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Abstract
The involvement of quality workers has been found to be a critical factor in the success of youth programs (American Camp Association, 2006a). Although there has been little research on staff development with youth program leaders, literature on staff development highlights the importance of work group cohesion for successful outcomes (Cohen & Bailey, 1997; Gully, Devine, & Whitney, 1995; Mullen & Copper, 1994; Pillai & Williams, 2004; Stogdill, 1972; Wech, Mossholder, & Steel, 1998). In this study, qualitative methods were used to explore the various elements of the concept of work group cohesion in a summer camp context. Camp workers filled out an online survey about their experiences at camp. Results suggest that work group cohesion is an important factor to consider for the development of staff training curriculum.