Types
of Jobs
There
are several jobs available at summer
camp:
General
Counsellor
To be
a summer camp counsellor you will have to be an excellent
role model who puts the needs of the campers first. You
will be responsible for a group of children and will guide
them through daily activities including sleeping in the
same cabin or building as them, eating with them and take
them to different activities where the specialist counsellors
will take over.
During
activity time you will participate and assist in the various
parts of the program that require your help. You will look
after the campers general well being, offer advice and guidance
where appropriate and be a positive role model.
Specialist
Counselor / Activity Leader
You
will have been chosen as a specialist counsellor because
the skills that you put down on your application form are
used as a program at your camp. You may be asked to teach
any one of the skills that were put on your form so it helps
if you can be adaptable.
Your
main role will be to run or assist in running your activity
during the day. Outside activity time you will help the
general counsellors look after the campers in the cabins
although it is unlikely that you will be assigned a specific
group of campers to look after.
Support
Staff:
Kitchen
Staff
Kitchen
staff are usually assigned a specific job in the kitchen.
For example you could be a cook, an assistant cook, food
preparation, dish washer or food deliverance. Different
camps have different roles for kitchen staff, but usually
the role allows you to have a lot of free time in-between
meals. BUNAC
offer a specific KAMP
job placement.
"I
loved working in the kitchen. I loved being with the campers
and staff during my free time. I think I learned a lot about
people and American culture. I loved being there!"
Alexandra, Hungary
Office
Workers
This
role involves working inside the summer camp office. You
could have a variety of responsibilities such as using the
computer to write letters, answering the telephones and
organising events.
Could
You Apply?
To work
at a worldwide summer camp you will need to consider the
following:
Age
Most
recruiters only hire people who are 18 years of age by June
1st. 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
from a diverse range of ages and backgrounds. A large percentage
of International staff return to camp, some even return
for several years.
Apply
Now!
"I
instructed archery at summer camp, it was fantastic, sign
up for camp NOW, you don't know what your missing out on!"
Brian Adams, Camp America, Indianna USA
"I'm
a ranch director, working with 40 horses and 8 members of
staff." Vicky, England
"Doing
what I did first time around which was Ropes and Wall. Sending
kids dangling from a rope down a wire from 40ft up a tree.
Looking forward to spending many hours on that metre by
metre platform at the top. Cant wait to have some chill
time on the top of the climbing wall hurling pine cones
at people walking to the dinner hall he he!" Danni,
Camp America, Carlise
"Why
am I doing it? Well, one thing, I'm Australian, and its
all right for all you Northern Hemispherians, who get the
whole summer off uni to do whatever. Sure, we get the summer
off, but camp is during our winter. So, we are forced to
decide if we want to do uni, or camp, coz we cant exactly
do both. I've done 2 years of uni, and recently realised
my heart wasn't in it. I wasn't motivated, nor focused enough
for the commitment of full time study. So I opted for a
year off. My friend introduced me to the Camp America thing,
and seeing as I was having the year off, I thought what
the hell? I have the time, I can get the money, and hopefully
I can come back and have a different perspective on things,
and maybe the time off would do me good, and I can go back
and get a uni degree." Drew, Perth, Australia
Summer
Camp Guide
