Art Camp Counselor

At Camp Backcountry, we believe that children learn, grow, and thrive best when outdoors and immersed in nature. Our week-long, full-day outdoor camps support the needs of children by using a whole-child, experiential learning approach. Our goal is to nurture their hearts and minds while strengthening their connection to, and understanding of, the natural world. Whether campers are exploring, hiking, building forts, riding horses, creating art, playing in the woods, or cooking over the campfire, Camp Backcountry is more than just a place to spend your summer. It’s an experience that becomes part of who each child is.

As a blend of both an art camp and a nature camp, we give art making a new meaning. There are no “cookie-cutter” projects here. We introduce campers to a wide range of materials and techniques, and unleash their creativity and imagination to build new skills, all while spending time outside in the wild. Each session follows a similar format with lots of traditional camp activities and outdoor adventures, along with creating a unique take-home art project each day. 

Camp Backcountry counselors are responsible for actively supervising up to 16 children each day and engaging campers during all Camp Backcountry activities. Counselors are responsible for the camper’s health and safety, guiding children in their personal growth, set up and clean-up of all camp activities, and following all camp policies and procedures. Camp Backcountry counselors get the perks of working with the best little humans, being outside every day, the opportunity to play, helping kids build lifelong skills, nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, and joining an outstanding team of individuals. Being a counselor at Camp Backcountry is guaranteed to be one of the most fun and memorable summers of your life, while simultaneously is a very serious job that will provide you with invaluable job and life skills.

This position averages approximately 40 hours per week. Camp programming begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. A typical workday is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., however Art Camp Counselors may be scheduled anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. This position starts May 22, 2023 and ends August 4, 2023.

HRCA Backcountry Wilderness Area is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Requirements:

• Candidates must be 18 years of age or older
• Must have an interest in, respect for, and ability to work with children
• Ability to be creative, adaptable, and flexible while managing children in a variety of situations
• Ability to facilitate inquiry-based learning, and adapt activities to meet a wide variety of learners
• Working towards, or completion of, a bachelor's degree in a related field such as early childhood education, elementary education, fine arts education, science education, recreation, or a human services field is preferred
• Must have a passion for the natural world
• Must have a passion for art
• Ability to lead and engage children in a variety of activities including, but not limited to, arts and crafts, camp songs, games, team building, social emotional learning, science lessons, and hikes
• Ability to actively supervise and be responsible for the health and safety of up to 16 children
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team
• Show flexibility and adaptability in a fast paced and ever-changing environment
• Strong work ethic and motivation to contribute positively to the Backcountry Wilderness Area at large
• Strong communication skills with ability to effectively interact with people of all backgrounds
• Must be cool-tempered and friendly
• Show flexibility in performing other tasks related to camp operations as required and assigned
• Previous childcare experience is preferred, but not required
• Candidates with previous childcare experience are asked to provide proof of experience at the time of interview, in the form of a written letter from any previous employers documenting their experience.
• Current adult and pediatric First Aid and CPR certifications required, or ability to obtain before the first day of employment
• Valid driver’s license and a clean driving record
• Must successfully pass comprehensive background checks and a drug screen
• Must be able to attend the mandatory staff training May 22 through May 26, 2023
• Must commit to working a minimum of 7 weeks of the 10 weeks of the camp season, May 30-August 4, 2023
• Must pass a pre-employment background check and drug screen.

Application Instructions:

Please submit the online employment application found at www.hrcaonline.org/jobs. All applications require a resume and cover letter. The first review of applications will begin in January of 2023, and positions will be filled on a rolling basis.