LEADER-IN-TRAINING (LIT)
WHAT IS A LIT PROGRAM?
The Leader-in-Training (LIT) program is a 2-week wilderness training experience designed for 16-and-17-year-old teens who are ready to learn and grow their outdoor skills. This experience is built on hands-on skill building and four core competencies: Risk Management & Backcountry Decision Making, Leadership Styles, Backcountry Principles & Skills, and Effective Communication. LITs develop the tools they need to lead with confidence, both in Camp trip settings and in the backcountry. This is more than a pathway to becoming a trip leader in or out of Camp; it is a foundation for becoming a strong, thoughtful leader in every space your LIT walks into.
At YMCA Camp Chingachgook, we believe in the magic of Camp and in the power of community. Our LIT program is rooted in the Y's core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility, and is built on the belief that lasting personal growth happens when we challenge ourselves alongside others. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment where every LIT, regardless of background or experience, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We know that when we invest in young leaders, we invest in stronger communities, and that we are all better together.
4 CORE COMPETENCIES
1
Risk Management & Backcountry Decision Making
You'll learn how to think before you act. You'll practice assessing situations, weighing your options, and making sound decisions under pressure, one of the most valuable skills you can build in a supervised, supportive environment.
2
Leadership Styles & Group Facilitation
You’ll learn how to teach, spend time exploring what kind of leader you naturally are, and when to lean into different approaches. Learning to read a group, adapt your style, and lead with confidence and humility are skills that will serve you well beyond the bounds of Camp.
3
Backcountry Principles & Skills
You’ll gain important outdoor survival and wilderness skills, become certified in Leave No Trace skills, and learn how to apply these skills to make informed decisions and lead others responsible in different environments.
4
Effective Communication
You'll work on communicating with intention and care. From giving clear instructions to navigating conflict, you'll gain experience by having real conversations with both peers and your trip leaders. This immersive practice will help you build the kind of confidence that comes from feeling heard while also becoming an active listener.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Become well-versed in independence, critical thinking, and the foundations for self-actualization. The intention of the LIT program is to challenge participants both mentally and physically in a controlled setting to gain confidence and mental fortitude, and to inspire curiosity over helplessness. This will be a foundation for continuing down the path to self-actualization as the teens continue to grow, and will hopefully serve as a spark to ignite the fire of lifelong independence, environmental stewardship, and community-building!
“Education is the kindling of the flame, not the filling of a vessel"
- Socrates
WHAT DO LITs DO?
Decision-Making With Support: LITs will be able to assess risk in real time and work through realistic backcountry scenarios with guidance and mentorship from staff. This program is structured to include hands-on practice to ensure that LITs will develop and know how to implement the skills needed to make informed decisions.
Learn Through Feedback: LITs will be given constant feedback intended to help them grow as a leader that is constructive, supportive, and actionable - developing the ability to both give and receive feedback is crucial in becoming an effective leader.
A Glimpse Behind-the-Scenes of Trip Leading: LITs will help plan their itinerary and meals, and be part of the gear selection and pack-out process. LITs will have more involvement in their plans and begin to understand the concept of hike logistics from a trip leader’s perspective. Participants will take turns leading, navigating, and motivating each other as a team, while instructors serve as a guide through this process.
WHAT DO LITs GAIN?
All Leaders-in-Training will gain a First Aid & CPR Certification, a Leave No Trace (LNT) Certification, and a minimum of 10 hours of community service/volunteer time emailed to them upon successful completion of the program.
Aside from certifications, Leaders-in-Training will gain the skills to transition from a participant to an intentional and supportive leader. Our instructors will allow each LIT to build confidence and sound judgement, learn how to foster a positive learning environment for a group, and develop hard skills such as orienteering & navigation, water purification, outdoor/backcountry cooking, trail maintenance, wildlife safety, fire-building and safety, and general encampment skills.
Each LIT will be able to understand the “why” behind Leave No Trace (LNT) & environmental stewardship, through both a spiritual and ecological lens. They will understand the intangibles that can only be understood by spending time in nature (sense of place and awe, authentic leisure, etc.)
