To work
at a worldwide summer camp you will need to consider the
following:
Age
Anyone
can apply to work at a summer camp,
but most recruiters only hire people who are 18 years of age.
People of all ages from all over the world go and work
at summer camps every summer, most counselors ages vary
from 18-30, but you are never too old.
At a lot
of summer camps in the United
States there are over one hundred International
staff, which are diverse in age and backgrounds. A large percentage
of International staff return to camp, some even return for
several years.
Role
of a Counselor
The role
of a camp counselor is a rewarding and amazing experience,
you gain lots of hand on experience which will prove extremely
valuable to future life. When thinking about working at a
summer camp you need to decide if your attributes suit the
criteria.
The main
characteristics you need to apply to become a counselor are:
· Must
be eighteen years old
· Speak basic English
· No criminal record
· Not be prejudice to other peoples cultures and religious
backgrounds
·
Have a strong desire to work with children
Personality
traits are vital to becoming a successful summer camp staff
member, applicants must be:
· Outgoing
· Patient
· Flexible
· Energetic
· Fun
· Enjoy working with children
· Be prepared for the experience of a lifetime
Summer
camps are usually located in very remote areas. There may
be no houses, shops or civilisation in the area, just miles
of crop fields and nature.
Before you decide to apply, please consider the following
realities of camp life:
·
Camp staff duties and responsibilities are sometimes hard
work
· Sometimes the hours can prove to be long
· Camps are usually in isolated locations · Camps are strict
structured environments, some camps have bans on alcohol
and smoking
· Camp conditions can be minimalistic and rustic.
·
You must be able to work in a team
· Privacy can be a minimum
Find
a summer camp job in the USA, Canada & worldwide
If your
personality meets the criteria and the description has made
you excited about the prospect of working at a summer camp,
then uoi should definately apply and start getting prepared
for what could be the most enjoyable summer of your life!
Browse summer camp jobs in the USA, Canada
and worldwide.
Sample
Daily Food Menu
· Breakfast:
Choice of cerials, cooked breakfast, tea, coffee, bug juice.
· Lunch: Either a choice of hot meals, salad bar,
sandwiches and fesh fruit
· Dinner: Variety of hot cooked food, e.g. chicken
slop, salad and pudding.
"We
generally had a lot of choice. fruit was available all day,
salad bars at lunch and dinner. Breakfast is cereals, yoghurt,
and a variety of typical american things: bagels, pancakes
etc. Lunch is very high energy food, occasionally going towards
junk (burgers etc) to keep the kids going all day but tends
to be potato, pasta, chicken based. Dinner is a proper meal,
with vegetables for nutrituon.What you've got to remember
is the camps are responsible for the kids' health so they
won't ply them with fatty foods all day, which makes it easier
to bribe them with candy hehe." Richard
Small, Reading
Please
note some camps do not allow smoking on camp ground, also
alcohol is usually banned. The legal drinking age in the USA
is 21, if caught under age drinking you will be sacked and
face harsh consequences. All summer camp staff have to obtain
a health history form and have to obtain a criminal background
check before departing to the U.S.
What
not to expect
· To
be on holiday, even though it might seem like it is, you
have to be responsible
· To have a summer romance and neglect your campers / responsibilities
· To make friends with everyone, your camp could have a
large number of staff therefore making it difficult to intergrate
with all staff
· A lot of privacy
·
To be praised as much as your deserve
· To have a lot of contact with the outside world
· To be bored!
View
BUNAC Staff Diaries
View CCUSA Staff Diaries
View Camp America Staff
Diaries
Fundraising
If you
are struggling to find the money to fund your trip, don't
worry. There are ways to raise money for your ideal gap year
for free. Last year in the UK more than one million pounds
was wasted and was left lying around in bursaries and grants
unclaimed. If you live in the UK, go to your local library
and ask to view the Directory of grant making trusts.
This
book lists organisations such at the Rotary club and the Round
Table, along with little known trusts and memorial funds which
have money available for you. Also ask your university if
there are any travel bursaries available. If your summer camp
job directly relates to your degree, and you can prove it
could be used as part of research, there is very often money
available from the Grant Making Trusts book.
Useful
Websites
http://home.bmycharity.com
http://www.justgiving.com/default.asp
What
Next
After reading this does the idea of working at a summer camp
sound appealing to you?
Click here to find information on how
to apply
Or browse summer
camp jobs
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