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Vivian Bishop-Cook lives in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area and works as a therapist. She has been a participant and leader at Young Women camps at least 15 times as an adult. 
Highlights
02:30 Introduction to Vivian and her background. 04:45 Vivian talks about what she is seeing in her therapist’s office. Most people are working on relationship issues, balancing their lives, and working on their self esteem. 07:15 Vivian’s girls camp experience growing up and also as a leader. As an adult she has been to girls camp 15-16 times. 11:50 Vivian focuses on 3 things for girls camp. She calls it the three ring circus.
- Faith
- Friendship
- Fun
14:50 One of the most important parts of camp is mentoring the YCLs and letting them lead. In Vivian’s stake they also call a YCL director. The YCLs are the heart of the camp. 20:40 How Vivian’s stake mentors the youth. Mentoring is the secret sauce.
- Youth do the devotionals. They pick the topic but Vivian mentors them on how to do the devotional and how to present the topic.
24:50 The number one request from the young women was to have a longer personal spiritual time during camp. 25:20 Vivian shares a story of one of her young women and her experience with personal spiritual time during camp. 26:40 Mentoring the youth to do devotionals is more than just mentoring. It’s an opportunity for the leaders and the youth to connect and get to know each other more. It’s a moment of one on one time to help them with their testimonies and struggles in their lives. 29:00 Part of having the YCLs doing the devotionals is to help them tap into their vulnerability and sharing a part of themselves. 29:45 In preparation for camp they teach the girls what a testimony is and what the components are. This helps the testimony meetings be focused on the gospel and so that the testimony meeting doesn’t turn into a group therapy session. 30:50 The ring of friendship is another important principle at camp.
- They created “campanions” so that everyone has a friend at camp.
35:00 Vivian’s stake has been working on including the YCLs more. They invite them to do the workshops with them. It’s not always easier to have the youth lead but it’s very important to their growth. 39:00 Vivian spent about 8 years outside the Church in her early 20s, where she explored other faiths. But everything led her back to the Church. 42:40 Final thoughts and testimony of leadership and growing closer to Christ.
Links
TRANSCRIPT coming soon Listen on YouTube Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library
I am not in YW’s anymore and I don’t particularly like volunteering at girls camp. But I listened to this episode anyway, mainly because I was walking and after the other episode was over this one played next. And wow! I learned so much!! And I can apply some of this just with my own kids and even being in the RS presidency!
However I did share it with my ward YW leaders too, because it’s awesome!!!
I love the idea of planned rebellion, I’m sorry I forgot the exact words she used. It made me feel bad about a time when I was a leader at a mutli stake youth conference. One girl was hiding in a room with a leader from her ward instead of being in the class we were supposed to be in. I was a bit mad at the leader for not encouraging the girl to go where she was supposed to be. But now I see that maybe she was where she needed to be and that maybe she needed that little time to rebel in a safe way. Humbling moment for me! And a different way to look at things! Thanks! I needed that!
So many great ideas in here!!
I reluctantly decided to listen to this podcast. However, I liked it so much, I passed it on to our Ward Camp Director for ideas.
I was released as a RS Pres, and called as the Stake YW camp director the same day. My first meeting is in 2 days, and I want to come prepared. The honesty, the vision, and the love Viv has is palpable. I don’t know the experience our Stk YW Presidency has with this podcast, but I have listened to it with intense desire to learn as I served as RS Pres. Now I’ll find myself listening to repeat episodes with a new focus. Thank you to all those that give their all and share their ‘secrets’ to move this work forward.