STAFF DEPORTMENT

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Staff deportment refers to the appropriate behaviour and conduct of staff members at Debate Camp. Staff should conduct themselves in a way that makes campers feel safe, included, and supported, while maintaining healthy and professional boundaries. 

 

APPROPRIATE CAMPER-STAFF RELATIONSHIPS

 

It’s important to be friendly and welcoming at Debate Camp, but it is just as important to ensure that the lines between campers and staff don’t get blurry. Staff should be friendly with campers, but they are not campers’ friends: that means they should be mindful of using appropriate language, maintaining authority, acting responsibly. 

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DEVICE MANAGEMENT

 

Staff may use their phones to communicate with other staff when necessary to allow Debate Camp to function smoothly, to timekeep during debate rounds, or to search the answers to pressing camper questions. Phones should not be used by staff to post on social media, take photos of campers, or otherwise be a distraction. Staff are models for campers; if they are online and unengaged, campers will be, too. 

 

SAFE PRACTICES 

 

To keep both campers and staff safe, campers and their parents should never contact staff members outside of camp. Staff should not respond to any messages or social media requests they receive from campers. Staff with public social media profiles should remember that they are representatives of Debate Camp for the duration of their employment and should conduct themselves accordingly. 

 

In-person, Staff should ensure they are always engaging appropriately with campers in order to protect both the campers and themselves. Appropriate physical contact with a camper includes a high-five, a handshake, and a side-hug. Staff should be mindful of the language they use and stories they tell around campers.