An exploratory study by an independent consulting firm specializing in remote work camps has found British Columbia silviculture camps “extremely poor” in terms of “quality of life” including quality of supervision, food, sleeping accommodation, pride in work, trust in management and trust between workers.
An exploratory study by an independent consulting firm specializing in remote work camps has found British Columbia silviculture camps “extremely poor” in terms of “quality of life” including quality of supervision, food, sleeping accommodation, pride in work, trust in management and trust between workers.
The report conducted by En-Camp International studied six treeplanting camps across the province. It describes isolation anxiety among workers, lack of recreation facilities and rampant drug and alcohol abuse in the camps studied.
The report which will appear in the May edition of Forum the journal of the Association of B.C. Forest Professionals does not claim its research applies to all silviculture camps in B.C. “But it is clear through the convergence of results from individual camps, that at the very least, many camps are in dire need of ‘quality of life’ changes,” the study said.
Backgrounder on En-Camp
(Provided by En-Camp International)
EN-CAMP INTERNATIONAL “Enhancing Camp Quality of Life” MISSION EN-CAMP INTERNATIONAL independently evaluates and monitors “the quality of life” in wilderness working camps. It is “EN-CAMP’S” overriding purpose to provide analytical, tracking, planning and remedial implementation services to help employers optimize camp “quality of life”, productivity and profitability.
THE “EN-CAMP APPROACH” EN-CAMP INTERNATIONAL is a highly qualified, interdisciplinary team of Community Planners, Cultural Anthropologists, Industrial Psychologists and Business Communications Experts. The group is a “no nonsense” no frills operation which employs rigorous community planning, evaluation and monitoring techniques and guarantees “hardhitting”, effective solutions to camp “quality of life”issues. SERVICES OFFERED BY EN-CAMP
(A) “QUALITY OF LIFE” EVALUATIONS FOR EXISTING CAMPS EN-CAMP typically evaluates and tracks 40-60″quality of life” markers within a camp. These markers, on which the firm bases its recommendations and remedial implementation strategies, generally fall into 5 broad overlapping subject categories: Physical features/environment of the camp ( eg: buildings, designated usage outdoor areas, machinery, air, noise, , etc.) Camp Services ( eg: food, security, health, sanitation etc.) Interpersonal relations in the camp ( eg: peer communications, cross hierarchy communications between worker and supervisor, cordiality, respect level, efficiency level, effectiveness level, team concept etc. ) Personal needs realization in the camp ( eg: job satisfaction, need for comfort and relaxation, need for personal growth, need to maintain family and community ties, need for freedom from alcohol and drug abuse etc.) Sense of camp community ( eg: the degree to which workers identify with the camp, take responsibility for the camp, care about the camp etc.)
(B) PRE-PLANNING FOR CAMPS NOT YET DEVELOPED EN-CAMP engages in “quality of life” planning for future camps. THE BENEFITS In addition to the strategic advantages of preventing or mitigating potentially disruptive camp “livability” problems, increasing productivity, and maintaining a high quality of camp life, insurers may lessen camp insurance rates, financing may be easier to obtain and sales may increase due to public awareness of the emphasis which the company places on optimizing the “quality of life” for it’s workers.
EN-CAMP PARTNERS AND CORE ASSOCIATES Douglas White (Senior Partner) – Community Planner and Overall Evaluation Specialist Doug has a Masters degree in Community and Regional Planning and over 14 years of experience working in the area of planning research and evaluation. Carla Furlong (Partner) – Communications Specialist Carla has an MBA and approximately 15 years of experience assessing and evaluating communication dynamics within organizations. Patrick Moore (Associate) – Anthropologist and Aboriginal Linguist Patrick has a Ph.D. in Anthropology and approximately 7 years experience studying the values of aboriginal groups in Canada’s north. Arthur Hakstian (Associate) – Registered Psychologist /Psychometric Specialist Arthur has a Ph.D. in Psychology and over 25 years experience in assessing psychographic variables in the workplace and in the general population. *Other Associates EN–CAMP has numerous other associates in Canada and Europe and will draw upon their expertise as required. In particular the firm anticipates utilizing the expertise of many Anthropologists as a result of the need to understand the values of a diversity of native groups working in wilderness camp populations throughout the world.