Junior Counselors
Who are Jr. Counselors and what do they do?
A Jr. Counselor is someone with a desire to become a fully responsible paid summer camp counselor upon graduation from High School. They love camp, are 16-17 years old, and willing to serve in this “on the job training” program. Jr. Counselors enjoy all the activities of camp along with camp tasks! Learning and leading, Jr. Counselors have responsibilities with the campers during the program and in the cabin. They will also learn the not so glamorous jobs that keep a camp going in the kitchen, on the grounds, and the office. They are usually former Camp Ocean Pines campers, and the type of young people we want as staff in the future. We only accept responsible teens with good references that are seeking to serve. The cost of this training program is $400/week. We will be accepting 3 males and 3 females for each week.
Training topics – Jr. Counselors will learn:
➢ Camp policy and procedures in every department
➢ How programs function and the skills required in each area
➢ American Camp Association (ACA) standards
➢ Counselor skills: dealing with homesickness, shy kids, bedwetting, bullies, etc
➢ Health and safety concepts: child abuse, reporting, accident prevention, camper health needs, etc!
➢ Emergency procedures: fire, lost students, waterfront safety
➢ Many, many more topics that come with camp life!
What are the benefits?
➢ Our goal is to prepare high school students to return as paid staff. Jr. Counselors successfully completing the program will be given first chance at being hired as paid staff at Camp Ocean Pines after graduation.
➢ A summer of leadership training looks great on the resume! Students choosing other camps will receive a positive letter of reference for their next job
➢ Camp Ocean Pines uniform - hooded sweatshirt, two t-shirts
➢ 50% discount in the camp store
➢ Special privileges unavailable to regular campers: A visit to compare other camps, a special evening out with the Executive Director, some extra free time activities.
➢ Beyond a snappy new staff outfit and new line on your resume, Jr. Counselors enjoy a great summer with new friends!
How do they apply?
Jr. Counselors complete the online staff application (www.campoceanpines.org) and fax it to camp (805-927-2610) prior to an interview with the director. The director will then call or email candidates communicating whether they have been accepted. The cost of this training program is $400 each week. Jr. Counselors can apply for one to three sessions, each lasting 1 week long. Those staying for several weeks will stay at the camp on weekends for no charge. We will only be accepting 3 male and 3 female Jr. Counselors each week. At the end of the summer, all Jr. Counselors will be given a written evaluation highlighting their strong points along with areas to improve.
