Summer Day Camp Counselor

NOW HIRING FOR SUMMER 2024! Caledonia YMCA Day Camps are nestled right into the heart of the town at Caledonia Elementary School. We are able to best take advantage of the quaint downtown staples being within walking distance! Our location allows us to settle kids into classrooms they are familiar with and can help customize and own! The kids enjoy their annual Brink's Ice Cream visit along with our frequent jaunts to Caledonia's Lakeside Park, Duncan Lake's trails, as well as the Caledonia High School Track and Field stadium. Caledonia YMCA has partnered with many greater grand rapids vendors and field trip locations such as the Caledonia Fire Station, Caledonia Branch Library, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Stormy the Magician, and more growing each year. There is never a dull day with our mastery contests, scavenger hunts, Cook It Up activities and so much more!

OUR CULTURE:

Guiding Principles describe our behaviors to support our organization’s work throughout its life in all circumstances, irrespective of changes in goals, strategies, and leadership. Our Guiding Principles are as follows: We CULTIVATE-We grow staff and volunteer leaders who will be stewards of the Y mission, resources, and opportunities. We OWN-We think long-term and act on behalf of the organization, beyond our own team. We WELCOME-We are inclusive of all people and all communities. We SERVE-We provide timely and excellent service to members, volunteers, community, and each other. We LEARN-We are never done learning and always seek to improve. We are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them. We UNITE-We work together to achieve big goals and speak as one voice. We RESPECT-We treat others with kindness and speak positively about other people in all situations. We PLAY-We celebrate, appreciate, and have fun!

The YMCA of Great Grand Rapids utilizes a Membership By Design framework, which is a member involvement and community building model for YMCAs across the country. All staff members—front-line, management, full- and part-time—and volunteers have a role to play in member engagement. These responsibilities can be broken into six steps:

1. Enrollment: Staff and volunteers encourage potential members to enroll in programs and activities that meet their needs.
2. Satisfaction: Staff and volunteers ask members continually about their satisfaction with a program or activity, track responses, listen to suggestions, and respond promptly in a manner consistent with the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
3. Relationship Building: Staff and volunteers are open, friendly, and approachable to all YMCA members and participants. Staff and volunteers initiate interaction with and between members.
4. Education and Conversion: Staff and volunteers know about and share their knowledge of the YMCA, its programs, its policies, its mission, its values, and how it benefits members and the community.
5. Volunteerism and Leadership: Staff and volunteers create opportunities for members to volunteer in their areas of interest, and they ask members to do so whenever appropriate.
6. Ownership: Staff and volunteers encourage members to “own” the YMCA, using words such as “we,” “us,” and “our association” (and actions that match those words) to include members as well as staff and volunteers.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Day Camp Counselor is responsible for leading and implementing engaging and fun activities for youth grades Kindergarten to 7th, in a small group setting. They will also be responsible for the general safety and development, growth, and skill achievement of the participants in his/her group. The Day Camp Counselor will provide high quality indoor/outdoor educational and recreational experiences for youth that focus on the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and inclusion. This is a seasonal position that runs from early June through mid/late August. Day camp programming operates Monday – Friday, 7:00am-6:00pm. Staff shifts vary.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Organize and lead a variety of small and large group activities each week. Activities may include crafts, nature, songs, games, opening and closing ceremonies, swimming, archery, canoeing. This includes time spent on the bus.
• Accompany campers along with
• Identify and respond to camper behavior issues.
• Ensure that identified camp spaces are kept clean, organized, and free of litter.
• Communicate with parents about participant’s experiences and report concerns to camp leadership.
• Assist in maintaining accurate program records including incident reports, logbook documentation, and daily attendance.
• Know and understand ALL emergency procedures associated with the camp program.
• Know, enforce, and follow all safety guidelines associated with the camp and all program areas. This includes but is not limited to being responsible for your campers’ safety and their whereabouts at all times.

Performs any other functions necessary for the smooth and efficient operation of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids Association

COMPENSATION

$14.20 - $17.75 ; Seasonal, Non Exempt (up to 40 hours/week)

BENEFITS:

• Free YMCA Individual Membership
• 10% retirement contribution upon eligibility, learn more here.
• 403(b) retirement savings account
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program and resources for you and your family
• Community Discounts, and more!

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Education classes or experiences in camp, youth programs, recreation, working with children, or in a related field.
• Ability to lead, organize, and implement program activities.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and the ability to accomplish tasks with the little direct supervision.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Must have the physical ability to lead and participate in camp activities which include, but are not limited to swimming, team building initiatives, physical games, and activities.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATION

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (required)
• First Aid Certification required within the first 60 days
• AED-Oxygen Certification required within the first 60 days
• Blood Borne Pathogen training
• State of Michigan criminal background clearance (ICHAT)
• Fingerprinting
• Negative TB test
• DHS Clearance

YMCA LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:

Functional Expertise

• Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.
• Uses best practices, guidelines, and industry standards as a framework to improve performance.

Developing Self & Others

• Supports members, participants, or project teams in achieving their goals.
• Reflects on and learns from successes and mistakes.
• Proactively shares information, experiences, lessons learned, and suggestions to help others be more successful.
• Volunteers for challenging tasks or projects in an effort to grow and develop.
• Solicits and is open to informal learning opportunities to gain insight (e.g., performance feedback, coaching, and stretch assignments).

Inclusion

• Embraces all dimensions of diversity (i.e., ability, age, culture, ethnicity, faith, gender, gender identity, income, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, etc.) by treating all people with dignity, compassion, and respect.
• Creates a safe environment in which others feel welcome and respected.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

TRAVEL

0-5% of local travel within the state of Michigan; occasional out-of-state travel may be required for educational conferences or training