Camper Care Lead

Be the Spark! Join our dynamic Day Camp Team, where every day is different, and you will always be engaged with meaningful work!

The Camper Care Lead is responsible for providing leadership and guidance to the camp staff team, ensuring effective supervision, coaching, and professional development. The role oversees the planning and coordination of accessible programs, including supporting campers with additional needs and ensuring adaptive resources are available. It involves fostering a safe and inclusive environment while maintaining compliance with health, safety, and organizational standards. The position requires active collaboration with parents, guardians, and internal teams to enhance the camper experience and support staff in delivering quality programs. Operational execution includes participating in daily camp activities, monitoring program delivery, and ensuring the ongoing well-being of both campers and staff.

In this role, you will:     

• Provide leadership to the camp staff team by monitoring, coaching, and mentoring staff, as well as delivering ongoing feedback and performance appraisals to direct reports.


• Assist Camp Directors in supervising Camp Counsellors to ensure they fulfill their roles effectively


• Ensure camp programs are accessible to all campers by collaborating with the Senior Day Camp Coordinator and Day Camp Director to purchase and maintain adaptive program materials throughout the summer


• Assist in providing training for day camp Accessibility and Inclusion staff and in behaviour management training for all staff


• Support campers registered in the Accessibility and Inclusion program or experiencing challenges at camp through daily check-ins, active participation with the group, and providing resources and strategies to counsellors


• Communicate with parents, guardians, and childcare providers regarding campers’ experiences and support staff during parent meetings


• Attend all staff trainings and meetings, arrive on time, and actively participate in the development of all camp staff


• Ensure Health & Safety procedures are followed and maintained, and contribute to the cleaning, safety, and maintenance of camp sites


• Act as a positive role model for campers and fellow staff by embodying YMCA values, policies and procedures, Day Camp conditions of employment/guidelines, and Ontario Camping Association standards


• Perform other duties as assigned

You bring:    

• Post-secondary education in Early Childhood Education, Child and Youth Work, Ontario Certified Teacher, Resource Teacher, Social Work, Developmental Support, Educational Assistant, Recreation and Leisure, or training in psychology, with experience working with children with differing abilities and diagnoses preferred, or equivalent experience


• Minimum 1 year of experience working in a child-oriented program with a focus on children with disabilities or additional needs


• Experience working with children is preferred


• Experience with YMCA Day Camps is an asset


• Standard First Aid & CPR-C certification required by the first day of employment and valid until at least the last day of the contract


• Excellent communication skills with the ability to lead a group of children


• Demonstrated ability to work well both independently and in a team environment


• Well-developed interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish rapport and communicate effectively with families, staff, and volunteers


• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and building a sense of belonging

What you need to succeed:     

• Commitment to the YMCA’s Mission, Vision and Values


• Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA programs including understanding legal and moral obligations related to reporting suspected child abuse to Child Protection Services


• YMCA Competencies: Accountable, Relationship-Builder, Improvement-Orientated, Team Player & Leader, Equity and Wellbeing Promoter 

Why work for the YMCA?

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities. See what you can expect from the YMCA here.

Joining the Y means contributing to over 170 years of providing opportunities for people to shine through programs and services, such as health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families, and seniors. Learn more in our 2025–2030 strategic plan, Greater Together, which outlines how we are focused on building communities where people feel healthier and more connected to their neighbours.  

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognize that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialized people/people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, disabled people/people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required. Learn more about these checks here. 

If you are hired, prior to your start date and as a condition of your employment, you will be required to provide proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a valid medical or other Human Rights Code-related exemption.

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.

Check out the next steps in our recruitment process and see what others are saying about working at the YMCA.