What childcare experience do I need to work at summer camp?

Okay, so this seems like an obvious one. Like going on a beach holiday when you hate sand.

But the first thing to mention (and something that often gets lost in all the fun chat about sunshine and s’mores) is that you’ve got to want to work with children to go to summer camp in America.

The whole ethos of American summer camps is to provide a supported place where 6-17 year olds can come together each summer and arrive as equals – away from their friendship groups at home or perceived capabilities at school. And spend time in nature, making new friends, and learning new skills in a non-judgmental environment. For children fortunate enough to attend summer camp, it’s seen as an integral part of their social, educational and cultural development. And as a counsellor at camp, you’re pivotal in that experience. Believe us when we say that it will be those tearjerker moments when you realise the impact you’ve had on your campers, that will stay with you long after the sun sets on your time at camp.

So as a role model, mentor, and that cool older person that every kid wants to be like – it's only right that you need some experience working with young people to get accepted onto the Summer Camp USA program. Here’s the need to know.

What childcare experience do I need to work at summer camp?  

This childcare experience can come in many forms. So, the second thing to mention, is please speak to the team before you give up on the idea of working at summer camp.  Many people have relevant experience that they can call on without realising it. While not an exhaustive list, here are some examples of what would count as childcare experience:

• Being a leader in the Scouts, Beavers, Brownies, Cubs or another youth group.   
• Helping, coaching or mentoring at a school club, after school club or sports club.  
• Tutoring experience, TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or similar.  
• Any volunteering that you’ve done where you’ve worked with young adults.

Our BUNAC Camp Crew on what childcare experience they had before going to camp 

Niall

I completed multiple weeks work experience in my local primary school and volunteered at a special educational needs facility in my local town. I was also actively involved in local drama and musical groups where I was surrounded by kids all the time.

Cat

I volunteered at my local Brownies club with one of my friends and did some reading with some younger children at the connecting primary school.

Adam

I had been a lifeguard for the last couple years at high school, and asked to get involved helping with swimming lessons before I applied.

Liv

I volunteered at my local Rainbow and Brownie group. Also, in high school and college as I started ‘aging out’ of my dance school, I helped chaperone the younger children at dance shows.

Olga

I tutored in an elementary school teaching English to small groups of students.

How can I get childcare experience? 

If you don’t have experience working with children or young adults but want to book onto the program for next year, why not use your holidays or weekends to get the experience you need by joining a club or local youth group? They’ll love the extra help and you’ll feel great doing it – a win all round.

And finally…

If you needed any further encouragement to go out and get the childcare experience you need to join our program, here are some warm and fuzzies from our team on their experience working with children and why it matters. (Emotional blackmail kinda included).

Adam

One of the joys about working at camp, is there will be hundreds of times you say or do something that a camper will remember forever, and you won’t even realise it. It’s 16 years since my first summer, and as recently as last month I had one of the (now adult) campers get in touch to tell me how a story I told them had stayed with them and helped them choose what to do with their lives. I had long since forgotten the story, and honestly think I made it up… but it reminds me how, and why everything we do and say matters.

Denzel

(Unfortunately, this is Adam again, but true story – Google it) Did you know, Denzel Washington’s acting career all started at camp? He studied medicine at Fordham University, but after graduating spent the summer wondering what he really wanting to do next... so he went to camp for the summer: “The counsellors there put on a talent show for the kids. I put together these little poems and rhymes and skits for the kids in my cabin, and we stood up on stage and did our bit. After the show, this guy named Miles Joyce came up to me and said, ‘Man, you ever thought about being an actor?’”

Niall

Over the years I have had so many moments where I’ve realised you really do have a huge impact on your kids’ lives at camp. It might just be a summer job for you, but for them you are their care giver for two months, so how you take on that role really can make a difference. I think for me this was most telling in my last summer at camp. It was the last day of the summer, the kids had left and the counsellors were about to head home. Six of those counsellors had actually been my campers for my first three summers, so I had been there to see them grow from 13 year old kids to adults looking after their own campers. Before heading out they all came up to me and told me “You’re the reason we all wanted to become counsellors.” Naturally, I balled my eyes out. Make sure you’re an inspiration for your campers and it will be the most rewarding experience of your life.

Olga

I had a challenging group of kids my first session, lots of questioning of authority, not wanting to participate or being a team player. We finally bonded when writing a skit for the talent show and everyone showed up in the best possible way. I felt so proud of witnessing them come together as a group.

To find out more and sign up for the ultimate summer job working in America, click here.