As a leader, role model, friend, instructor, big brother or sister, cheerleader and hero to campers ages 7 - 16, your primary responsibility is overall supervision. You are there to ensure a child's well-being and safety, and to make their camp experience more fun and rewarding. As a Counselor, you will be with campers 24 hours a day. Counselors make sure the campers eat meals, attend and participate in day and evening activities, clean cabins, and even get to sleep at night.

Accommodation

Most counselors will be living in a cabin or platform tent with a co-counselor and 8 to 10 campers of similar age. Sometimes cabins have their own bathroom, but it is also common for several cabins to share a large centralized bath and shower facility. Support Staff generally have their own housing with co-workers and do not share a cabin with children.

Food

Staff and campers eat in what is normally called the Dining Hall. Depending on your camp, you get your food from a "buffet" or it is served "family style" (in which platters of food are brought to your table). In most cases you will eat with your campers and co-counselors. The dining hall is a fun and lively part of camp, often with lots of talking, chants and singing.

Work Hours and Responsibilities

Though camp is definitely a lot of fun, it's not a holiday for staff. Except for your time off, you'll spend 24 hours a day with an active group of children. Total working hours may be more than a typical day's work at most other jobs. You must adapt to the lack of privacy and to the basic level of accommodation. You will be expected to follow strict camp rules for campers and staff; these generally include no smoking, no drinking of alcoholic beverages on camp and a nightly curfew. All in all, the joy of summer camp more than offsets the hard work. A cheerful, hardworking attitude is a must!

During the day:

Different camps have different staff requirements, and you will be hired either as an Activity Counselor or an All-round/General Counselor. In either role, you will lead or assist campers of all ages in one or more activities. Your willingness to try everything and anything will be a great asset.

• Activity Counselor
  You will teach a specific skill or work in a specific Activity Area (such as Land Sports, Waterfront, Outdoor Adventure, Performing Arts or Arts & Crafts). This will be based on your application's description of your skill level, ability, experience and certifications.

• All-round/General Counselor
  If you have good general knowledge and experience in a variety of skills or activities, a camp may hire you as an All-round/General Counselor. You will need to list as many skills and activities as you can on your application form.

During the Evening:

As a counselor you will be responsible for running and assisting with Evening Programs. This might be just with your cabin, a group of cabins or the entire camp.

Examples of evening program activities

You do not need to be an Olympic athlete!

The good news is that in most cases, the skills and knowledge you have obtained through a hobby, by playing on local teams, in a club with friends, or at university will be enough experience to teach or assist in an activity at camp. All of your skills should be included in your application. Remember – this is a job you are applying for, so you need to fully describe your skills and experiences, and you need to be flexible and willing to help out wherever you are needed.

Additional Training - Improve your chances of getting that camp job!

By gaining more skills and experience in any of the Activity Counselor Skills listed below, or by enrolling in a refresher course in your home country, you increase your chances of being hired as an Activity Counselor. Also make sure that any certification, qualification or degree you currently hold in any of the below activities will still be current during your time at camp.

Activity Counselors Skills

Performing Arts

Arts & Crafts

Waterfront

*If you have an American Camping Association approved Lifeguard or Swim Instructors Certification you can earn up to an additional $200 USD at camp. Visit the ACA Website to see if your certifications are approved.

Land Sports

Outdoor Skills/Adventure

Degree/Certification

(Must be currently studying or have a degree/certification in the below)

All-round/General Counselor Skills

If you have skills or prior experience in a number of the categories above or a willingness to learn or gain these skills prior to camp, then a camp may choose to place you in this position.

How To Rate Your Skills On Your Application Form

On your application form, you will be required rate your personal experience and what you believe would be your teaching ability for as many of the above skills as you can.

Even if you have not had any teaching ability of these skills, rate what you believe your level would be based on your personal experience.

How To Write Up Your Skills On Your Application Form

On your application form, you will be required write up your best 3 skills!

The best skills are the ones in which you have the most personal experience and teaching ability. You get to choose which skills you believe to be your strongest. The best guide to writing up your skills is to list the following information: How long you have been doing that skill

1. How you learned that skill and if you received lessons.
2. List all the elements and things you can do for that skill (use the correct wording). For example: Tennis, Lob, forehand, backhand, volley, top/back spin, serving etc.
3. List all your certifications that you have that relate to this skill.
4. List in detail your teaching, coaching or assisting experience (even if it has been assisting friends) and what ages, how long etc.
5. List what levels you would feel comfortable teaching/assisting.