Each year USA Summer Camp recruits and supports hundreds of young people to have the summer of a lifetime working as a camp counsellor at summer camps across the USA. Everyone who goes will tell you there are so many great reasons as to why you should take up one of our camp counsellor jobs this summer. You will create unforgettable memories, get to experience so many new things and forge friendships that will last a lifetime.
So what’s holding you back from applying to work as a camp counsellor next summer?
If you are still thinking about it, here are our top 10 reasons as to why you should be Camp Counsellor next summer.
In your role as a camp counsellor you will gain invaluable international employment experience. You are not only leaving your home country for 3 months to undertake this new job, but you will also get to work with people from every corner of the world. In this role you will be exposed to different cultures, ways of working and brand new experiences. All of these things will enrich your role as a camp counsellor and will help you grow as a person. This experience is a great addition to your CV and will make you stand out from other candidates when applying for jobs in the future.
Your role as a camp counsellor may or may not be related to your future career but the skills you learn in this role will benefit you in any future role you may have. There are so many skills that you will develop while working at camp, including confidence, communication, leadership and creativity. Along with learning how to run and organise programs and have challenging conversations. All of these skills set you up well for future roles you may have, and will be a great addition to any future job applications.
Within your role as a camp counsellor you will have ample opportunities to travel during the summer. You will not only get to explore the state where you camp is located during your free time, but once you finish up at camp you will have 30 days to explore the US as well with your new camp friends. This is the perfect opportunity to tick off some of your dream destinations on your bucket list – you can wander through the big cities of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, adventure through the national parks out west or chill on the beaches of Florida. The opportunities are endless, you will get to see some incredible and unique locations all while creating some unforgettable memories with your new camp friends.
As part of your role as a camp counsellor you will quickly become a role model for lots of campers throughout the summer. Some will be in your cabin while others will be in the activities you are leading, but for all of them you will be someone they look up to. Being from another country they will ask you lots of questions about where you are from and what your country is like. They are very interested in learning about you as it is not everyday they get to have a camp counsellor from halfway around the world.
One of the greatest parts about being a camp counsellor is that you get to spend the summer outdoors. All of the camps we work with are in rural areas of the United States, with the majority sitting on the edge of magnificent lakes. Each day you will get to spend time outdoors in the sun, playing and leading activities around camp. Sometimes it may not even feel like you are working because you are simply having the best time.
As a camp counsellor you will get to try so many new things at camp. From activities to food, you will get to try it all. We encourage all of our participants to take every opportunity they have to try new things – some of the new things our participants have tried over the years are fried butter sticks at the State Fair, Water skiing on the lake and even co-leading a camping trip for the first time. So if you’re looking to try new things and open your potential, being a camp counsellor is the job for you!
In your role you will be working with your fellow camp counsellors in close proximity throughout the summer, because of this you will forge close friendships and connections fairly quickly during staff week and throughout the summer. You may not realise it but by the end of the summer you will have made best friends for life as you are all like-minded individuals who wanted the summer of a lifetime and to travel the USA. The friendships you form is what makes it so difficult to say goodbye at the end of the summer, making you want to return to camp year after year. So it’s a good thing that USA Summer Camp can support you with your returner application when you land back home!
Sometimes the real world can be tough, and at camp you have the opportunity to try something and unplug for just a moment. You will get to spend time outdoors either by the lake or in a forest, disconnect from your phone and the real world for just a minute to fully immerse yourself in your role as a camp counsellor. You will get to check in with loved ones at home and reconnect to what is important to you when you have the chance but you’ll be so busy having the best time you will want to get back to it fairly quickly.
One of our favourite things at camp is sitting around the campfire, singing songs and roasting marshmallows for s’mores. We don’t get to do this very much in the UK or Ireland, but it is one of our favourite memories. You will get to do this regularly throughout the summer but each campfire will be uniquely special. So savour every moment, and you will have the best time with your campers and fellow counsellors.
Your time as a camp counsellor may be short, but you will feel a profound sense of pride and achievement when you begin reflecting on your summer. The impact you will have on the camp community, campers and your fellow counsellors will be immense. You may never know the true impact you had, but your campers will. They will remember you forever as their international counsellor from the summer of 2023, which there is something profoundly special about.
We know it can be daunting taking the first step in applying for such an international experience, but we can guarantee that you will have the summer of a lifetime as a camp counsellor in the USA next summer. So take the leap and apply today for one of the thousands of camp counsellor roles in the United States and Canada available this summer with USA Summer Camp!
