Here you will find articles from directors of camps and after-school programs. They will give you some pointers and insight into working in a camp or an after-school program. If you are a director of a program and want to contribute to this section, please send your article to articles@CampDepot.com. We reserve the right to edit or reject any submission.

The Right Counselor for a Day Camp  

by Greg Schreiner, director of Buckley Day Camp

Summer help has become tougher than ever to find for a camp. With the economy strong and internships available, many college students are electing for what they perceive as a "real" summer job. While internships and office work opportunities are experience generating, the role of a camp counselor, if taken seriously, can help any individual learn to relate well to others, think quickly on your feet, be patient, work as a team, and communicate with a variety of people. The challenge for a camp director is to find employees who  will take their jobs as camp counselors or specialists seriously. Summer employees must realize the importance of a positive camp experience and work hard to make each and every camper feel special.

First, some basic requirements. In most states, you can be a counselor (for a day camp) only if you are 16 years of age or older with related experience, which can be anything that dealt with children. Younger teenagers can opt to be Counselors-In-Training or C.I.T. (Editor's note,  see our related article.) Specialty instructors need to demonstrate skill and ability to teach to children. Other than that, camp directors look for right personalities that will work well with their camp philosophy.

Camp counselors must be mature enough to comprehend the effect they can have, both positive and negative, on campers. Some counselors decide to work at camp because they think it will be fun, or they feel it is a great opportunity to meet other boys and girls similar in age. Camp directors will try to "weed out" during an interview these "socially motivated" counselors, who will emphasize their oun fun  more than looking after their campers. While counselors should have fun at camp, it should not be at the expense of their campers.

The ability to be sensitive to the needs of all the campers is a very important aspect of a good camp counselor. Camp counselors must be able to read verbal and nonverbal signals from within their groups. All directors want their staff to recognize when a child is not connected to their peers or is melancholic. This skill is difficult to teach because it often comes from within. The need to read individuals and understand their thoughts and feelings takes great patience and attention. Counselors must be willing to listen to their campers in order to understand how they are feeling. Empathy, along with the understanding of how others are feeling, is a skill that is priceless in our society and is highly desirable for camp directors.

Once counselors have identified the needs of their campers, their maturity and sensitivity must come together in order to help solve any problems they face. A good camp counselor is rational and can make good decisions quickly. He or She must understand when to solve a problem independently, and when to go to a supervisor. We use different scenarios during the interview or orientation process in order to help counselors best understand their roles within the structure of the camp.

As stated earlier, directors often look for mature, sensitive individuals who can solve problems and understand their role on the camp team. You can gain experience in these areas through high school and college courses and extracurricular activities. Camps often have positions for high school and college students which entail working directly with the campers. College graduates who have had experience working with children or specific training generally work as supervisors. These employees are often responsible for a group of campers and their counselors.

If you would like to work in a camp, you should try to gain experience working with children as a peer advisor, tutor, babysitter, or anything related to children. Classes in child psychology and sensitivity training are also pluses to the typical camp directors and help potential counselors understand their positions as role  models for their campers. There also are classes taught by the American Red Cross and other recognized agencies in babysitting and first aid; these are inexpensive and add to your experience. The impact a camp counselor can have on a camper is obvious, but the impact a camper can have on a counselor can warm his/her heart in a manner that may never be forgotten.