Junior Counselor

The heart of the camp is the cabin leadership!

Minimum Qualifications

• Completed Junior year of High School or equivalent, and/or at least 17 years of age
• Desire and ability to work with children and staff outdoors, in a rural, rustic setting
• Ability to relate to one's own peer group
• Ability to accept supervision and guidance
• Ability to assist in teaching an activity
• Must be an advocate for overnight camping
• Must relate well to children ages 7-16, parents, supervisors, colleagues and subordinates
• Must be a good communicator and positive role model
• Good character, integrity, adaptability, enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience, self-control, and responsibility

Responsible To

Senior Staff

Camp Goals

The goal of the Susquehannock Camps is to maintain a healthy and safe environment at all times for campers and other staff. We aim to give its campers a healthy, educational, happy summer of group living in the out-of-doors, and to aid in the development of physically and morally strong young people who will make good citizens with high ideals.

Through the program and the various aspects of camp life, Susquehannock seeks the following specific objectives:

1. To enhance self-esteem and develop courage, poise, self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence
2. To teach the importance of each person's contribution to a group by enabling all campers to participate, no matter how skilled
3. To teach campers to live by the rules of life through the discipline and challenges of team and individual sports, games, and outdoor living
4. To enrich campers' lives by teaching many team and individual sports through increasing physical fitness and providing values which will carry over the rest of their lives
5. To teach habits of neatness, cleanliness and responsibility for the "care and maintenance" of one's person and belongings
6. To develop tolerance and respect for all other human beings and all living things
7. To increase one's awareness of and appreciation for our natural environment; instill a desire for the conservation of it and develop a capacity to live in it
8. To increase one's love of God and country

General Responsibilities

• Create an enjoyable camping experience for each child in the camp
• To identify and meet camper needs
• Maintain appropriate behavioral expectations

Specific Responsibilities

1. To live in a cabin with a co-counselor(s) and 7-12 campers, and be directly responsible for the health, welfare, and happiness of those campers
2. To interpret safety and health regulations to campers
3. To guide the individual camper in participation in cabin, unit, and all-camp activities
4. Assist with teaching or leading an activity as assigned, working closely with your supervisor
5. See that any bruises, scrapes or other injuries to players are seen by the camp nurse and an accident/incident report is filed each time
6. To set an example in thoughtfulness and concern for others; in manners, language, dress and actions also of promptness to activities, including meals. Remember, you are a role model for campers in every way
7. To keep an eye on campers' health and sanitary practices. Keep an eye on what they eat and don't eat in the dining room. Encourage good eating habits along with good manners
8. To supervise the cabin group in work activities and encourage pride in the work of the cabin group
9. To help build and maintain cabin and camp spirit
10. To recognize and appreciate that each camper is an individual with different backgrounds, needs, and talents. Try to always emphasize the positive and avoid any show of favoritism or dislike or frustration
11. To supervise letter-writing home
12. To maintain friendly professional relationships with all personnel: campers, counselors, senior staff, kitchen staff, and maintenance staff
13. To attend all staff meetings as assigned
14. To write and turn in all written reports in accordance with instructions
15. To report promptly to your supervisor or senior staff member as appropriate, any difficult situations which may arise in camper or staff relationships
16. To report any missing camper – at once!
17. Instruct campers in emergency procedures
18. To secure proper coverage for all responsibilities before leaving camp; then check out/in according to procedures
19. All friendships/relationships must be kept on a platonic basis in camp. Appearances do matter
20. When off duty and away from camp, please remember that your conduct reflects on the entire camp
21. Be a role model for the camp, supporting the Site-Director and staff and upholding the traditions and philosophy of The Susquehannock Camps
22. Remember – The Camper comes first!
23. These are not the only duties to perform. Some duties may be reassigned and other duties may be assigned as required

Essential Functions

• Ability to communicate and work with groups participating at camp (generally age 7-16 years for campers and 17 years and older for staff) of all skill levels, and provide necessary instruction to campers
• Be physically able to accompany the campers to any of the camp activities
• Be able to communicate verbally with campers, and provide instructions
• Ability to observe camper behavior, assess its appropriateness, enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures, and apply appropriate behavior-management techniques
• Visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards related to the activity, as well as physical symptoms of camper injury or illness, and camper concerns
• Physical ability to respond appropriately to situations requiring first aid
• Cognitive and communication abilities to plan and conduct activities to achieve camper development objectives

Post Camp Responsibilities

• Any reports or evaluations you did not complete while at camp
• Duties as assigned by Site-Director