Directing a camp comes with its own unique set of rewards – and challenges. For new camp directors facing such challenges, the support of more seasoned professionals can be invaluable.

When Mike Douglass began directing Camp Bishopswood more than a dozen years ago, he says, “I remember that I randomly sat down with Cat (Sangster) and Peter (Kassen) at the networking extravaganza and I thought to myself, oh my gosh, they are so good at what they do. I always thought ‘wouldn’t it be great to have something to help new directors – or old directors – learn new things?’”

Today, Douglass, along with former longtime Hidden Valley Camp directors Peter and Meg Kassen, are spearheading a Maine Summer Camps mentorship project designed to do just that.

“I see it as something that could be a really beneficial value-added thing” for new camp members joining MSC, to say we have this,” Douglass said.

Although the project is in its very earliest stages, Douglass is optimistic about its potential. “Knowing MSC, my guess is if there were a bunch of mentees who really wanted to have this mentor relationship, Maine camp directors would step up.”

The partnerships between mentors and mentees will take into consideration what arrangements work best for the two parties, Douglass says. “It was Peter and Meg’s idea trying to not only match up but match up so that it works for both of them,” Douglass said.

Peter Kassen credits Douglass for initiating the idea. “He contacted Lucy and Meg and me and we put together a few things,” Kassen said. “Sort of an introduction for mentors and mentees.”

Kassen says the wisdom of colleagues is always useful. “I know when I was a director for 20 or 30 years it was good to have someone to talk to. We old-timers made use of the wisdom of our friends and colleagues.” The same can be true of those “just getting started,” he said. “It just seems like a great opportunity for everybody.”

When Jessica Paquette took the position of executive director of West End House Camp, had camp experience from working outside of Maine. “I had just started as executive director and I needed some veteran help,” she said. Working with Douglass and Peter Kassen as mentors “was very helpful.”

Paquette said she and her mentors were able to arrange their schedules to help answer her questions on a variety of topics. “And if in between questions popped up, whoever felt they could answer best would jump in and respond,” she said.

“I think camp professionals can be so supportive to other camp professionals,” she said. When you begin collaborating with a mentor, she said, “you have that confidence that the mentor is here to mentor me.”

“There’s no ego involved,” she said. “You can ask whatever you need to ask.”

She recommends the program to others. “There are so many things that are different in the camp industry from any other,” she said. Having a mentor to “walk you through and get to the heart of what camp is after 20 or 30 or 40 years in the industry is really helpful to a newbie.”

As the project launches, MSC is looking for more mentors as well as mentees. Anyone who is interested in benefiting from a mentor relationship may reach out to Lucy at camps@mainecamps.org for more information.