Mentorship & Mentor in Training

Leadership skills are as essential to modern life as food.  From observing and listening skills to teaching and program development, we help students grow and deepen as a leader.  Mentorship is about helping campers connect to their unique gifts. We show how to find these gifts in our campers and how to help them blossom. Mentors are a part of the daily camp routine. The day starts with a short meeting, set up, assisting and leading parts of the camp day and ends with clean up. 

We have limited spots for MITs in each camp session.

Mentor building fire with student

MENTOR IN TRAINING Fall & Winter 2024/2025

Dates: 

Saturday, October 26th 9am-Noon @ VFFS

Saturday, January 11th 9am-Noon @ VFFS

Sliding Scale Tuition:

Pay it Forward: $65

True Cost: $50

Financial Assistance: $30

 

Join us for two workshops to deepen your skills as a “Mentor in Training”!!! 

We will laugh. We will create. We will build.

We will grow together in nature mentoring. 

Students will learn about the Coyote’s Way of Nature Mentoring (Jon Young’s, http://coyotoesguide.com) and will hone in their connection and foster their own pathway of how to lead nature connection in others.

In a time where disconnect is growing and resilience is dwindling, 

NOW is the time to CONNECT! Join us on this journey! 

This is the program to join if you would like to be an MIT or Apprentice during VFFS summer camp.

 

Mentors in Training (MITs) are 12-14 years old, and are looking for a little more than the carefree camp experience! They are at VFFS to grow their leadership and nature/crafting skills, be awesome role models for younger campers, and be helpful and supportive to staff. As an MIT gains experience and/or wants to challenge themself, they will be given opportunities to share skills and lead activities with campers with staff support. MITs are also learning to be more aware of group dynamics, their ability to share skills, and the structure and intention that goes into a day of camp. And of course, they are at VFFS to have fun! Attending this program allows you to help during our summer camp weeks and put your skills to use!

Details: Both MIT and Apprentices join us for a series of community-building workshops and a week of immersion and summer camp preparation! Students will build skills that will last a lifetime and that can be shared with VFFS summer camp. If you are interested in joining as an Apprentice or MIT during summer camp, this program is required. 

Program Facilitators:

Ashley Piccirillo

Sonya Currier

Misse Axelrod

Yasi Zeichner (behind the scenes)

 

 

Sign up!

MENTOR Apprenticeship

15 + Years Old:

Mentor Apprentices are 15+ years old, have had one or more years of MIT experience at VFFS (or equivalent experience elsewhere), and apply for a stipend assistant/apprentice position at VFFS. This role comes with more responsibility than an MIT role. Mentor Apprentices are more capable of leading/co-leading groups of kids, and will be expected to lead (with support) portions of the day throughout the week (examples: story time, a skills workshop, a wild woods wander, a game). There is a limited number of Mentor Apprentice openings during summer camps.

Prerequisite: must have been a MIT for at least one year or have previous experience. If you have not attended the MIT training or been an MIT, you can join the spring and summer program to acquire the necessary training.

Session cost:  This is a stipend position – $300/week.

Sign up!