hard to accommodate you.

9. Cell phone policy. JP has a new policy that does not allow students to have cell phones in their possession. Youth can have them during free day You, as adults are welcome to have your cell phone, but please limit use to emergencies and minimum conversations. Let’s set an example for the youth and show them life goes on without cell phones!

10. Have fun! Laugh and play with your kids and with the staff.


Your role at the work site:

1. Guide and motivate your work team. Although you may have a staff person at your work site, they are not there to lead your team. You need to be in charge of your team.

2. Support the staff. All of our site leaders have been prepped in the details of the job most have met the family and are experienced in the way our system works. Your staff site leader will have the job description. Please assist your site leader in having your team process the tasks that must be done.

3. Set an example. Keep a good attitude when it comes to the type of work you are doing, to following the procedures for completing the job, etc. The students will follow your lead.

4. Other work teams. If you have another work team nearby, please do not allow members of your team to go there and hang out with another work crew.

5. Go straight to the work site each morning. Do not stop for sodas in the morning.

6. Use the buddy system. When students go inside a home to use the restroom or to visit, there should always be another student accompanying him or her.

Work Site Rules & Guidelines:

1. Take some time at the beginning. Always spend the first 15-30 minutes with the family/individual. Work is important, but relationships are equally as important! Pray with the family before you begin the work.

2. Don’t judge! “Why are we painting when they really need a new set of steps?” Our perceived need may not be their greatest need. The Jeremiah Project seeks to meet their needs. “This family doesn’t appear to be in need! What are we doing here?” Trust that JP has a reason for providing the service to those you are serving. You probably do not know the whole story!

3. Don’t leave the work site. Do not leave the work site for a trip to the hardware store, etc. If supplies are needed, let the staffer run the errand or call either the Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director. If a restroom is not available on site and your team only has one vehicle, please take your entire team with you to a gas station or fast food restaurant for a bathroom break.

4. If there is an emergency and someone needs medical attention, the entire work team must go to the hospital. Or, call 911. Never leave a partial team at the work site without transportation. If a student begins feeling ill and needs to come back to camp, call either the Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director. We will arrange to pick him or her up to minimize the disruption to the work team.

5. Don’t pet the animals. For health reasons, please do not pet the animals or allow the students to pet them.

6. Empower the students. Step back and let them work through problems. Be careful not to “overpower.”

7. Wear appropriate clothing. Long pants, closed toe shoes, and shirts with sleeves are to be worn by everyone.

8. Don’t commit to doing other work if asked. Simply tell them that you’ll pass on the request and we’ll get back to them.

9. Return to the camp no later than 4:30pm each day. If you finish your work early, call the Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director first. Depending on the time of day, they may send you to another work site. Please note that staffers will be returning to the camp earlier than work teams in order to meet with the Tool/Site Coordinator and plan for the next days’ work.

10. Jobs are planned and materials are purchased. Please do not change the plan without discussing it with a JP staffer.

11. Clean up your site - check for tools.

12. Lunch & Devotions. Feel free to invite the family to join you. Devotions are usually done at the end of lunch.

13. 4X4! Drink lots of water/wear sun block. Our policy is at least 4 quarts of water by 4:00pm (4X4)!

14. Pictures. Please be sensitive to families that may not want their picture taken. Always ask permission before taking any pictures.

15. Please do not go out for lunch or order pizza at your site. This is strictly against JP’s policy. If you want to treat your team, buy them ice cream at the end of the day.

16. Coolers and water/juice jugs. Return the jugs each day. If you fail to return them, you will have to purchase them yourself the following day. Coolers are to be cleaned out upon returning.

17. When returning to camp, please drive SLOWLY (15mph) near the pool.

Basic Camp Rules (JP and retreat center):

1. No smoking.

2. Students are not allowed in the woods after dark and never without an adult.

3. Pool is available only during designated times (4:30-5:30pm) and only with an adult from the church the student attends. Adults from other churches are not allowed to supervise your students.  Please note that there is no pool available for week 7 in WV.

4. Girls are not allowed in the guy’s lodges and vice-versa - even during the day.

5. To cabins at 10pm, lights out at 10:30pm. We are very serious about this!

6. The bell will ring approximately 5 minutes before an event begins.

7. Appropriate clothing (no tank tops/shorts. Everyone wears long pants). Shorts are okay at camp only.

8. Rainstorm/Thunder/Lightning Policy: If there is any lightning, all campers must remain in their cabin, the chapel, or the dining hall until the Camp Director indicates that it is safe to be outside. If a work team is returning from a site, they must stay in the van until the lightning passes.

Other Stuff:

1. The hospital is located on Route 37, a few miles from camp. Directions to the hospital can be found in your Adult Leader’s Handbook (which you will receive in mere moments!). If a student is not feeling well at camp, please inform the Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director so that we know that there is this type of situation present.

2. Part of the fun of camp is the anticipation of stopping for ice cream on the way home. Use it as motivation but resist the urge to forbid it if the work doesn't go according to expectations. And, please don’t go everyday because it no longer becomes a treat!

3. Cabins will be inspected for damage at the end of the week. Churches are responsible for paying for any and all damages.

4. Adults will meet with the Camp Director on Monday night to “check in” and on Friday night to close out the week.

5. Wednesday is your “free” day. Be prepared to let the Camp Director know of your plans for free day on Monday night at the adult meeting.

6. Each camper will receive a JP t-shirt on Friday night.

7. JP apparel is available for purchase throughout the week.

Finally, you will see that JP operates a highly structured program. Virtually every hour of the day is planned and we do that for a reason: Junior highs need structure! They won’t admit it, but they need it. This type of structured program can sometimes cause stress among adult leaders who aren’t used to living under such a rigid schedule. We want to be sensitive to your needs, but please communicate those needs to us so we can work with you.


Thanks in advance for your commitment to a great mission trip experience for everyone!

Changes for 2008!

* Only students may play water balloon volleyball; adults make great cheerleaders!

* Pictures from the week will be distributed on a jump drive instead of CDs ($25).

* JP has a new logo! Merchandise for sale include temporary tattoos (.25 each or 5 for $1.00), guitar picks (.50 each), vinyl car decals ($1.00 each), hats ($12.00 each).

* Thursday evening we will be showing a video about Compassion International. We want to encourage you to continue to be in mission after the week is over and this is one organization that your students and/or youth group could support.

* Students are no longer allowed to bring cell phones to the Jeremiah Project. Church leaders are expected to enforce this policy within their own church groups.

* In the event that a camper (student or adult) is injured at the work site and blood is present, that camper must first have the wound treated and/or bandaged before further participation.

 

Please select your church name: Select Your Church Aldersgate UMC - Alexandria Aldersgate UMC - Charlottesville Andrew Chapel UMC Annandale UMC Bedington UMC Bellamy UMC Bethany UMC Blacksburg UMC Brandermill Church Burke UMC Cameron UMC Centreville UMC Chestnut Memorial UMC Christ Episcopal Church Christ UMC - Fairfax Station Christ UMC - Newport News Christ UMC - Staunton, VA Fairfax UMC Fairlington UMC First Presbyterian of Va. Beach Floris UMC Gainesville UMC Grace UMC Great Bridge UMC Great Falls UMC Kirkwood Presbyterian Manassas St. Thomas UMC Marquis Memorial UMC Mint Spring UMC Mt. Olivet UMC New Town UMC Relief UMC Reveille UMC Sandbridge Community Chapel UMC Shady Grove UMC Silverbrook UMC Springfield UMC Spring Branch Community Church St. Marks UMC - Daleville, VA St. Marks UMC - Hampton St. Matthews UMC - Annandale St. Matthews UMC - Goochland St. Paul UMC - Staunton St. Stephens UMC Sydenstricker UMC Virginia Beach UMC Williamsburg UMC Other

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