15/11/2010
Summer Camp USA: Watersports Jobs 2013
Work at a summer camp in 2013 as a watersports instructor! USA summer camp water sports jobs include being a swimming assistant, lifeguard, canoe / kayaking instructor and a sailing counselor.
Swimming & Lifeguarding Summer Camp Jobs
Swimming staff on Summer Camp USA usually combine the responsibilities of lifeguarding and/or teaching swim with being a cabin counsellor. It’s a fun and rewarding, yet challenging opportunity to enhance your skills, develop your personal experience and have a great summer. Working on the waterfront is one of the best places to be at camp!
As a swimming instructor, you will be teaching skills and giving lessons for four or more hours each day, normally in hour-long periods. In addition, if your camp organises a swim team, campers will try out to represent their camp in inter-camp tournaments and swim meets throughout the summer. You may be asked to coach the teams. On other camps, swimming may be a purely recreational, fun activity.
As a lifeguard, your responsibilities will be to carry out lifeguarding duties as necessary to maintain a safe swimming environment for campers and staff.
Swimming at Camps
American summer camps generally operate a swim programme in line with the American Red Cross (ARC) courses and awards. This is a similar swimming scheme to that found in the UK and elsewhere, although there are some differences in strokes, for instance. Children are grouped according to their ability or age and the instructor works with them to develop their skills.
Depending on the camp, the campers may aim to achieve the next ARC qualification during the summer. You would therefore be working within the curriculum outlined by the American Red Cross and will be trained accordingly before camp begins.
What are the facilities and accommodation like?
Swimming is one of the main activities at camp. Facilities vary from camp to camp, ranging from a heated outdoor pool, to a cordoned-off swimming area in a lake. This may take a bit of getting used to initially if you’re used to swimming indoors!
Living accommodation is most probably in a cabin (bunk) with children and other staff members. You will be responsible for looking out for the wellbeing of the children as well as being a positive role model., in addition to teaching swimming, or lifeguarding. It is therefore essential that you have good previous experience of working with children generally, as well as in swimming.
What are camps looking for?
Camps are looking for staff that will be positive and constructive additions to the camp community. Swim staff are expected to be hard-working, safety conscious and confident when teaching swimming or lifeguarding. Swimming Instructors should have a fun and enthusiastic approach to their sport and to working with children, while at the same time being able to balance the fundamentals of teaching skills and safety.
What experience or qualifications are required?
Applicants who want to work on the waterfront need to have a current RLSS Pool Lifeguard award, or similar lifesaving qualification. For swim teaching, previous experience of teaching swimming and ASA teaching awards are helpful.
Many camps run Red Cross lifeguard and teaching courses prior to camp to ensure that staff have valid US certifications.
Canoe & Kayaking Summer Camp Jobs
Being a canoe or kayak counsellor on Summer Camp USA combines the responsibilities of teaching on the waterfront with being a camp counsellor. It is a fun and rewarding, yet challenging way to spend a summer outdoors while teaching a sport you love and at the same time enhancing your skills.
Teaching canoeing or kayaking usually means working in idyllic surroundings, but it can be an energy-zapping job! You could be working on the water for several hours a day, often in high temperatures, so stamina, patience and motivation are very important! On the other hand, on a very hot day, where better to be than on the water?
Canoe & Kayaking at camps
Programmes vary considerably from camp to camp, so you could be the only canoe or kayak counsellor at camp, or you could possibly be one of a waterfront team working with the children on canoes or kayaks. Either way, you’ll be required to teach in line with basic programme guidelines which enhance and develop children’s skills and proficiency.
The children will probably attend in groups of a similar age or skill-level for scheduled hour-long lessons on the camp waterfront. There may also be trips across the lake, or overnight camping trips or trips down white water or still rivers. Your responsibilities may also include the maintenance and upkeep of waterfront equipment.
What are the facilities and accommodation like?
Like the programme, equipment also varies greatly from camp to camp. You might find anything from one or two to several large traditional (Indian-style) canoes, to a fleet of modern sea-style kayaks and/or canoes. When not teaching your activity, you will be involved in general camp activities and responsibilities. You will live in a bunk with kids and other counsellors for the summer and be responsible for the campers and their needs. You will be expected to be a good role model and to create a safe and fun environment for the kids.
What are camps looking for?
As a canoe or kayak instructor, you must be hard-working, safety-conscious, motivated and confident in teaching the principles of the sport. You should also have a fun and enthusiastic approach to canoeing or kayaking and working with children.
A camp counsellor’s role is to encourage and enhance the experience and involvement of campers – in both sports and on a personal level, so patience and understanding are important attributes for camp counsellors to have.
What experience or qualifications are required?
First and foremost all camp counsellors need to have experience of working with children in a leadership position. Canoe or kayak counsellors also need a passion for the sport and a desire to share their enthusiasm and knowledge. You should also have a lively personality, a flexible work ethic and preferably, experience of leading children in canoeing or kayaking. Solid personal experience in canoeing or kayaking is also important.
Awards that strengthen an application, although are not essential include BCU UKCC Awards and BCU Star Awards. Lifeguard qualifications, however, are often required. In any case, waterfront staff are generally asked to arrive earlier at camp in order to undergo lifesaving training.
Sailing Summer Camp Jobs
Being a sailing counsellor on Summer Camp USA combines the responsibilities of teaching on the water and being a camp counsellor. It is a fun and rewarding, yet challenging way to spend the summer in the great American outdoors while teaching a sport you love and at the same time enhancing your skills!
Programmes vary greatly from camp to camp and so you could be working with several other sailing counsellors, or perhaps with just one or two others. Either way, you’ll be expected to adhere to basic programme guidelines which aim to teach and improve campers’ skills and proficiency in sailing. You will probably work with children of a similar age or skill-level in scheduled hour-long lessons.
Sailing at camps
Sailing at camp can be anything from teaching basic skills in the shallows of the camp lake, to teaching more advanced sailors on larger lakes or the ocean. Your role as a sailing instructor will be to develop and enhance children’s confidence, skill and proficiency in sailing over the summer. The children may be absolute beginners or have a lot of sailing experience, so a broad knowledge and plenty of patience are important. Your responsibilities may also include the maintenance and upkeep of the camp’s sailing equipment.
What are the facilities and accommodation like?
Sailing equipment at camp can range from a couple of small one or two man boats such as Sunfishes, Hunters or Lasers, to more advanced racing boats, to four-man catamarans, e.g. Hobiecats. When not teaching sailing, you will be based at camp and will be involved in general camp activities and responsibilities. You will live in a bunk with children and other staff members during the summer and be responsible for the campers and their needs. You will be expected to be a good role model and to create a safe and fun environment for the campers.
What are camps looking for?
Being a sailing instructor can be a tiring job and you could be working for several hours a day, often in high temperatures, so stamina is very important! You should also have a fun and enthusiastic approach to sailing and working with children while maintaining a safe and professional approach at all times. You’ll also need to be hard-working, patient and confident in teaching the principles of sailing and be happy working with kids at any level.
What experience or qualifications are required?
Camps are looking for staff members who have worked in a similar role and/or have great personal experience of sailing. Therefore, previous experience working with children in a supervisory role and a high level of personal skill in sailing is essential for a strong application.
Awards that strengthen an application include those which are part of the RYA sailing scheme. Lifeguard qualifications (RLSS, NPLQ etc) are often also required. Waterfront staff are generally asked to arrive early at camp in order to undergo special training.
BUNAC
With work, travel and volunteering opportunities around the world, travelling with BUNAC will be one of the most fun, challenging and rewarding experiences you’ll ever have!
BUNAC
With over 40 years of placing counsellors in camps all over the US and Canada, there are more reasons than ever to go to camp with BUNAC!
BUNAC
Work as a sailing instructor on BUNAC’s Summer Camp USA programme – the leading US work and travel experience! Spend nine weeks working with kids aged between 6 and 16 on an American summer camp.
BUNAC
Work as a specialist sports instructor on BUNAC’s Summer Camp USA programme – the leading US work and travel experience! Spend nine weeks working with kids aged between 6 and 16 on an American summer camp.
BUNAC
Spend 9 weeks gaining valuable experience, making lifelong friends and visiting exciting new places on Summer Camp USA.
BUNAC
Work as a canoe or kayak instructor on BUNAC’s Summer Camp USA programme – the leading US work and travel experience! Spend nine weeks working with kids aged between 6 and 16 on an American summer camp.