Overnight Camp - Camp Counselor

REPORTS TO: Unit Leader  

FLSA STATUS: Exempt   

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: None

PURPOSE: 

Unit Counselors provide care, supervision, and leadership to campers in an overnight camp setting. Foster a safe, inclusive, and positive environment, ensuring campers’ well-being while guiding them through activities that promote personal growth, teamwork, and outdoor appreciation.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

NOTE: The specific responsibilities of this position are carried out in collaboration with at least one other Unit Counselor. Unit Counselors ensure the quality and effectiveness of the following tasks:

• Supervise and ensure all campers complete healthy personal care routines, including but not limited to, brushing teeth, combing hair, using sun protection (e.g. sunscreen), eating well-balanced meals, sleeping, resting, and showering.
• Facilitate and participate in daily and weekly “community responsibility” routines (i.e. kapers) with campers including cleaning their cabin, meal-time jobs, flag ceremonies, and cleaning community areas, such as shower houses and the Dining Hall.
• Facilitate weekly cookouts with campers, incorporating youth voice and choice, dividing responsibilities, and community responsibility.
• Organize quality programming for campers utilizing camp outcomes.

Training and Knowledge

• Training on these topics will occur at mandatory staff training prior to, and during, the summer camp season
• Knowledge of age level characteristics for camper-age youth (7-17 year olds)
• Demonstrate cultural competence and sensitivity while interacting with staff and clients, regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, or ANY other aspect of diversity. 
• Utilize positive behavior-management and discipline techniques
• Ability to supervise and participate in structured and unstructured activities with clients
• Ability to lead small and large group activities
• Develop an understanding of the value, benefits, and essential features of quality programming.
• Knowledge of camp outcomes.
• Knowledge of the Thrive Theory of Change and how to implement 
• Ability to assess appropriateness of camper and staff behavior
• Utilize camp/outdoor programming skills to provide enrichment and appreciation of nature.
• Facilitate all activities with an awareness of quality programming and risk management.
• Enforce safety regulations and emergency procedures in an appropriate manner
• Ability to assess potential hazards, including behavioral and environmental, while interacting with others
• Knowledge of camp rules and emergency procedures, including their specific role in these procedures. 
• Provide minor first aid.

Professional skills

• Model appropriate behavior, and interact appropriately, with staff and clients in a variety of situations
• Commitment to excellence in service delivery
• Able to be held accountable for meeting high performance goals related to camper care and quality programming
• Display punctuality and preparedness, for self and campers, for all activities and programs including staff meetings, activities, and meals.
• Complete reports and paperwork by deadlines.
• Set a leadership example by being friendly and industrious, always promoting promise-based, excellence-focused and consumer-oriented programs.
• Participate in mandatory Staff Training and staff meetings throughout the summer camp season.

Personal characteristics

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and speaking, with a high degree of comfort in public speaking
• Possess ability, strength, and endurance to maintain constant supervision of, communication, and interaction with, campers at all times.
• Committed to working as part of a team
• Willingness to try new ideas and methods
• Flexible
• Enjoys challenge and changes
• Possesses constructive conflict resolution skills
• Resilient, that is, able to bounce back from failure or disappointment

• At least 18 years of age
• High School Diploma or Equivalent 
• Ability to live with staff and campers for the duration of the summer camp season
• Physical ability to administer first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Physical ability to travel over uneven surfaces in extreme summer temperatures for 15 hours a day.
• Physical ability to carry and move objects weighing up to 50 pounds over uneven surfaces
• Physical ability to reach, stoop, climb, kneel, and move freely in locations as outdoor camping sites and storage areas
• Ability to meet affiliate employment requirements, including acceptable outcomes to background check and reference checks
• (If utilizing personal vehicle for camp business) Provide personal auto insurance verification
• (If needed to drive affiliate vehicle) Acceptance by affiliate auto insurance