Summer Day Camp Counselor 2025 - Irving Park YMCA

Ymcachicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

An established community organization is seeking enthusiastic Summer Day Camp Counselors for 2025. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead and inspire youth through engaging activities while developing your own leadership skills. Counselors will create a safe and fun environment, ensuring that campers have a memorable summer filled with adventure and learning. If you are passionate about working with children and enjoy outdoor activities, this position is perfect for you. Join us in shaping the future of our youth while making lasting memories and friendships in a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older and have a passion for working with diverse youth.
• Excellent verbal communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead recreational activities and ensure a positive camper experience.
• Monitor campers' safety and provide corrective coaching as necessary.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Creativity

Teamwork

Childcare Experience

Education

High School Diploma

Experience in Camping or Recreation

Job description

Summer Day Camp Counselor 2025 - Irving Park YMCA

Job Category: Day Camp

Requisition Number: SUMME004607

Posted: January 16, 2025

Part-Time

On-site

Location

Irving Park YMCA
4251 W Irving Park
Chicago, IL 60641, USA

Lead the Fun, Shape the Future: Be a Summer Camp Counselor! Join us for the experience of a lifetime - the YMCA is hiring Summer Day Camp Counselors for 2025!

At the Y, we create an exciting, safe camp environment for kids and staff to have an unforgettable summer. While campers are taking part in unique experiences and adventures, our Summer Day Camp Counselors are developing leadership skills and confidence while making lasting friendships and memories.

Pay starts at $17.90 per hour, Monday-Friday schedule

The Summer Day Camp Counselor serves as a professional role model for our campers by leading through example and guiding campers through recreational activities that teach life skills, encourage healthy and safe behaviors, and create a positive camper experience. The Summer Camp Counselor ensures that each youth has adequate supervision, including ensuring that no youth is unsupervised at any time.

As a Summer Day Camp Counselor, you are responsible to:

• Promote the YMCA, provide excellent customer service and create an outstanding camper experience for children, parents, and families.
• Lead recreational activities with campers, including but not limited to arts and crafts, sports, social recreation, nature hikes, archery, and other games and hobbies.
• Instruct campers using various teaching methods and modify activities as needed to ensure that campers of all ages and experience levels are engaged.
• Teach socially acceptable behaviors to campers by serving as a role model and by using age-appropriate positive reinforcement and behavior management strategies.
• Communicate consistently with supervisors, team leaders, unit leaders, and other team members to ensure everyone is kept abreast of camp activities and schedules.
• Support camp activities as assigned by the supervisor, including any specialty camp activities.
• Ensure the physical and emotional health and safety of campers by being safety conscious, following all established YMCA standards, and critically evaluating situations for potential risks.
• Ensure compliance with established rules and regulations to ensure safety.
• Monitor campers and counselors and provide corrective coaching and intervention as necessary.
• Set up facilities and/or equipment for activities and store equipment appropriately after use, working to keep camp facilities clean at all times.

What do you need to be a Summer Day Camp Counselor?

• A commitment to and a passion for working with diverse youth.
• Enjoy being outdoors, are creative, and are not afraid to work and play hard.
• Your experience in camping, childcare, education, recreation, sports, or related is a plus but not required.
• You will be 18 years of age or older by the start of camp.
• Excellent verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly and concisely present ideas and concepts and tailor communication to multiple audiences.
• Passion for working with diverse youth and ability to provide a high quality of instruction using age-appropriate practices.
• Proven ability to establish constructive relationships and interact as a positive role model.
• Continuous learner who leverages opportunities for learning and applies new knowledge and skills.
• Meets physical qualifications required as outlined in job description.
• The YMCA will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.

Child Abuse Prevention: Supports the YMCA’s commitment to child abuse prevention by:

• Reporting any items that may provide a health or safety hazard to staff, members, or guests to your supervisor.
• Following all policies and procedures related to keeping children safe in our facilities and programs, including those related to the monitoring and supervision of children.
• Reporting any suspicious behavior and violation of policy and procedures to your supervisor.
• Completing all child abuse prevention training as required.

Qualifications

Skills

Behaviors

Preferred

Team Player

Works well as a member of a group.

Leader

Inspires teammates to follow them.

Enthusiastic

Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest.

Motivations

Preferred

Self-Starter

Inspired to perform without outside help.

Flexibility

Inspired to perform well when granted the ability to set your own schedule and goals.

Ability to Make an Impact

Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization.