Camp Counsellor (Contract) - Evergreen
About Us:
Evergreen is a national non-profit transforming public spaces in our cities to build a healthier future for people and our planet.
With over 30 years of championing urban sustainability, we see the potential of our cities to solve some of the biggest issues facing our time and believe that our public spaces are the key to unlocking it. We see beyond the spaces that exist today and imagine them transformed into places where people and nature thrive. And we see a future where everyone can live a healthy life on a healthy planet.
About the Role:
Evergreen Adventure Camp is an OCA accredited program that serves up to 140 campers per week. Camp Counsellors are responsible for core functions that range from program planning to delivery of safe and engaging camp days. Our Camp Counsellors contribute to the overall success of Evergreen Adventure Camp by supporting a culture of experiential learning, healthy risk taking and connecting with nature in a hands-on way.
Camp Counsellors play a key role in on-the-ground program delivery, utilizing their unique skills to help our programs come alive. Camp Counsellors are responsible for the care and safety of a group of up to 10 campers per week. Each Camp Counsellor is relied upon for a number of important tasks over the course of the day, ensuring that the Camp Team can operate in an efficient and effective way.
Camp Counsellors thrive in a fast-moving environment and provide consistent, creative support to campers and the broader camp team; they are mature team-players and strong communicators who believe in the power and importance of outdoor play and nature connection in children’s lives.
Key Responsibilities:
- Creatively guide a group of 9-10 campers, ages 6-12, in nature-based programming such as hiking, exploring, biking, fire building, collaborative art, orienteering, songs, and storytelling
- Communicate safety and health regulations to program participants and ensure they understand them
- Help monitor and engage campers during lunch, snack and extended care programs
- Help make improvements to spaces prior to camp start date
- Utilize approaches to behaviour management and conflict resolution provided in training
- Provide mentorship, feedback and guidance to volunteers (Assistant Camp Counsellors)
- Monitor and maintain program spaces and materials, identifying and documenting any concerns with supervisor
- Participate in morning meetings and end of day reflections and provide feedback and support to the rest of the camp team
- Document any behavioural incidents, injuries or accidents, and report to Director/Manager in a timely way
- Communicate effectively with parents/guardians
- Participate in pre-camp training in June, including reading the Staff Handbook
- Act as a positive role model and leader
- Contribute to positive workplace culture and great internal communication
- Model Evergreen’s core values of sustainability, innovation and connection
About You:
You excel in the following areas:
- Attention to detail. Recognize that details matter. Work systematically to ensure important details do not slip through the cracks.
- Customer-focus. Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of others in a way that exceeds their expectations.
- Flexibility/adaptability. Manage ambiguity well. Adapt to changing priorities and conditions in an agile way, responding quickly and effectively. React to change with curiosity and excitement.
- Communication. Speak, listen and write in a clear, confident, respectful, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
- Proactivity/Enthusiasm/Persistence. Act without being told what to do. Demonstrate passion and excitement over work. Display a can-do attitude.
You have the following qualifications:
- 1-2 years’ experience working in a camp setting
- University or college degree/diploma (or equivalent professional/lived experience), in-progress or completed
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting the growth of a culture of nature connection in children and young people
- Comfortable and able to ride a bike and lead half day bike trips for camp groups
- Demonstrated commitment to customer service
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
- Current Standard First Aid and CPR ‘C’, or willingness to obtain
- Vulnerable Sector Police Record Check or willingness to obtain
- OCT certified teachers, teacher candidates strongly encouraged to apply
- Experience with Nature Connection Core Routines, Outdoor Experiential Education and/or Forest & Nature school approaches an asset
- Background in Biology, Environmental Sciences/Studies, Arts or similar an asset
- Knowledge of Stewardship and Ecological Restoration practices an asset
- Wilderness First Aid or experience leading backcountry trips an asset
- This position may be funded by Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ), which requires candidates be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment. Meeting these criteria is considered an asset.
Additional Information:
Reporting Relationships:
- Supervised by Program Manager
Working Conditions:
- Position is based out of Evergreen’s head office at Evergreen Brick Works Campus in Toronto and requires on the ground presence
- Working outdoors in inclement weather/hot weather
- Standing for extended periods of time
- Able to lift weight in excess of 20 pounds
Contract:
- Full time, contract (last week of June to end of August)
- Hourly rate: $20.00/hour
Application Close Date: February 21, 2025. Applications will be screened on a rolling basis and applicants may be contacted before the application close date.
*Please include a cover letter with your resume to give us further context on your job history and skills you’d like to highlight.*