FAQ
14th September 2018 | FAQ
How does the placement process work? Once you’ve finished work on your online profile, and met one of our National Support Team who’ll help you improve it, we’ll make all the information visible to all of the 600+ Summer Camps in America that we work with. From there, Camps looking for people with the skills you’ve highlighted will put you on review (which is a bit like a shortlist) and reach out to offer you a Skype interview. There’s more information about that the interview’s like below. If all goes well with the interview, the camp will ‘confirm’ you, which is them offering you a job. You’re officially going to Summer Camp! How long does it take to get placed? There’s no size fits all answer to this question, because the time it takes to get placed at a Summer Camp in America is different for everyone. It all depends on how early you applied, the information you’ve put on your application profile, if you’ve uploaded a video, and if all your documents have been uploaded. Coming along to one of our Job Fairs is one of the best ways to get hired because the turn around can be as little as 24 hours! There’s more information about Placement Fairs on our Summer Camp Events page here. How does the interview work? Summer Camps will want to get to know you and find out more about your skills before offering you a job working with them. Just like getting a job at home, they’ll want to interview you. The interviews will often be via Skype and will be a chance for you to talk about yourself, about camp and why you want to be an amazing summer camp staff member! The interview will also be a good chance to ask the camp more questions about how they work. I’ve been placed. What happens next? That’s great news – you’re another step closer to working at Summer Camp in America this summer! We’ve put together a blog post which walks you through the next steps you’ll need to take. You can have a read through the blog post here.
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14th September 2018 | FAQ
When’s the application deadline? Applications to work at Summer Camp in America close around the 1st May each year – though there’s sometimes some flexibility in this. The closing dates for applications are announced on our Facebook profile and our Twitter feed. The earlier you apply, the more positions that are available. Applying early also means you’ve got more time to get your documents all sorted and submitted, and your program fees paid off. To apply for Summer Camp, head over to our application form and fill out your details. Is there an application fee? It is free to set up your initial account. When you are ready to get started, you’ll pay your application fee. Your program fees cover your visa sponsorship, medical insurance while at camp, and much more. More information about the program fees can be found on our Summer Camp Pricing page. What information should I put in my application? Thousands of people apply to work at Summer Camp every year, so you need to do everything you can to help your application stand out. To start with though, you only need to put in your basic details on our application form, then one of the team will give you a call to open up the full online profile. They’ll guide you through filling it out. What’s a profile review? When you fill out your application, you’ll build an online profile that highlights all your skills and experience. This information is used by Summer Camps to help them decide if they can offer you a job for the summer. To help your profile stand out from the crowd, you’ll meet one of our National Support Team. They’re a dedicated group of people who have all been to Summer Camp in the past and they’ll work with you to improve your profile. They’re also there to help answer any questions you’ve got. Do I have to make an application video? Standing out from the crowd is really important. Camps LOVE watching your videos and finding out more about your personality and skills. We don’t need you to make a really high quality video. Just sitting down and recording a quick, fun video on your phone works for us! It’ll only take you a few minutes to do and is easy to upload. It’ll make a big difference on your profile!
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14th September 2018 | FAQ
Can I Return to a different camp? If you want to head back to America, but you want to work at a different Summer Camp than you’ve worked at before, then we should be able to help! We need a completed Camp Reference form from the camp you worked at before, which you can download from your USA Summer Camp profile. Send it over to your previous Camp Director and then uploaded the completed form. If all looks good on your Camp Reference, we’ll be able to help send you to work at a new camp. How much are Returners paid? Returners negotiate their own wages directly with the camp they’re working at.
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14th September 2018 | FAQ
How can I change my flight home? If you’d like to change your flight home, you can do this once you’ve arrived in America. There may be an extra charge for flights that are changed. All you need to do is log into your profile and click Travel. From there, you’ll see “Click here to view information on how to make changes to your return date.” Can I change my departure airport for my flight home? Unfortunately, you can’t change the departure airport, but you can change the date of your flight. There may be an extra charge for flights that are changed. How much money should I take when I travel? The amount of money you’ll need will depend on what you’re planning to do while you travel around America and how many of the 30 days you’ll be travelling for. We advise that you take a minimum of $300 with you.
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14th September 2018 | FAQ
Why do I need a visa? To work at Summer Camp in America, you’ll need a special visa that gives you permission to enter the country to work. You need to secure a visa as part of the application process because it’s legally required by the US government. To get a visa, you’ll need to visit the US Embassy for an interview and be approved by the member of Consular staff who does that interview. We’ll support you every step of the way to get your visa. How long does the visa interview take? The visa interview process can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours, but can sometimes run longer depending on your circumstances and how busy the embassy is. When should I book my visa appointment? We’ll let you know as soon as you’re able to book your visa appointment. Make sure you don’t book in unless we tell you to because we need certain things done before an embassy appointment can happen. If you’re unsure about booking an appointment, give the office a call on 0121 411 9165. What do I need for my US Embassy appointment? You’ll need to take all of the following to your appointment: Passport DS-2019 form DS-160 confirmation page Appointment instructions page US-style visa photographs SEVIS receipt At least 2 documents of proof of return My visa expires on the day I leave camp. Can I still travel after? If you secured your visa after being placed at a Summer Camp, your visa should show the dates of your camp contract. If you got your visa before getting placed, the dates will be updated on the visa system, so you won’t need to worry about the dates being wrong on the printed visa. After all the paperwork is put in place, your visa will be valid for the dates you work at camp. Your visa will be valid up until the last day you work at camp. After it expires, you have 30 days to travel before you need to leave the US.
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14th September 2018 | FAQ
Do I have to pay to go to Summer Camp? Summer Camp will be the best summer of your life, but like any experience abroad, there are fees to pay. The full costs of going to Summer Camp in America can be found on our pricing page. When’s the first instalment due? The first instalment of your fees – £100 – is due within 7 days of paying your deposit. We automatically take the £100 payment from the card used to pay your £49 deposit. Please ensure you have the cardholder’s permission. The remainder of your fees will be processed each month, on dates arranged with you to break down the fees. What are the 3rd Party Fees? These are fees that are out of our control but vital for your summer placement. All of these fees are listed on our pricing page. These include items such as your police background check and U.S Embassy visa interview. These are essential to getting to America for the summer! Is there an application fee? Once you apply, one of our team will give you a call within 24 hours to have a chat through how the Summer Camp program works and they’ll also get you talking about your skills and experience. When you’re happy to go ahead, you can pay a £49 deposit to secure your place for the Summer.
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2nd August 2018 | FAQ
Do I have to be a student to go to camp? If you want to work as a Camp Counselor at Summer Camp in America, you don’t need to be a student at University. Find out more about becoming a Camp Counselor here. If you’re looking for a Support Staff role then you need to be a student currently enrolled in a Degree length course with a minimum duration of two years. Find out more about Support Staff jobs here. Do I have to live in the UK? To be eligible for the programme, you need to live in one of the following: the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, or Iceland. USA Summer Camp have offices based in the UK and Ireland, but we have team members in the countries listed above. Do I need experience working with children? Any experience you have working with children will be a bonus – from voluntary groups, sports clubs, or work experience – but it’s not totally necessary. Even having a younger sibling can help your profile stand out! Camps typically hire people based on their personality and their skills. So if you’re an expert football coach, trainable or qualified lifeguard, or you have another specialist skill then Summer Camps will be interested in hiring you. There’s more information about the activities on offer at Summer Camp here. I have a US Passport, can I still go to camp? Amazing! Of course, we welcome applicants with US citizenship. Ultimately we still get you a summer in America, a camp placement, you come to all our pre departure orientation and get our expert service. You won’t need a visa to go over to the US, so you’ll save money by not needing a US Embassy appointment!
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14th September 2018 | FAQ
How old are the Campers? We work with more than 700 different Summer Camps in America and they’re all a bit different from each other. As a general rule, most camps cater to children between 6 and 16-years-old. However, specialist and Special Needs Summer Camps may offer opportunities for people with a wider age range. Can I take my medication at Camp? You can take your medical to Summer Camp, but you won’t be able to keep it on you. Instead, it’ll be kept with the Camp Nurse or at the camp’s health center. This is to help make sure none of the campers picks up your medication by mistake. What if I have specific dietary requirements? Most Summer Camps in America will be able to accommodate dietary requirements, but you need to give them a head’s up in advance. You’ll be able to list any dietary requirements you have on your application. It’s something you should mention to camp during an interview, too. Will there be WiFi at Camp? You probably won’t have access to WiFi most of the time while you’re at Summer Camp. Most camps promote ‘switching off’ and focusing on getting involved with all the fun and excitement on offer. The majority of camps have a staff area where you’ll be able to access phones and computers. That’ll mean you can keep in touch with friends and family back home. On your days and evenings off, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem finding somewhere off camp that has WiFi… like Starbucks! How do I prepare for camp life? Attending one of our mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation Meetings will help you get ready for camp. However, camp life is probably something new and exciting you’ve never experienced before, so just be ready for lots of fun, hard work, and be ready to just get stuck in when you arrive.
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