A Mixed-Methods Study of Staff Well-Being at Summer Camp

Summer camp employment may offer emerging adults opportunities for growth; however, the work can be emotionally challenging and tiring, leading to negative outcomes. Understanding how to support staff is important for youth experiences and critical to staff well-being. While many camp employment characteristics align with basic psychological needs theory, little is known about their potential to support staff well-being. We used a convergent mixed-methods design and cross-sectional survey data from 147 staff (Mage = 20.93 years old; SDage = 2.36; 86% white; 63% women; 44% first-year; 78% overnight camps) to examine the relationships between job impact, sense of belonging, and well-being. Overall, the more that staff perceived their work to have a positive impact and the more they felt like they belonged at camp the higher well-being they reported at the end of the summer, which is supported and extended by the qualitative findings. Relevant literature and implications for practitioners are discussed.