How Do Young Women Leaders Begin Planning?

1. Prepare spiritually
   
   Your own spiritual preparation will be a key to success at camp. Begin with these three steps:
   
   • Pray to know what the Lord would have you do.
   • Study the scriptures and handbooks.
   • Counsel together and seek counsel from priesthood leaders.
   • Recommend additional people to help, if needed.
   
   
2. Counsel with Priesthood Leaders
   
   Ward and Stake priesthood leaders have the primary responsibility for young women. Young women leaders should receive guidance from priesthood leaders about:
   
   • Purpose, goals, location and schedule of camp.
   • Budget guidelines.
   • Safety and security.
   
   Your priesthood leaders also assist by:
   
   • Approving plans.
   • Calling others to help
   • Planning priesthood attendance and visits to camp. .
   
   
3. Plan with a Purpose: Determine Your Purpose for Camp
   
   Ask:
   
   • What does Heavenly Father want to have happen in the lives of our young women as a result of camp?
   • Will the experience at camp increase faith and testimony of Jesus Christ and provide opportunities to follow the living prophets?
   • Will the experience meet the needs of young women and help build relationships of trust and love?
   • Will the experience help young women strengthen their own families?
   
   
4. Choose a camp theme:
   
   A theme provides a focus for camp. A theme may be:
   
   • A scripture.
   • A statement from a prophet
   • A hymn
   • The Young Women theme or the current mutual theme.
   
   
5. Plan camp
   
   With your purpose and theme in mind, plan experiences and activities that will help young women learn and have fun.
   Ask:
   
   • What do your young women like to do?
   • What do they need to learn?
   • What can they learn at camp that they may not learn in another setting?
   
   Include a variety of experiences, such as:
   
   • Learning from the scriptures
   • Serving others.
   • Developing self-reliance skills.
   • Sharing music.
   • Experiencing quiet time for reflection.
   • Developing talents.
   • Participating in sports and games
   • Improving fitness. (hiking, swimming and so forth)
   • Strengthening and sharing testimony.
   
   
6. Include Certification

The Young Women Camp Manual provides [instruction] for certification.

• Camp certification will help young women gain confidence, learn to work together, and prepare for their future roles as wives, mother, homemakers, and leaders in the Church.
• Certification can be conducted at camp and as part of Mutual activities before camp.
• Certification provides opportunities for older young women to serve as youth camp leaders.