MESH Summit: Elevating Mental Health & Well-being in Youth Programs

Location: June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation, Ashford, CT

Schedule: April 24-26, 2026 (Held concurrently with Weekend #1 of Scouting America's National Camping School)

Cost: $175 per participant (Includes Certifications, Supplies, Meals, and Housing) 

Course Overview

The MESH Summit (Mental, Emotional, and Social Health) is an intensive training experience designed for leaders across the youth development sector. Whether you lead a Scout camp, a private residency, or a municipal day program, this summit provides the certifications and strategic frameworks necessary to manage the "new normal" of youth wellness while safeguarding the most valuable asset of any camp: the staff.

Held at the June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation, this course bridges the gap between high-level crisis intervention and the daily, ground-level work of keeping a camp community healthy, happy, and motivated.

Although the current Scouting America MESH program will be explored, many of the tenets apply to any youth camp setting, and best practices from around the industry will be modeled. 

Core Learning Objectives:

Participants will gain a comprehensive toolkit for managing the complexities of modern youth behavior and organizational culture:

Proactive MESH Best Practices: Shift from "reactive" crisis management to "proactive" program design. Learn how to audit your daily schedule, dining hall procedures, and activity transitions to reduce anxiety and sensory overload for campers.

The "Staff First" Philosophy: Explore the direct link between staff morale and camper safety. Learn how to identify "compassion fatigue" and implement support structures—such as burnout prevention, mental health breaks, and peer-support networks—that help maintain high staff retention.

Conflict Resolution & Social Dynamics: Master evidence-based techniques for navigating peer-to-peer conflict, bullying, and social exclusion in a way that builds character rather than just "solving a problem."

Crisis Response & Professionalism: Develop "MESH Action Plans" that integrate seamlessly with your existing emergency protocols, ensuring your team remains calm and professional under pressure.

Professional Certifications

The MESH Summit is a credentialing opportunity. All participants will earn two nationally recognized certifications:

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA): This training equips you with the skills to reach out and provide initial support to a young person or colleague who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use problem.

QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer): Known as the "CPR of mental health," this evidence-based suicide prevention training teaches three simple steps to help save a life.

Cultivating Camp Culture & Morale

A central theme of this summit is Culture as Medicine. We will dive deep into how camp leaders can:

Create a "Culture of Care" in which staff feel empowered to speak up about their mental health needs.

Implement "low-cost, high-impact" morale boosters that fit into a busy camp season.

Train seasonal staff to recognize MESH triggers in themselves and their campers, reducing mid-season turnover.

Who Should Attend?

While held alongside National Camping School, this summit is open to any professional or volunteer responsible for youth safety and organizational health:

• Camp Directors, Program Managers, Senior Camp Staff (Private, Non-profit, or Scout-based)
• Youth Group Leaders & Outdoor Educators
• Social Workers & School Counselors seeking field-specific applications
• Staff Coordinators focused on seasonal employee retention and wellness
• Camp Staff (Age 18+) 
• Volunteers who work with Youth.