Abstract
Creativity supports interest, imagination, empowerment, intrinsic motivation, and overall engagement. Satisfied employees, who are supported in their creativity, have increased performance, motivation, and commitment. Residential summer camp is a demanding 24-hour job in which camp counselors use creativity on a regular basis via lesson planning, teaching activities, resolving conflict, and living within close proximity to coworkers. The purpose of the current study was to explore organizational support for creativity among first-year and returning staff at the beginning and end of one season of employment. Camp counselors (n = 113) participated in the current study utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative analysis compared pretest data on creativity to posttest items using paired samples t-tests. First-year and returning counselors indicated significant decreases in perceptions of the camp organization valuing creativity. Counselors’ self-identification as a creative employee significantly decreased among returning employees. Qualitative data analysis produced 46 independent responses and 3 content areas describing barriers to creativity, including personal (intimidation, inexperience), structural (time/money), and camp traditions (status quo) barriers. Summer camps should prioritize support for creativity as a vital component needed for a positive work culture. Ultimately, a camp mission, culture, and training, which support creativity may empower counselors (of various experience levels) to create new ideas, camp traditions, and activities.
Highlights
In the United States, summer camp is an 18-billion-dollar industry that hires around 1.5 million staff every year (American Camp Association, 2015)
Camp counselors identified differences in organizational and coworker expectations for creativity as well as general work barriers to creativity. These findings suggest that camp counselors view creativity in their work context from both a subjective and holistic view, which related to their prior experience and general camp organization
Creativity continues to be a vital skill in the 21st century, and it is important to understand how creativity is perceived among counselors of various experience levels
Summary
In the United States, summer camp is an 18-billion-dollar industry that hires around 1.5 million staff every year (American Camp Association, 2015). While some scholars assert emerging adulthood is still not clearly defined, or a formalized state of development (Hendry & Kloep, 2007), it provides an explanation for understanding camp counselor needs and perceptions of a summer camp work context (Hendry & Kloep, 2007). Prior research asserts that well-organized summer camps provide camp counselors with a supportive work environment that includes opportunities for professional development, lifelong friendship, sense of community, identity exploration, and college and workplace readiness (DeGraaf & Glover, 2003; Duerden et al, 2014; McCole, Jacobs, Lindley, & McAvoy, 2012; Whittington & Garst, 2018; Wilson & Sibthorp, 2018). This study explored differences in creativity among first-year and returning staff at the beginning and end of a single camp summer season
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
