Feel like working in the STATES? Hope you like kids!
A friend of mine (that likes kids) was telling me the other day about the amazing time that she had in the States when she went off to be a counsellor on a summer camp. She worked for three months and then travelled for a month – she loved it. But, as she pointed out, you have to want to work with kids and you have to be happy chilling in one place for a few months before y…
ou get to move on and explore. She made some money and because she was living in the camp she hardly spent any of it – until she went travelling of course.
The applications have opened for one of the programs available here in SA – SASTS – if you have the right skills and profile it’s actually not that hard to do – the best part about it is that the planning phase takes place a good few months before you go so you have time to save money for your air ticket, save money for your spending money etc. Check out the SASTS program here for more information.
Here is some key info we picked up:
Length of programme: Applicants may work in the US for a maximum of four months from Nov to April The recommended minimum stay on Work USA is eight weeks.
Introduction
What is camp?
Thousands of North American children aged between six and 16 go to camp each year to have fun, learn new activities and enjoy the generally hot and sunny long vacations. There are about 10,000 summer camps in the USA, catering for all budgets and types of child, with campers attending for between one and eight weeks. The camps are usually in picturesque lakeside settings in the northeast and upper Midwest, although BUNAC also places a small number of counsellors at camps in the southeast, Texas, on the west coast and in Canada.
What do counsellors do?
Counsellors look after the children and teach them activities. The role of a counsellor is that of a brother/sister/ parent/teacher/friend and cheerleader all rolled into one. It’s no surprise therefore, that an essential requirement for camp counselling is a genuine liking for children and the ability to get on with them. Counsellors spend 24 hours a day with the children, living and sleeping in the same cabin, working and playing with them – hard work, but for the right people, it can be very rewarding and great fun!
How does Summer camp work?
Summer Camp USA is a work (first) and travel (later) experience. It can be a beneficial and enjoyable experience for anyone with sports or arts ability and the enthusiasm and desire to instruct children. Many trainee teachers find that camp is as relevant and useful as teaching practice but non-teachers and non-students also have much to contribute to and gain from the programme. There are also many openings for those with experience of working with mentally or physically disabled, or socially disadvantaged children.
What skills do I need?
Camp directors are requiring both Specialist and General counselors to staff at the camp. Specialist counselling requires qualifications or skills in a particular field or activity. General counsellors need experience in working with children in a leadership role. In a sense, all Summer Camp USA participants are general counsellors, even those with specialist duties. Two or three counsellors are assigned to a cabin of four to eight children and usually take responsibility for them while they are at camp.
The camp director expects staff to set a good example, ensuring that the children keep themselves and the cabin clean and that they eat their food and follow the camp routine. Your ‘counsel’ to the children may include dealing with homesickness and personal problems and you’ll need to be a mature friend and impartial adviser.
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