Camp Social Worker

Summary

Camp DREAM is seeking a licensed clinical social worker to join our team. This is a newly created leadership role designed to expand the wellness branch of our camp staff. The Camp Social Worker is a seasonal, full time position, salaried, residential position funded by the Character at Camp grant. 

This role is responsible for providing clinical oversight and direct support to the Camper Care Specialists and Behavior Interventionist Counselors in caring for the mental, social, and emotional wellbeing of campers and staff throughout the summer. The Camp Social Worker does not run activities, but rather serves as a floating clinical resource - available to respond to behavior escalations, staff questions, and individual camper needs throughout each session. This is a residential position; the Camp Social Worker lives on-site at camp for the duration of the term and is available to respond to emergency situations as needed.

Job Responsibilities

Leadership 

As the Camp Social Worker, you will be a member of the Leadership Team (LT), attending daily LT meetings to coordinate care and plan each day. Leadership responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Cultivate a positive, safe, and inclusive environment for campers and staff throughout the summer


• Act as an additional clinical layer of support for behavioral escalations across the camp community


• Attend all scheduled meetings and training events, including pre-camp training sessions


• Lead pre-camp staff trainings on behavior intervention, mandated reporting, and incident documentation


• Conduct staff performance evaluations and provide ongoing coaching and feedback


• Lead staff meetings and 1:1 check-ins with staff members


• Adhere to and enforce camp rules; communicate expectations positively and effectively to participants


• Plan and facilitate evening activities


• Provide coverage for other Leadership Team members on their days off


• Support counselors in problem-solving and navigating difficult situations and conversations


• Pick up and drop off counselors and campers in a camp vehicle or personal vehicle, if driving qualifications are met (preferred, not required)


• Build positive, healthy relationships with campers; maintain appropriate boundaries and follow all camp policies on disclosure, confidentiality, and social media


• Immediately report all injuries and illnesses to the Camp Director once nursing staff have responded


• Abstain from personal electronic device use during on-duty hours; devices may be used during designated off-time


• Perform additional duties as requested by the Camp Director or Leadership Team

Clinical Support

• Conduct weekly individual supervision with Camper Care Specialists and Behavior Interventionist Counselors to provide clinical guidance, debrief challenging situations, and ensure consistency of care across staff


• Develop and review individualized camper behavior plans with Camper Care and Behavior Intervention staff; update plans at the conclusion of each session to ensure continuity of care


• Assist counselors in applying preventative, trauma-informed behavior intervention techniques


• When coaching is not sufficient, take over as lead interventionist during behavior escalations or mental health crises


• Create safety plans with youth who express feeling unsafe at home or school


• Support counselors in completing DCF reports when mandated reporting is required


• Coordinate with DCF, families, schools, counselors, and other members of a youth's support system to connect them with appropriate services


• Connect and follow up with DREAM's year-round mentoring and programming staff to ensure continuity of care for campers


• Provide direct 1:1 coverage for Camper Care Specialists and Behavior Intervention Counselors during breaks, including support with campers during activities, meals, or rest time


• When providing behavior intervention, the Camp Social Worker may be solely responsible for 1–5 youth for a brief period if a counselor is needed elsewhere

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. As part of the camp community and Leadership Team, the needs of camp may require responsibilities not listed above. Questions about specific duties are welcome by email or during the interview.

Grant Deliverables

This position is funded by the Character at Camp Grant and is jointly responsible for fulfilling the following  grant deliverables: 

• A formalized Character and Behavioral Health Framework  A pilot framework exists from previous summers. The Camper Care Director will integrate this framework into practice and spend the sessions refining it into a finalized version.


• Standardized training modules and standard operating procedures (SOPs)  Draft training materials will be prepared prior to summer. The Camp Social Worker will review and update them during Leadership training and deliver staff trainings including: Youth Mental Health First Aid; trauma-informed behavior intervention and restorative practices; supporting neurodivergent campers; and a training for Behavior Interventionist Counselors promoting a culture of integration for youth with higher support needs.


• Research-based practical resources for staff and campers  The Camp Social Worker will receive a modest budget to purchase tools and resources for the Reset Space, cabins, and counselor support.


• A data-informed evaluation plan  The Camp Social Worker will execute evaluation of the camper care program through defined metrics tracking camper self-regulation, perseverance, and autonomy (e.g., Reset Space usage, time to re-regulate, counselor intervention frequency).’

About Camp DREAM 

Camp DREAM is a joyfully rambunctious residential summer camp set in a rustic forest environment with minimal electricity and Wi-Fi, and no cell reception. Camp life includes:

• A communal living environment with active socializing alongside campers and staff from sun up to sun down


• Active outdoor activities including sports, swimming, boating, archery, low ropes course, and more — all with a focus on collaboration and teamwork


• Three daily meals in the lodge or outdoor pavilion with up to 60 campers and staff


• A screen-free environment during all work hours — staff are not permitted to use personal devices in the presence of campers

As a residential position, it is important to know that:

• You will have significantly less personal alone-time than you may be accustomed to at home


• Schedules may change with little notice due to weather or other circumstances — flexibility is essential


• You should be comfortable being away from home and participating in a group-living experience alongside 50–60 campers and staff

Staff Housing

On-site housing is provided to all staff at no cost and is required as a condition of this position. Staff accommodations include:

• A 12'×12' canvas tent shared with 1–2 other staff members


• A wooden bed frame with a 5" camp mattress, or a camping cot (your choice)


• Composting toilet facilities within a 5-minute walk of tent sites


• No running water or electricity at the tent site

Housing is provided on the employer's business premises for the employer's convenience, and occupying on-site housing is required as a condition of employment. This benefit is structured to qualify as a tax-free fringe benefit under IRC §119.

Required Qualifications

• Valid VT LICSW license, or demonstrated ability to obtain Vermont LICSW licensure prior to June 1, 2026


• Experience providing clinical or mental health services to youth and/or families


• Demonstrated skills and experience in a supervisory, leadership, or team-lead capacity


• Strong skills in family engagement and culturally responsive, trauma-informed practice


• Commitment to serving as a positive role model for youth


• Elevated awareness of issues of social equity and social justice, with a commitment to continued learning in service of a diverse community


• A passion for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in your own practice and in the broader team


• Commitment to the full seasonal term: June 1 – August 14, 2026


• Demonstrated ability to manage time and set priorities while balancing the needs of those you serve, your team, the organization, and yourself


• Mental and physical ability to manage stressful situations, work well under pressure, and maintain a positive attitude during long days with less sleep than usual

Preferred Qualifications 

• Familiarity with trauma informed behavior intervention and restorative practices


• Experience in a residential camp, outdoor education, or similar immersive youth program setting


• Creativity, energy, and an entrepreneurial spirit — this is a newly created role with real latitude to shape it


• Current driver's license, proof of insurance, and clean driving record (not required, but strongly preferred to support session transportation)

Term and Compensation

Dates of Service: June 1 - August 14th, 2026 (11-week seasonal term). Employment is guaranteed through the end of the term, with the potential for continuation into the fall depending on grant funding.

Schedule: 50–60 hours per week. Sessions run 10 days with one 30-hour off-period per session and 3 days off between sessions.

FLSA Classification:  Salaried Exempt — Learned Professional Exemption. This position is classified as exempt from overtime under the FLSA based on the employee's active Vermont LICSW licensure and the advanced, predominantly intellectual nature of the work. The employee is paid on a salary basis and receives the full guaranteed weekly salary for any week in which work is performed, regardless of the number of hours worked. The salary may not be reduced based on the quality or quantity of work in a given week.

Compensation:  $12,500 total — paid over 6 pay periods as a guaranteed salary. These are pre-tax amounts. This is equivalent to approximately $1136.36 per week based on the expected schedule. Vermont Act 155 disclosure: $1,136.36.67/week | $18–$23/hr equivalent.

Housing: On-site housing is provided at no cost for the full term. Occupying on-site housing is required as a condition of employment and is structured to qualify as a tax-free fringe benefit under IRC §119.

Meals:  Three meals per day are included while on duty at camp.

Mileage reimbursement:  If you use a personal vehicle for work-related travel outside of your daily commute, DREAM will reimburse mileage at the current IRS standard rate.

Travel:  Staff who meet DREAM's driving requirements will be expected to assist with camper transportation to and from camp on a weekly basis. Drives are completed in pairs and may range from 1 to 9 hours. Occasional out-of-area or overnight travel may be required.

Work environment

This position primarily operates in an outdoor environment with active children and other staff members, for extended periods of time, and in all types of weather and environmental conditions (heat, cold, rain, etc.). This role will occasionally operate in an office-type environment and may use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

Physical demands

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this role:

• Comfort working and living outdoors in all weather conditions, including heat, cold, and rain


• Extended periods of standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing


• Regular communication with individuals in a loud, active, outdoor environment


• Occasional lifting and/or moving of items over 50 pounds


• Visual abilities including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus

AAP/EEO Statement:  The DREAM Program is an equal opportunity employer and an incorporated 501(c)3 charitable organization. The DREAM Program prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable Accommodation: The DREAM Program is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of this position, or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [HR contact / [email protected]] to request an accommodation. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), and the Vermont Fair Employment Practices Act, it is the policy of The DREAM Program to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship.

At will employment:  The DREAM Program is an at-will employer. Employment is voluntary and subject to termination by either party, with or without cause and with or without notice, at any time. This position is contingent on continued grant funding. The at-will policy may not be modified by any officer or employee. A background check is required prior to the start date.