The CC of Virginia created a Youth Code of Conduct—a community-based set of expectations, rather than a list of rules and consequences, to guide behavior through recognition and positive reinforcement.
As clubs continue to become more family-oriented with a greater emphasis on youth programming, it’s also become more important to find effective ways to communicate expected behavior to younger members, without putting a damper on encouraging fun or creating an image of the club as a stuffy, “old-person” place where no kids should want to go.
Instead of relying on a list of rules and consequences to convey expectations and requirements, The Country Club of Virginia (CCV), Richmond, Va., has taken a community-based, interactive approach to conveying what younger members should know and understand about “The CCV Way.” The club has developed and published a Youth Code of Conduct, with specifics about Respect for Others, Respect for Property, Sportsmanship, Etiquette and
THE GOAL: Ensure that youth members of The Country Club of Virginia understand how to behave properly at the club. THE PLAN: Create a Youth Code of Conduct—a community-based set of expectations, rather than a list of rules and consequences, to guide behavior through recognition and positive reinforcement. “The CCV Way” is incorporated into daily operations by using specific vocabulary in programs and events, as well as addressing behaviors. THE PAYOFF: Members, staff and youth are empowered to work together to create a community that is responsible for junior members’ behavior. |
Membership requirements, that is also integrated into staff training, to give managers and front-line staff the appropriate tools to address junior members in a positive, reassuring manner that reinforces positive behavior and encourages participation.
“The CCV Way” is incorporated into daily operations by using specific programming in programs and events, as well as addressing behaviors. The club’s staff is trained and encouraged to recognize and reinforce good behavior, while also addressing or redirecting unwanted behaviors.
The initiative is now incorporated into CCV’s Junior Member Orientation and discussed at the beginning of each youth camp day. It has led to junior members responding by making better choices and having a better club experience, the club reports, because clear and consistent expectations are now being conveyed.
INSTANT IDEAS
To create a new attraction for the always-challenging “’tweens” age group, The Country Club of Virginia (CCV), Richmond, Va., created the “Clue Mystery Game” as a way “to provide freedom and structure [for those ages 10-12] at the same time.” CCV has also found that incorporating Nerf guns into familiar games like Capture the Flag, Hide and Seek, or an Every Person for Themselves Elimination Challenge can be the best way to interactively engage the most high-energy kids among the membership. Repurposing cardboard boxes to create “battlefields” in open spaces also helps participants run off extra energy and work as teams to create strategies. Barriers can then always be rearranged to continue to create unique playing fields and require new approaches, keeping games fresh and exciting. It’s a formula that requires minimal supplies and cost and can lead to hours of fun that players of all ages (including parents) are eager to enjoy. |
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