Job Posting

Are you looking to connect, belong and thrive this summer? 

Do you want to be part of and contribute to a positive, collaborative , respectful and inclusive staff culture ?

The opportunity to join Camp Winston’s frontline summer staff team, give young professionals valuable skill-building experience, practical training and a network of colleagues and friends that cannot be easily replicated in traditional working environments. From sing-alongs in the dining hall and water sports on the lake, to campfire chats with smor-e-o’s and meaningful connections with youth who need support the most; Our amazing team is focused on individualized and meaningful support for neurodiverse youth. You will join a group of 70 staff and embark on a bright and diverse adventure to ensure youth who are unable to access the magic of traditional summer camp settings, based on their complex needs, have the best summer of their lives.

From first responders and social workers to educators and human services professionals, as well as individual’s starting out their career in supporting a neurodiverse population, Camp Winston team members thrive on opportunities to grow personally and professionally. The youth that Camp Winston serves are aged between 7 and 17, and are often with us for the full 10 years they are eligible to attend. They are unique, bright and wonderful individuals, who have often struggled to fit into other settings based on the complexity of their needs. The Youth we serve have multiple, complex, neurobiological conditions, including, but not limited to; Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD/ADD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), Learning Disabilities, Processing Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). 

Job Description: Join our front-line team caring for youth with complex neurobiological conditions in a summer camp environment.  Your daily responsibilities will be caring for children and fostering relationships with the youth to support them with their personal, emotional and social goals during their two-week sessions.  You’ll be responsible for the care and support of 3-5 children at a time with staff teams of 5-6 members. We hire mature young professionals in post-secondary school with a wide range of personal and professional passions. Kindness, humour, flexibility, and camper-focused are the core qualities of our counsellors. 

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Support the youth in achieving their goals, collaborating with team members as needed
• Implement individualized care plans for campers as created by the leadership team 
• Review camper’s files prior to arrival to understand their care needs and goals
• Communicating with Care Coordinators and Care Leads on youth’s needs and wellbeing
• Build meaning relationships with campers, building rapport, trust and reliability
• Support campers with personal hygiene and care, including, but not limited to bathing & toileting etc. 
• Welcome youth & their caregivers, supporting with transitions to and from camp
• Create an emotionally & physically safe environment
• Implement proactive plans to ensure youth are set up for success
• Creating a fun & inclusive environment, ensuring youth have the best possible experience
• Encourage participation in recreational activities & programs, modeling this by participating as well
• Responsible for the care & cleanliness of youth’s belongings & living spaces 
• Working 1:1 with some youth, while in other situations working as a team with multiple youth at one time
• Diffuse conflict between youth using Camp Winston Skills & de-escalation techniques 
• Implement safety & crisis response protocols
• Participate in safety & emergency response scenarios & training drills
• Follow policies, training guidelines, best practices & protocols. 
• Each staff member has duty report any concerns of abuse, self-harm or breeches to camp code of conduct, policies & protocols
• Mentor campers by leading by example – appropriate language, work ethic, co-living etiquette, daily hygiene and self care practices and demonstrating emotional regulation
• Completing emergency laundry as needed 

Camp Winston reserves the right to re-assign the duties of an employee at any time to ensure the safety of our campers, teens and staff. Job may include “other duties as assigned.”

Provided Training Opportunities:

• 10 Day Training session prior to camp prepares our team to support our campers confidently. During training week you will obtain: 
  • CPI Certification (Non-violent crisis Intervention)
  • Mental Health First Aid training
  • Youth support & complex communication & strategies techniques
  • Overview & understanding of Neurobiological disorders
  • Understanding of Care Standards & The Winston Way
  • Orientation of the organization

Essential Qualifications & Experience: 

• Min. Age 18 y/o 
• Ability, and willingness to deliver person-centered care, always putting the youth’s safety and experience  first
• First Aid & CPR Certified – St.John’s Ambulance & Canadian Red Cross
• Enjoys working with Children and Teen’s and interest in Child/Teen Development
• Willingness to obtain CPI training (provided by Camp Winston), and deliver crisis intervention when needed
• Proof of current vaccinations, including COVID-19 
• Satisfactory police record and vulnerable sector check
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to resolve conflict and work with a variety of personalities
• Ability to set and achieve personal goals, as well as participate in team ones
• Collaborative relationship-builder
• Enjoys, and willingness to, work outside in a rustic camp environment
• Ability to live on site for the duration of the contract
• Willingness to abide with Public Health recommendations and standards

Qualifications & Experience Considered an Asset:

• Professional or lived experience of neurodiverse population
• Experience working with trauma informed care 
• Relevant post-secondary education
• Insurable licensed driver with a clean driver abstract & willingness to use vehicle for business purposes
• NLS Certification or equivalent
• Ontario Boaters License, Swim Instructors Course
• Watersports experience
• Out tripping experience
• Ropes Course Certification
• Arts, Music & Drama, experience
• Sports and Active Recreation experience
• Nature, Gardening & Animal experience 

Location, Hours, Work Environment & Compensation:

• Live onsite at Camp Winston (1147 River lane Pvt. Kilworthy, ON) from June – August 2023
• Total Gross Summer compensation: $ 8,100.
• Room and Board deductions (based on 67 days at $60/day): $ 4,020
• June 2023 – August 30th 2023
• Scheduled Days Off between sessions: June 23rd & 24th, July 9th & 10th, July 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th & 29th, August 13th & 14th
• Comfortable with Camp Dynamics of living on-site at your place of work
• Co-living with a roommate; capable of being a respectful and courteous roommate
• All meals will be provided (on & off shifts), and individualized meal plans are available (vegetarian, vegan, GF/DF, etc.)
• Full access to all camp amenities when off shift 
• Staff Lounge, Wifi and Computer Access, Staff Parties and Activities to celebrate the team

What We Offer & Our Culture:

• We pride ourselves on providing unparalleled training and hands on experience to support individuals with multiple and complex neurodiverse diagnosis
• We operate the Camp Winston Foundation and its programs with Fun, Stability, Accountability, Reliability and Compassion as guiding principles

• We always lead by example, act in a respectful and effective manner with all people, in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values of Camp Winston
• We uphold a high standard of professionalism as outlined in the Code of Conduct
• We pick up the phone, we encourage relationships and understand that much more can be accomplished through conversation and listening  
• We embrace and encourage diversity in our team to people of all cultures, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, faiths and religions in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values the worth of individuals, families and communities
• We maintain a safe and healthy work environment by following standards and procedures; complying with legal codes and regulations
• We continually seek growth, optimization and improvement to offer the very best care possible to our campers
• Based on our population and their vulnerabilities and behaviours, we have a zero-tolerance policy in the code of conduct with regards to recreational drug and alcohol usage on site
• Confidentiality and discretion when supporting colleagues, campers and teens

About Camp Winston:

Located on Sparrow Lake in the Muskoka region of Ontario, Camp Winston is a unique retreat for children with complex neurobiological conditions who need highly specialized support. At Camp Winston, children have the opportunity to escape their ordinary and often challenging daily lives, connect with others in a way they’ve never experienced, and build life-long skills with the help and support of the dedicated and passionate Camp Winston staff. In most cases, for the first time in their lives, Camp Winston campers feel welcomed, connected, and secure enough to participate without fear of rejection or alienation. Camp Winston’s primary goal is to set these special children up for success. Learn more about Camp Winston at www.campwinston.com.

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter to mail@campwinston.com