Overview
Duration: 5/28/24 – 8/08/24
The position is full-time, with 35-40 hours a week starting at a rate of $17-21 per hour. Camp Leaders will work 8 weeks of day camp, with 1 week of training before camp, a midsummer 1-2 day training, and a 4th of July break; additional days/weeks o may be negotiable.
As a summer camp leader, you will spend your days outside with kids, exploring, learning, playing, and supporting them. Juneau (Dzantik’i Héeni), Alaska is a beautiful place with a vibrant community of outdoor-loving people and endless opportunities for adventure. The job will bring you to many of these wonderful natural spaces where you and another co-leader will be responsible for up to 12 kids in an age group. There are four age groups: Héenis (ages 4-6), Flying Squirrels (ages 6-8), Marmots (ages 9-11), and Mountain Goats (ages 11-14). Leaders work directly with a co-educator and other program staff in the field and partner with other local youth program providers for activities. Camp is Monday-Friday and staff will work from 8:00-3:30 each day and participate in a weekly hour-long staff meeting. Before and throughout the summer, leaders will receive training and experience in inquiry-based, hands-on field leadership and Southeast Alaska natural and cultural history.
Using games and activities, you will guide a group each week based on a natural theme. Some weeks will be more active and include hiking, exploration, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Other weeks will be more science and art-focused and include botany, mammal investigations, earth art sculptures, flower pressing, the salmon cycle, and outdoor skills like fire building and navigation. Your main role will be to ensure the safety and management of the group, building your knowledge of child development and practicing inclusivity and cultural responsiveness.
Responsibilities
● Provide support for, and ensure the physical and emotional safety and well-being of a group of up to 12 children
● Promote good decision-making skills, leadership, and a curiosity for the outdoors
● Plan, prepare and facilitate fun, engaging games and activities with a focus on outdoor skills, natural history, and natural curiosity
● Perform weekly duties including: restocking supplies, cleaning, and other tasks as necessary
● Participate in weekly sta meetings, mandatory training, and regular, open communication with co-workers
Qualifications:
● Experience and interest in working with preschool, elementary, or middle school-aged children, particularly in group or outdoor education settings
● Experience managing groups of 6-12 children, such as sleepaway camp, day camp, classroom experience, or coaching
● Experience planning and implementing engaging activities and games in an outdoor setting
● Experience in, and comfort with, the outdoors, such as guiding, backcountry travel, or natural history interpretation, preferably in Southeast
Required Skills:
● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work on a team
and create a welcoming environment for all participants
● First Aid and Child/Infant CPR certification (or higher) by the start of
employment, Wilderness First Aid or Responder is great but not required
● Ability to maintain energy throughout an 8-hour day which could include: hiking up to 6 miles per day, carrying extra gear in a daypack, , often in very wet weather.
● Must be able to attend training May 28th - 31st
About Discovery Southeast
For over 30 years, Discovery Southeast’s education and exploration programs have deepened Southeast Alaskans’ connection with nature in Lingít Aaní, the traditional lands of the Áak’w and T’aakú Kwáan. We are a regional non-profit started by outdoor leaders in Southeast Alaska to ensure that local residents, particularly children, experience the outstanding natural areas that travelers from around the world come to visit. Today, with many of those same founders still involved, our programs teach children to experience, be comfortable in, and explore nature with a field-based, hands-on approach. We strive to reach all Juneau youth, particularly those who might not otherwise be introduced to the outdoors at a young age. We aim to recruit, retain, and develop sta who bring traditional ecological knowledge, diverse backgrounds, and a mindset of curiosity about the complete history of Southeast Alaska.
