Summer Camp Scheduling, Registration Processes

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Summer Camp Scheduling, Registration Processes
SoftwareOh My!!

• Tina Villard, M.S., Rice University
• Corey Sinclair, M.S., Central Washington
  University
• Elizabeth Slator, Ph.D., Rice University

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Session Outline

• General overview of programs
• Building blocks of a summer youth program
• Scheduling
• Registration overviews
• Camp management software
• Cross-camp comparison
• Small group discussions
• Question/answer

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Rice University Summer Youth Activity Program

• Four, two-week sessions
• Four groups of 24 children
• Over 20 student and full-time staff
• Multi-sport
• Facilities used one gym, two fields, two
  racquetball courts, one class room, dance studio,
  activities room, and pool.

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Central Washington University Recreation Summer
Program

• Flexible drop off hours and registration
• Multiple sports, arts, crafts, fitness, nutrition
• Field trips
• Facilities used pool, residence hall,
  multipurpose room, gym, group fitness rooms,
  climbing wall, theater, green spaces, outdoor
  basketball courts, sand volleyball courts.

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Building Blocks of Summer Programs

• Available on campus resources
• Resources/attractions off campus
• Potential demographic
• Marketing and promotion

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Available On-Campus Resources
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Resources/Attractions Off Campus
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Potential Customer Demographic

• Demographic make up of families in surrounding
  area
• Discounts for alumni, faculty, staff, students

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Marketing and Promotion
Postcards
Posters and Flyers

• Websites
• www.cwu.edu/rec/images/RECmagazine/july/RecMagjul
  y.swf
• www.rice.edu/syap

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Scheduling

• How registration affects scheduling
• Differences between Rice and CWU
• Climate and weather challenges
• Rain, heat/cold, bugs
• Activities and facilities
• Rotating activities, breaks, moving between
  activities
• Pick up/drop off
• Times, points of access

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Overview of Registration

• Rice Summer Youth Activity Program Registration
• Begins in early spring
• Alumni/faculty/staff receive discounts and have
  early registration opportunities
• Set number of registrants-based on previously
  mentioned schedule rationale (camp open until
  full)
• Thriva Online Camp Management System

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Online Registration

• Strengths
• Streamlines administration (online registration,
  forms, payment, communication, etc.)
• Provides 24 hour account access to customers
• Reduces data entry tasks for staff
• Simple and quick payment/charge process
• immediate invoice sent to customer

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Online Registration

• Weaknesses
• Software glitches during registration process led
  to some customer dissatisfaction
• Reliance on software administrators who dont
  work for university and can be difficult to
  contact
• Cost can be prohibitive

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Overview of Registration

• CWU Recreation Summer Camp Registration
• Begins in April
• Students receive a discount (non-students pay
  full fee)
• In-person registration only, but software system
  helps administrative process

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On-Site (in person) Registration

• Strengths
• Allows customers flexibility
• Cost effective
• Weaknesses
• Paperwork is difficult to manage and requires
  multiple staff members
• Payment must be collected on-site or mailed to
  university
• Difficult refund process

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Camp Management Software

• Software that allows directors to manage all
  aspects of camp administration
• Financial, transaction and statement breakdown
  reports
• Central view of customers database
• emergency contact, medical history, insurance
• Deploy mass emails and newsletters to all or
  selected groups
• Build custom reports and rosters

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Cross-Camp Comparisons

• Central Washington University
• In person registration
• Camp management software
• On and off campus resources
• Multisport activities
• Flexible schedule dependent on participant
  numbers

• Rice University
• Online registration
• Camp management software
• On campus resources
• Multisport activities
• Structured, predetermined schedule

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Breakout Session

• Points of consideration for registration
• Cost
• Demographic
• Marketing/promotion
• Points of consideration for scheduling
• Available resources (on/off campus)
• Flexible or structured
• Number of participants present

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Question/Answer