My experience as a summer camp leader

There are many opportunities for young people. We often just don’t know what’s out there. 
Hi, I am Maria, a summer camp leader from Germany. 
When I was 9 years old, my mum signed me up for a summer camp run by our local church
and it has been my highlight every year since. Spending two weeks in the woods with a
bunch of young people and amazing summer camp leaders is an experience that is difficult
to put into words. The days are long but run by so fast. You get to enjoy nature, have a
phone detox, and learn new skills, like how to make a fire and how to carve soapstone. And
the excitement is at an all-time high, because there is always another surprise activity
waiting around the corner.
When I turned 18, the roles shifted and I became a summer camp leader myself. It is a very
exciting position to be in, because not only do you get to create fun activities and set up this
amazing holiday activity for young people, but you also learn so much about problem-
solving, event planning, youth work and the beauty of becoming a point of contact for all the
questions young people have but do not know who to address them to. For example, we
introduced boys’ and girls’ talks, and we discussed teenage slang and what it means to grow
up in these fast-changing times. 
I sometimes describe the time in the summer camp as an illusion or a bubble, because you
are so far away from your daily life and nothing seems more important than being in this
moment, with no fear over the future and the uncertainty of tomorrow. And when the summer
camp is over, you leave with a heavy heart, full of many new memories and friends and also
the sadness that you have to wait for another year to do it all over again.
I am so thankful that I get to experience this camp every year, and that I am able to spend
time in this bubble. I can only recommend joining a summer camp to young people and
becoming part of such a loving and joyful community.

Updated on úterý, 17/02/2026