Outdoor Living Skills Program Counselor

Position Title: Summer Camp Specialty Program Counselor 
Reports To: Program Director 

Work Location: In person, Scarborough, Maine 

Job Type: Full Time, Seasonal, 37-40 hours per week 
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, day shift 

Job Summary 
Do you love working with kids? Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth? Do you want to work outdoors all summer-long? Do you want to develop your leadership skills and gain valuable training and experience in the field of outdoor education? This may be the perfect job for you! At Camp Ketcha we hire over 100 Summer Camp staff to lead our students and our programs in our dynamic day camp set on 107 acres of fields, woods, marsh and wetlands in Scarborough, Maine. Program Counselors are responsible for developing curriculum (with assistance from the Program Director), and teaching and supervising campers in a specific program area.  Program counselors must set and follow through with staff and camper expectations as it pertains to the program curriculum. Program Counselors must be 18 years of age or older and be able to complete First Aid, CPR, AED training and certification before starting work.  

The Specialty Camps Program Counselor is responsible for planning and implementing programming for specialty camps in conjunction with the program director. This includes working with children aged 4-14 in an outdoor/indoor setting and keeping them engaged in age appropriate, thematic enrichment. This can include counselor led activities, program area activities, visitors, or field trips. The Specialty Camps Program Counselor will also need to effectively lead/teach activities with various specialty camps of all ages.   

Responsibilities 

• Create and lead program area activities with campers ages 4-14 

• Demonstrate sound judgement and establish a nurturing atmosphere in which campers feel safe, engaged, and included 

• Communicate with all campers and staff in a positive and respectful manner 

• Give clear and instructions for activities, considering various learning styles and listening abilities of each age group  

• Maintain a clear, organized and safe program area  

• Ensure campers and staff adhere to camp expectations 

• Address behavior issues as trained in a timely manner 

• Other duties as assigned  

• Summer camp is a collaborative and fast paced environment that requires flexibility and the ability to lend a hand wherever needed. Other duties as assigned may include, but is not limited to, daily cleaning tasks or working with various age groups, positions, camps, or programs including our childcare programming. All summer staff will be expected to demonstrate flexibility to ensure our summer programming runs as smoothly as possible.   

Required Job Qualifications 

• Experience working with children and youth 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 

• Ability to prepare and lead lesson plans and adapt them to various age groups 

• Commitment to Ketcha Outdoors’ mission, vision, and values 

• Knowledge and appreciation for program area 

• Basic computer literacy skills including word processing and emailing 

• Detail oriented, ability to work independently, multi-task, and enjoys interfacing with other staff at all levels 

• Ability to ensure safety for yourself and all program participants 

• High degree of personal integrity and professional conduct 

• High degree of flexibility and dependability 

• Mandated Reporter Training (to be updated every 3 years) 

• CPR/First Aid Certificate (to be updated every 2 years) 

• Comfortable in front of large groups of campers  

• Ability to create thematic programming weekly for a wide range of specialty themes 

• Ability to write and prep lesson plans for counselor staff to lead with their group 

• Ability to collaborate with program director, camp director, program counselors, head counselors, and counselors to ensure campers have an enriching specialty experience 

• Ability to pass a driving test and drive groups on field trips using a 14 passenger camp bus 

• Ability to act as leadership staff off site on field trips 

• Ability to create and lead activities with campers ages 4-14 

Preferred Job Qualifications 

• Certification related to program area 

• High School Diploma or GED Certificate 

Essential Job Functions 

• This position belongs to a class of employees referred to as Essential Personnel.  Essential personnel are those needed on site to meet the needs of our camper and general camp operations.  Essential personnel must report to work during their regularly scheduled hours, unless directed otherwise by a supervisor. 

General Work Environment and Physical Demands 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

This position requires the employee to be able to pass a Complete Background Check including the National Sex Offender Registry and work outdoors for long periods of time and in light rain, heat or cold.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; run; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This position is subject to a number of inherent risks associated with farm activities. There is a potential exposure to dander of animals.  

At Ketcha Outdoors, not only do we embrace and celebrate the diversity of our families and participants, but we also strive for the same in our employees. At Ketcha Outdoors, we are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, or other class protected by applicable law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.   

If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. There is no such thing as a "perfect" candidate, Ketcha is a place where everyone has opportunity.