Belcarra Day Camp Counselor

 

Job Title:	Belcarra Day Camp Counselor
Job Duration:	June 26th – August 28th, 2023
Job Hours:	Full-Time/ Day Camp Hours
Salary	·       Hourly Wage (Monday to Friday 35 hours / week) ·       $16.50/hour
Reports To:	Belcarra Coordinator
Application Deadlines	Open until all positions filled

 

 

Job Purpose

As a summer camp, Sasamat Outdoor Centre prides itself on creating an engaging and supportive community where children are made to feel included in the camp culture. The supportive nature of the camp allows for campers to try new activities and develop new skills with the help of caring staff members.

The Belcarra Day Camp program is located in Belcarra Regional Park, 5-minutes from Sasamat’s main camp. This program focuses on fun outdoor activities and hands-on learning programs for campers. Belcarra is a special day camp experience that allows our staff to have creative flexibility throughout their day and youth programs. Sasamat’s Belcarra Day Camp program enjoys unique experience to the area such as ocean-based voyageur canoe paddles, crab fishing, natural science activities, field games, and more! Every Tuesday the Belcarra day camp comes to Sasamat’s Main site to enjoy activities that cannot be hosted off site such as kayaking, archery, and climbing. Throughout the summer the Belcarra counselling team rotate helping support and supervise the camper bus that runs from the Port Moody Recreation Centre to the Belcarra picnic area. Bus duty includes signing campers in and out with their parents and general supervision of the campers while on the bus. When on bus duty staff meet at the Port Moody Recreation Centre instead of at the Belcarra picnic area.

Camp Counselors make up the majority of the Sasamat staff team, and are the heart of the summer day camp experience for our campers. Day Camp Counsellors spend their days, Monday to Friday, with their campers; providing leadership and care in a wide variety of activities and skill areas.

Skills of a strong counsellor are enthusiasm, creative programming, independence, genuine care for others and strong work ethic. All camp counselors should be prepared to support camp as a whole and be prepared to share duties of other areas of camp when needed. Day camp counselors also help provide support and supervision for buses on a rotating weekly basis.

 

 

How to apply:

Step 1 - Visit our website at https://www.sasamat.org/get-involved

Step 2 – Scroll down to the “apply now” link

Step 3 – Create an account and send us an application

We look Forward to hearing from you

 

 

Summer Camp 2023 Training

• Summer staff training week
• Policy and procedure training
• RCABC course days
• RCABC Voyageur Canoe Training Course

Duties and Responsibilities

Staff Training

• To participate in 100% of pre-season staff training

• To read, know and practice the information covered in the "Policies & Procedures" section of manual.  (Failure to comply with this information could result in discipline including dismissal.)

• To submit a detailed medical, application, criminal record search forms and employee agreement to the Summer Camp and Outdoor Education Director no later than June 28.

Camper Group Leadership

• To be responsible for the safety and well-being of the children assigned to you. This includes administering first aid and completing first aid/unusual occurrence.

• To follow program guidelines for your group using the resources of the camp and the outdoor environment. This includes COVID-19 risk management, policies and procedures.
  
• To develop enjoyable and stimulating programs for your group using the resources of the camp and the outdoor environment. This includes preparation (in writing) of a weekly program plan.
  
• To encourage the development of each camper in your group and to stimulate the campers' social development as members of a group.
  
• To introduce and stimulate your group's awareness of the outdoors and to encourage sound environmental practices in the use of outdoor facilities.
  
• To further develop each camper's skills in those areas that you are proficient and that the camp deems valuable.  Use resource staff whenever you feel necessary.
• To keep the Counselor Coordinator informed as to the location and nature of your daily program.
  
• To be punctual and enthusiastic in carrying out the camp routines.

• To be at work on time and ready to start the work day as specified by daily or weekly schedules
  
• To keep an accurate attendance record of all your campers.
  
• To assist with final clean up tasks after campers have gone home.

 

Bus Duty

• All Belcarra day camp counselling staff are tasked with helping with bus duty on a rotating weekly basis. Our buses run from the Port Moody Recreation Centre to the Belcarra picnic area
• Bus duty includes:
• •  helping campers sign-in during the morning at the Port Moody Recreation Centre and sign-out at the end of the day.
  • Provide support and supervision for campers during the 15-minute bus ride
  • Ensure that all safety rules are being followed on the bus

 

End of Week Clean up

• All Belcarra staff are expected to help with their programs clean up and re-stock at the end of each week under the direction of the Belcarra Day Camp Coordinator.
• All Belcarra staff return to Sasamat Outdoor Centre for the end of week debrief and announcements on Friday’s. Belcarra staff may be tasked to help with Camps clean up if not completed until the start of the end of week meeting.

 

Other Duties

• Belcarra Day Camp Counselors may be asked to assist in duties not listed above. Sasamat Outdoor Centre expects the support of all staff members fulfilling objectives that may not be specific to this position.

 

COVID-19 Policies and Procedures

• Sasamat outdoor Centre and Association of Neighborhood Houses of B.C (ANHBC) is committed to protecting the health and safety of its employees and the community. Subject to legal exemptions, proof of COVID-19 vaccination status will be required for this role prior to starting employment.
• Job offers with Sasamat Outdoor Centre and ANHBC is conditional on you providing Sasamat Outdoor Centre/ANHBC with proof, prior to the start date and in a form satisfactory to Sasamat Outdoor Centre/ANHBC, that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  If you do not provide such proof prior to your start date, job offers will be considered void and of no effect. If you are unable to be fully vaccinated on the basis of a ground protected by applicable law, you may request an accommodation from Sasamat outdoor Centre/ANHBC by contacting the Summer Camp and Outdoor Education Centre Director immediately. Sasamat outdoor Centre/ANHBC reserves the right to delay your start date while it considers your accommodation request.  ANHBC also reserves the right to amend its COVID-19 vaccine requirement in its sole discretion.
• Sasamat outdoor Centre will work diligently to keep all staff informed of all Covid-19 related policies and procedures as they may change over time due to the ever-dynamic landscape and nature of the pandemic. For the most up-to-date policy information please visit our website at www.sasamat.org.

 

Self Care 

• Summer camp is a job like any other, where self-care is extremely important and camp staff are expected to be at work ready for an energy filled day or week of programs, maintain healthy practices, and balance personal/social lives appropriately.

Qualifications

Specialized Knowledge and Certification

• Current Standard First Aid and CPR-C
• Cleared Criminal Record Check
• Current RCABC Advanced Solo/Tandem Canoe Certification

Additional qualifications considered an asset

·       Bronze Cross or NLS (Pool, Waterpark or Waterfront)

·       Valid Class 4 driver’s license

·       Wilderness First Aid

·       High Five

·       Food Safe

 

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and exercise initiative
• Ability to work with a wide variety of ages and demographic groups
• Ability to take charge and motivate others
• Ability to observe/assess camper behaviour, enforce safety regulations & emergency procedures, & apply appropriate behaviour-management techniques

 

Experience

• A background working with children
• Participation in applicable leadership programs or related experiences
• A background working in the outdoors

 

Working Conditions

• Requires working in an outdoor environment in all weather conditions
• May require working with difficult clients
• May require some weekend work

 

Physical Requirements

• Physical ability to provide active care, programming and supervision of campers 5 days a week for the duration of summer