Activity Counselor - Summer Camp

 

Position Description:   Activity Counselor

Click the link above to read about the position of Activity Counselor - the minimum requirements, general & specific responsibilities, and essential functions.

 

A few reminders on the role:

  • Commitment:   You must attend the entire eight days of a session - the two days of Staff Development & Training + the six days of the camper session.
  • Eligibility:  Both new and returning volunteers are eligible to be activity counselors during a summer session.
  • Activity Preference:   You will have a chance to make a preference of activities during Staff Development and Training.  We can't guarantee all will get their top choice, so we ask for flexibility.  We do take into account your preference, but ultimately, we will need to put staff where it serves the CAMPERS best.   We appreciate flexibility with your preferences and understanding with the final assignments. We will ask for information that might help with assigning or not assigning certain activities (allergies to environmental factors associated with certain activities, expertise in specific activity topics, etc). 
  • Activities Assigned:  Usually, you will be assigned at least TWO activities to facilitate during a session.   
  • Activity Training:   You will receive training on facilitating all assigned activities during Staff Development and Training.  You will learn the safety aspects of your activity, get time to be hands-on with your activity to learn how to execute it, and work with your co-staff and support director to understand how to facilitate and teach your activity for each cabin age group and ability.
  • Co-Staffing:  You will have at least one, sometimes two, co-staff for your assigned activities.  We do not prioritize putting a returning staff with a new staff.  Again, we co-staff based on what combination we feel will best serve the activities.  There will be times during the session when your two activities might be run simultaneously.  This means you and your co-staff will need to split up.  We say this so you know there might be times when you are required to facilitate an activity period by yourself. 
  • Support:  You will be assigned to a Unit and have a Program Support Director as your support staff for the week.  The expectation is that you meet with your support during SDT to build a relationship based on trust, to set goals, plan out activity dynamics, & design activity facilitation, openings, and closings.  You will also meet with your support (both formally and informally) multiple times during the camp session days to discuss activity dynamics, bring any issues or problems, ask for advice or resources, accept feedback and coaching, and just to celebrate the wins (both big and small).    You will then have a wrap-up conversation with your support staff at the end of the session to discuss your experience.  

 

If you have questions about the role of Activity Counselor, please contact the Camp Staff.