Department: Residential Life
Reports to: Unit Leader
Dates of Employment: June 21st to August 8th, 2021
Job Summary:
The mission of the Double H Ranch is to provide specialized programs and year-round support for children and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. The Counselor position supports this mission by providing direct care for campers during our summer program. Counselors ensure safety, medical supervision and positive peer interactions all while engaging campers in a meaningful camp experience.
Main Responsibilities:
Pre-Session:
- Attend pre-session meetings and discuss camper needs and goals for the next session.
During Session:
- Responsible for participating in and supervising the activities of a group of campers with a 2 children to 1 staff member ratio
- Awareness of camper’s personal fears and concerns
- Ensure that all campers, staff, and volunteers are practicing proper hygiene and following COVID safety protocols while at camp
- Responsible for accompanying campers throughout every facet of the child’s day and night including trips to the Body Shop (infirmary).
- Act as a role model and set an example for campers, staff and volunteers
- Provide regular and positive feedback to campers, staff and volunteers
- Modify activities during inclement weather with the support of the cabin staff.
- Required to live in assigned cabin from June until August.
- Assure that every child in their cabin has appropriate attire at camp activities
- Perform cabin clean up throughout the session and motivate campers to clean their cabin
- Attend and give updates at weekly staff meetings
- Perform other duties as deemed necessary by Unit Leader
Post Session:
- Attend and give updates at weekly staff meetings
- Complete all end of session paperwork including incident reports and volunteer evaluations
- Clean cabin to ensure it is ready for the next session
Supervision:
- Responsible to perform cabin duty, which assures that the campers are supervised throughout the night and during afternoon coverage, as well as being a contact person when medical staff need assistance.
- Use appropriate behavior management at all times
- Monitor children’s health on a daily basis: reporting any symptoms to the medical staff immediately
Safety:
- Report any acts of maltreatment, neglect and/or any other violation of camp policies immediately to the Camp Director
- Ensure that American Camping Association standards, SeriousFun Children’s Network standards and NYS Department of Health standards are being implemented and followed
- Must complete all medical and employment forms
- Must adhere to all safety rules and teach campers what those rules are
- Responsible for knowing and adhering to the policies and procedures contained within the camp manual.
- Provide safe alternate activities when weather is inclement
- Provide clean, safe living environments for children and staff members
- Follow all COVID-19 precautions; including appropriate mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing both in and out of session
Staff Team:
- Actively participate in staff training
- Support other members of the staff
- Complete mid season and end of season evaluations of your Unit Leader and the summer program
- Be a role model for all staff and volunteers
- Treat other staff and volunteers with professionalism and respect
- Accept supervision and guidance from staff and supervisors
Program Area Responsibilities:
Pre- Session:
- Review activity plans for the upcoming week and if questions, discuss with Assistant Camp Director: Programs and Activities Coordinator.
- Collaborate with the Assistant Camp Director: Programs and Activities Coordinator to create purchase orders to ensure the program has adequate supplies for the week
- Evaluate program areas and supplies for safety and readiness
During Session:
- Provide clear and engaging supervision of campers at the program area
- Facilitate specific activities that clearly provide campers with a take away skill
- Communicate with Day volunteers in that program area to ensure a successful team approach.
- Follow the model of Intentional Programming set forth by the Leadership team
- Ensure that all supplies are safely stored and maintained, remove and report items in disrepair
- Facilitate all-weather programming during inclement weather
- Required to be at program area whenever your cabin is scheduled there
- Facilitate specific activities that clearly provide campers with a take away skill
Post Session:
- Ensure that all supplies are safely stored and maintained, remove and report items in disrepair
- Review previous session activities and modify based on success of the activity.
- Submit weekly program evaluations to Assistant Camp Director, Programs
Qualifications:
- At least 19 years of age
- Prior experience working with children.
- Complete and pass our background check protocol.
Essential Functions:
- Must be able to provide complete, independent personal care for yourself in regards to: hygiene maintenance & medical needs & medication administration.
- Must be able to provide personal care for campers including: bathing, toileting, changing diapers, dressing, transferring children out of their wheelchair, etc.
- Must be able to physically and mentally able to work 12 hour shifts with limited breaks.
- Must possess the strength and stamina to maintain constant supervisor of campers for the duration of the season.
- Be able to push, pull, lift and carry items up to 50 pounds.
- Be able to supervise and instruct campers; this will require the ability to walk, sit, climb, kneel, crouch and stand.