Summer camp jobs & team players

We are always looking for staff who will be good team players at camp. If you have ever worked at a camp, you know what the expression "wearing many hats" means. Staff could be needed to help in the office, help with an emergency with a camper, fill in at an activity which is somewhat new to them, move from one cabin/dorm to another, etc. During staff training one summer, we had one of our boys' counselors come in with a big sign that said "Ego". We were trying to get across to new staff (and returning ones) to check their ego at the door. Invariably, when we have staff who think they deserve special treatment, even if they're very talented in a variety of areas, they can cause more problems than they're worth. Working at a summer camp job takes staff who want to be part of a team and help each other out. I would rather have a new staff who needs training than one who comes in with pre-conceived notions about how our camp should be run.

Although we run an arts camp, I am a big sports fan, especially of the New England Patriots. They currently look like the best team in the NFL and the key word once again is "team". No one player more important than the other (even their leader Tom Brady seems like a great team guy). The coach, Bill Belichick, looks for players who fit his system and who he can "coach up". This is no different than hiring and training staff for summer camp jobs. The Pats motto is "Do your job". Ours at camp is "Ready, willing and able". At camp, doing your job means that you're ready for anything that comes your way. I admire Belichick in that he doesn't get to up or down with each win or loss (not too many lately) and the players try to learn from their mistakes. We hope for the same for staff who take camp jobs. We all make mistakes, but the staff and administrators who learn from them, accept responsibility and grow are "keepers".

So, if you're looking for a summer camp job, or running a camp, don't be afraid to collaborate, ask for help, listen and learn each summer. Since being a camp counselor is a 24/7 job, staff taking summer camp jobs have an incredible opportunity to grow and gain valuable skills that can be used in all different walks of life.

Have a great Holiday and go Pats!

Rick Mades
Camp Director, Maine Arts Camp
Owner, Camp Finders (a free service) & MySummers (the best resource for camp jobs)

Off season camp jobs

My significant other's son is currently working for Nature's Classroom. Nature's Classroom has 14 locations throughout New England, usually at summer camp facilities that are set up for year round groups. Nature's Classroom takes school groups a week at a time for outdoor & environmental ed.

As a former teacher, I always was interested in any type of active learning, thus the attraction to working at and running my own camp, Maine Arts Camp. For young teachers looking for work, having room and board included, along with competitive weekly pay, programs like Nature's Classroom are a good option in this tough job market. Working at off season camp jobs can also help 20 somethings to gain experience working with children. This can only help in applying for summer camp jobs. Camp directors are looking for staff with experience working with children and year round work of this type translates very easily into living and working with campers at a summer camp job, either at a day camp or a residential camp. Other places to look for off season work would be with the YMCA or with other seasonal work sites. Working at a program like Nature's Classroom is often more fun and allows the staff creativity that one doesn't find as a substitute teacher. So, when you're thinking about summer camp jobs, don't forget to search for camp jobs for the Fall and Spring. Good luck in your job search!

Rick Mades
Owner/Director of Maine Arts Camp
Owner of Camp Finders & MySummers, the best place to search for summer camp jobs.

Year round summer camp jobs

Although this is a slower time of the year for MySummers, there are still a few applications coming in every day. Many of these applicants are looking for year round camp jobs. This is a good time to look, as camps are evaluating the past summer and deciding whether to hire a new full time employee or replace someone in that current position. On the other hand, the economy hasn't been the best over the past two years, so camps may hesitate to fill a position that isn't necessary. So, what should an applicant do? I would suggest that applicants contact camps directly, express an interest in working at camp in a full time position and emphasize that they're willing to do whatever it takes to help the camp. Even if an applicant is interested in the recruiting/marketing side, he/she should be open to helping with year round maintenance of the camp and living at the camp if the camp needs an assistant caretaker. Many camps shut down their facilities for the summer, but having staff living on site helps to keep the camp secure from locals who know that many summer camps are empty in the off season. At Maine Arts Camp, we don't own a facility, basically leasing Unity College's facility for the summer, so our camp is not a good fit for my suggestions, but most camps are. Also, by bringing on staff to live at camp, camps can start to explore ways to better make use of their facilities in the off season. Applicants can certainly find camp jobs on line at various sites, including MySummers, but applicants should also take the initiative to research camps on their own, and find ones that have an unused facility during the winter. Besides learning the ropes on recruiting campers and staff, learning about camp maintenance and off season rentals gives full time camp jobs employees a look at the whole operation. This experience is invaluable.

Along with expressing an interest in helping camps in whatever ways possible, applicants looking for summer camp jobs should also be open to a lower salary that would include housing at camp. It may be a little lonely living at camp during the winter, but that's what it may take to get experience at camp jobs, whether for residential camps or day camps. Sites that are good resources for camp jobs and seasonal jobs in general include MySummers, American Camp Association, Quint Careers, and Coolworks.

Good luck in your search for the best summer camp jobs!

Rick Mades
Camp Director, Maine Arts Camp
Owner, Camp Finders (since 1994) & MySummers (since 1999), the best resource for camp jobs

A summer camp perspective

We have been at camp since June 28, starting with early staff arriving, then staff training and finally campers on July 6. This summer's start was the hottest I have ever seen, the hottest weather in the East since 2001. Usually Maine has pleasant days in the 70's and about 60 at night. Homesickness + hot weather is a bad combination, but in general our campers and staff have perservered. It is great to see campers and staff so happy and involved in the daily and evening activities. Improv night was a great choice for the first evening activity and last night's capture the flag was a hit. If any college students are reading this blog, and you're considering working with children for your livelihood, applying for summer camp jobs should be high on your list. This is especially true for residential camps. I talked with a staff member yesterday who had worked at a day camp and they so value the stronger connections that are made in living with campers 24/7. It is more challenging, but much more gratifying.

What's amazing is how the days fly at camp. It is so busy that there isn't time to think and reflect. I probably should be roaming around watching activities right now, but wanted to take a few minutes to think about the past couple of weeks. I just stepped out in the middle of this
blog and saw our African Infused Dance activity. Amazing stuff!

Besides working with campers on homesickness, it can be more of a challenge working with parents. They often receive a letter 3-4 days after camp has started. That letter was written the first day, when their child's homesickness was at a peak. As a parent, those are heart wrenching letters to read, even if we have sent them pre camp packets warning them that they could receive such a letter. If the camper is still homesick after 3 days, we call the parents so that they are not surprised to receive such a letter. The harder parents to work with often are ones that we haven't called. If campers are not exhibiting homesickness, there is no reason to call or to bring up home to those campers. We want them to have fun and make friends, which naturally happens at camp. Some of the parents we haven't called can't believe that their child is doing well and with a no phone call policy for 2 week campers, it can be challenging to deal with. But, working through these issues is all worth it as campers come home more independent, confident and having grown is so many ways.

Staff who take summer camp jobs at residential camps shouldn't just look at working as a camp counselor as any job. It is a life changing experience for most staff. Some of you may find that working and living with kids is not for you and that is ok. But, many of our staff have told us that after working at camp, they know that this is their life calling.

Have a great summer and think about applying at MySummers for summer 2011, the best site for summer camp jobs!

Rick Mades
Camp Director, Maine Arts Camp
Owner, MySummers & Camp Finders

summer camp jobs & internships

Now that we're at May 1, the homestretch for camp directors in hiring staff, I thought that I would recreate part of several blogs from the past year about summer camp jobs. Well, here we go...

Working at a summer camp, especially at overnight camps, can help both campers and staff grow in so many positive ways. Staff learn how to resolve issues among campers and staff, how to balance their time, how to compromise and listen, and how to communicate better with their peers, campers and administrators. It is a learning experience for all! In looking for summer camp jobs, potential staff can talk with friends who have worked at camp. That is certainly a good start, but finding a camp on their own can be better in terms of risk taking and gaining independence. Some sites such as MySummers have a large number of camps that are looking for quality staff. By registering with such a site, staff will have many good choices and can start to narrow down their search for a camp that matches their personality and interests.

For college students, taking a summer camp job makes a lot of sense at this time. At sleepaway camps, staff get their room and board taken care of and most camps will offer some sort of travel allowance for staff who live a good distance from camp. Also, living and working with a team of staff helps to prepare young college students and graduates for the work force.

With the job market so weak, it makes sense for college students to look into internships. While many internships are unpaid positions, think outside the box and apply for a summer camp job. Most camp directors will be open to filling out the paperwork needed for an internship if they can get quality staff. Even better, camp jobs have a salary so college students get invaluable experience while still helping to cover their expenses for the rest of the year. At Maine Arts Camp, this summer we have two staff doing internships while still being paid the typical salary. To make the most of your summer camp job/internship, go to Quint Careers for some great advice.

At the right camp, staff will be teaming with peers who are also passionate about working with children. It is a time for staff to be creative, thoughtful, and a place to put their egos aside and be part of a team. These life skills will translate into the work place in so many ways, many not easily defined. So, in looking at summer jobs, don't neglect what could be the best of all, a summer camp job!

Best of luck in your search for a wonderful summer camp job!

Rick Mades
owner of Camp Finders and MySummers
owner/director of Maine Arts Camp

marketing

As with many camps, we have been working hard to increase enrollment for the upcoming summer. As usual, we have done several camp fairs, while adding direct mail to our typical inserts in local papers. This weekend, we are trying something new which could be great. At Harvard Square, there is the Mayfair Festival, a gathering of up to 200,000 people. Hopefully, there will be lots of families at Mayfair, with children looking to go to camp! We continue to discuss ways to market our camp and are trying to "think outside the box". We have had no problem hiring staff this summer as many people are looking for summer camp jobs and specifically at our camp. We actually haven't hired any new staff since early March and are likely done hiring for the summer. If any camp directors would like to talk about marketing ideas, feel free to contact me (rick@maineartscamp.com). If potential staff are reading this, many camps, not quite as small as Maine Arts Camp, are still looking for staff. To apply for a summer camp job, just go to MySummers.

Rick Mades
Owner/director of Maine Arts Camp
Owner of MySummers & Camp Finders

More on bullying

While spending some time in New England in late March, we continued to read about the bullying incident at the high school in Hadley, MA, where a young girl took her own life. It is a heart wrenching and tragic story which got me thinking. Although we always devote a whole section of staff training to bullying, we need more structure from an expert so that our staff will have a consistent way of dealing with such issues. Candy Cohn, assistant director at Maine Arts Camp, found a bullying workshop for schools in Maine. Stan Davis, a long time school counselor in Maine, runs the workshop. So, we contacted Stan are delighted that he will be working with our staff during staff training. Stan's web site is Stop Bullying Now! If you're in Maine or New England, his workshop is being held in Augusta May 10 & 11. I also purchased Stan's book "Schools Where Everyone Belongs" and have some reading ahead of me in the next couple of weeks. Of course, someone asked me what I do the rest of the year since I run a camp... I'll let you all know how the effective the training is at the end of the summer. Camp is approaching quickly and I hope that lots of parents start to think about camp in the next 6 weeks. Spread the word about the power of camp.

Rick Mades
Camp Director, Maine Arts Camp
Owner, Camp Finders & MySummers.com