Summer Staff Job Description
Position Title: Summer Staff
Supervisor: Summer Camp Director
Location: Camp Dickenson, Fries, VA
Minimum Qualifications:
Current lifeguard or First-Aid/CPR certification (or willingness to obtain)
Have graduated high school by the start of summer camp.
Priority hiring will go to applications who have at least one year of college, work experience, or gap year out of high school.
Be a Christian and an active, participating church member.
Enjoy working with children and youth and have the ability to care for them 24 hours a day during camp.
Have a desire to and enjoy participating in outdoor programs.
Willing and able to sleep in cabins with campers overnight.
Purpose and General Description of Job:
To keep campers safe, responsibly supervised, treated with respect, encouraged in camp life, and nurtured spiritually.
The summer staff/camper relationship is a professional relationship between a supervisor-caregiver and a child. While it is a friendly, loving, encouraging, helping, teaching, caring, mentoring, and close relationship, it is a professional relationship of supervision. It is not a peer relationship. It is very important that summer staff understand this. On occasions, campers do not understand this. Campers may desire to be in a peer relationship with their summer staff. They may not understand appropriate boundaries. The summer staff is the responsible party. Summer staff are responsible for understanding and maintaining the boundaries.
Summer staff are responsible for the care of their campers from the time campers arrive at camp until they depart. This care includes all aspects of the camper’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Summer staff will be assigned a specific group of campers each week. Standard age level ratios will determine the number of campers.
Summer staff will be paired with a co-counselor to provide leadership and guidance for a group of eight to twelve campers.
Specific Duties:
Before Camp Begins:
Familiarize yourself with camp curriculum materials, policies, job descriptions, schedules, and resource materials.
Attend training weeks.
Prepare spiritually through prayer, meditation, Bible reading, and church attendance.
Prepare physically by walking, running, eating well, and resting properly.
During Camp:
Greet campers and parents/guardians at the opening of each session with a warm welcome and personal attention that eases fears and fosters confidence in your care.
Wake up with campers (if it is time to get up; otherwise, ensure quiet in the cabin until it’s time to get up), ensure they dress and prepare properly for the day’s activities.
Eat all meals with your campers and ensure meals are conducted according to camp policies.
Assist campers in daily chores and activities.
Assist campers in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the group’s activities and life together. Participate in all activities with campers.
Attend rest periods with campers, abiding by camp policies.
In the evening, go to the cabin with campers and prepare for bed. Conduct cabin devotions. Stay in the cabin with campers every night to ensure campers are rested and provided for.
Provide training for campers in all areas indicated in camp standards, including emergency procedures and safe and proper use of equipment.
Make campers aware of camp rules and policies and implement policies.
Facilitate the spiritual growth of campers:
Participate in group worship times such as vespers and morning watch with campers.
Lead a daily Bible study related to the camp theme using curriculum materials.
Use natural events during the day to promote discussion of Christian concepts.
Encourage campers to use their Bibles while at camp for personal devotions and use the Bible as a relevant resource in group discussions.
Use your camper group as a teaching example of what a Christian community can be like.
Make campers aware of Christian stewardship in their use of the campsite and resources.
The summer staff should not belittle a camper for any reason. Great care needs to be exercised when diverse belief systems are encountered. Every person at camp is to be treated with respect. Spiritual and theological beliefs are to be defended through acts of loving kindness, not debate, belittlement, or harassment.
Be a positive role model of joyful Christian living for campers. Be a positive example of Christian love, valuing all the campers in the group as much as possible.
Attend all staff meetings as directed.
After Camp:
Participate in an evaluation process.
Participate in clean-up and put-away process.
These are not the only responsibilities assigned to this position. Other responsibilities may be assigned, and the above list may be altered.