If you are willing to be a camp counselor but don’t know how to go about it, we are here to guide your actions through a definite procedure. We will discuss Camp Counselor Job Description here.
What is a Camp Counsellor?
Camp counselors function with children in their summer camps as well as other kinds of camps. They play a major role in guiding the children while they engage in various camp activities. They play other roles, such as being a role model and mentor for the camp’s children. They live in the camp premises and ensure that the environment is very positive and conducive to their growth, enjoyable and memorable to them. Since the children’s age range is 7 to 16 years, camp counselors are usually in their teenage period.
Camp Counselor Job Description
There is no specific field that a camp counselor specializes in. Still, their domains of job setting can comprise academic supervision, take precautions while being in nature and how to treat natural stings, and the ways to control and discipline them. As you can understand, the role of the camp counselor majorly changes from camp to camp. The working hours of the camp counselors are session-based according to the camp hours. Other than this, they also live there, so that way, it is 24 hours duty. Your attitude needs to be very patient, respectful, and flexible. The qualities required to be a camp counselor are as under:-
- Working In A Team
You will have to coordinate with the camp organizers and other parties involved in the camp. You might have to work in a comprehensive and eclectic manner to solve the campers’ problems. Sometimes, along with being an adult person, you will need to have the child zest to mingle with the children and participate in them as icebreakers.
If you are a moody person or an introvert and ambivert, then things might get difficult for you. You will be surrounded by people all the time where you cannot isolate yourself. You need to be optimistic and in your most positive mood for maximum time in the camp. Else your mood can affect the campers’ environment of growth.
- Being A Problem Solver
You need to make decisions quickly and be well-versed in the solutions of the problem immediately and spontaneously. There might be situations where your decision is the final decision, and it is entirely your responsibility.
During such times, if you are confused, nervous and not serious, and adamant about the decision you take, it will be tough for you. Since you are the campers’ role model at the camp, you need to portray these problem-solving skills. If you show fear or confusion during decision-making and problem-solving, that is what they are going to learn from you as well.
- Being Organized
Since you will be handling many responsibilities at a camp, you need to be very organized. You cannot be a messy teenager at your duty. Some camp organizers might load you with many duties, so you need to keep up with the speed and workload.
- Having Patience
Children can be very unpredictable, curious, and stressed. You need to be ready with a variety of tactics to handle them. You can handle them by giving rational arguments, asking them to improve their behavior, giving them responsibility for their actions, and showing them the consequences of their behavior.
Most of the time, they are handled through violence or ignorance, which may create a violent individual with self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth issues. Hence, if you are someone with temper issues, you need to practice meditation, exercise, and breathing techniques to improve your patience. If your temper issues are severe and unmanageable, you need to seek professional help from professionals and anger management with them.
- Ability to Work in Stressful Situations
As you might have understood from the above point, children can be very stressing and hence you need to have the ability to work in uncertain and stressful situations. The flexibility of your mind is the key to all your problems. You will encounter a lot of workloads, and you should know the ways to handle them. However, if you are someone who panics and cannot function during stressful situations, you can create stressful situations for yourself and gradually function in them.
You cannot be rigid and refuse to work at midnight or the crack of the dawn. You should not be uncomfortable with dancing or singing. All you need to do is leave your comfort zone and live like a wildflower in the woods.
- Communication And People’s Skills
Though you are an extrovert and can be surrounded by people, you should also communicate your thoughts, emotions, and feelings properly to the campers, their parents, and the camp organizers. You cannot be blank and have stage fear because your duty as a camp counselor will involve a lot of communication with other people. Your actions should not be ambiguous and confuse the campers because you are their ideal. You should also maintain professional relations with the camp organizers and the campers’ parents and friendly relations with the campers. Sometimes, you might have to juggle between the roles of supervisor, teacher, mentor, host, friend, and camp counselor just within a day or a week.
If you think that there is a need to hone your public speaking skills, you should work on it as soon as possible. Things will be much better and in your favor when you work for them.
Qualifications of Camp Counselor
If you want to be a camp counselor and have the certifications of First-Aid and CPR, you will easily get a higher probability of getting selected as compared to the other candidates. However, other camp organizers give the Counselor-In-Training (CIT) programs to train them as per the camps’ needs. If you are calm, compassionate, patient even under uncertainty and stressful situations, you have greater chances of being appreciated by your seniors.
If you don’t have the required work experience, you need not worry because you can easily get a job even as a fresher. You can show any project or voluntary work for the children that showcase your compassion and understanding of the children to your employers. Finding a job as a fresher is easier because you can also show them your past teaching, coaching, babysitting, or tutoring experience. But if you have experience as a camp counselor, you will get more salary and full-time employment.
Salary of Camp Counselor
Your salary will depend on your work experience, work experience, an intern, a part-time employee, a full-time employee, and the number of roles you can handle. The camp counselor’s income is on an hourly basis, and they can make 7.50 to 11.50 dollars per hour. Your salary will increase when you become a recreation leader, activity specialist, or camp director. You will need advanced training to become a camp director.
Duties of Camp Counselor
- Planning, hosting, supervising, and leading games, competitions, skits, campfires, and other activities in the camp.
- Form friendships with the children based on respect and interest
- Help the staff to arrange the daily activities for the children.
- Help the children to learn, obey rules and behave appropriately in a given situation.
- Be on time, follow directions and organize things properly to be a role model to the children.
- Attend the meetings and understand the camp organizers’ concerns, parents, and the campers, thereby taking required actions toward the solutions.
- Ensure a secure and healthy environment that ensures the campers’ mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.
Conclusion:
Therefore, you are someone who loves children, can travel to places with different weather and have hearty health, then this job is just perfect for you. You will get to earn while you study and get a field experience of working with children, which will add to your resume. Going out of your comfort zone can induce a lot of personality growth that can be your treasure for the rest of your lives. The ability to work in stressful situations, being patient and other qualities that you gain from the camp counselor’s profession will add to your ability to live smoothly and effortlessly.
This job may sound like a cakewalk, but it is not. It requires you to take a lot of responsibility for a lot of things. We hope that we made your decision making of whether to be a camp counselor or not easier. So, are you ready for your very first interview for the position of a camp counselor?
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