The YMCA of Greater Boston Overnight Camps Leadership Development Programs are experience-based courses for young adults to discover, practice, and hone their leadership potential in a variety of situations within the environment of North Woods and Pleasant Valley Camps. The goal of the program is to train our LITs in their personal leadership style and other leadership skills to bring back to their various communities - hopefully including North Woods and Pleasant Valley Camps, as camp leaders and future staff members - to better themselves and those around them.

The Leader-In-Training (LIT) Program is the first year of a three-year leadership training program focused around each LIT's leadership ability, style, and progress over four weeks at Camp. This program is a fee based program - accepted applicants will be required to complete registration paperwork as well as an LIT Contract. Financial assistance is available based on need.

The focus in the first year of training is on creating an LIT team, teaching community inclusion, and fostering stewardship practices. Throughout the LIT program, participants engage in activities and discussions about types of leadership, communication styles and methods, service work, team-building, and other leadership skills. Applicants will learn about and be provided with feedback throughout the program. The second year of our training program is our Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program, which will focus on learning about the role of camp counselors and effective methods of teaching. CITs are also encouraged to participate in the YMCA Lifeguarding course. The final year of the program is the Assistant Counselor (AC) Program. ACs are full staff members who live with campers and teach classes; they are provided with additional support throughout this hands-on program.

The LIT and CIT programs are application-based programs and admission to the programs is not guaranteed. Applicants are measured based on their application, evaluations from being a camper, references of community leaders and family, and interviews with the applicant themselves. We are regularly forced to turn away strong applicants because of the volume of applications we receive and the limited spots available. Those who are fortunate enough to be chosen to join us should use the four core values (caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility) to conduct themselves professionally and be respectful of those not admitted. Acceptance to the program can be altered at any time. Applications are due by October 1st, 2023 and notifications will be sent by November 1st, 2023.

Please fill out the application below to the best of your ability and be as thorough as possible. We ask that the applicants (campers) themselves fill out the following application - while asking family members for advice is perfectly fine, we want to hear applicants' own voices. This is a great first step toward independent leadership development!

Thank you, and good luck!