Day Camp Co-Director

Upgrade your skills in Fundraising, Marketing, Leadership, and more.
All 100% Free!

Closes in 24 days (Wed, 15 Jan 2025)
Canada summer jobs / summer students • $21-24/hour, DOE

Location: Primarily South Vancouver with some work in Coquitlam and East Vancouver

Application Deadline: Application Review will start January 15th.

The Position

Do you have what it takes to make summer camp magic? Can you help campers through conflict, support staff in becoming amazing leaders, track which families still need to send in their forms, and find the missing box of sidewalk chalk, all before lunch? Does spending your summer eating delicious kid-made food on a farm sound outstanding? You may be just the person we’re looking for!

The Day Camp Co-Directors work closely with one another and the Director of Experiential Learning Programs to run our 8-week Camp Fresh Roots day camp. They provide direct oversight for all aspects of the camp to create a joyful, supportive environment for campers and staff, including:

• Planning camp activities and schedules
• Supervising, training and mentoring 8 young adult camp staff
• Regular communication with camp families
• Handling camper behaviour incidents with care and thought for all involved
• Managing supplies and purchasing, etc.

If it happens at camp, the Camp Co-Directors are in charge of it!

In May and June, they will also facilitate spring field trips on our Vancouver farms.

This position is perfect for someone with experience as a day or resident camp director, assistant director, or program specialist with some managerial experience and a passion for creating fun, engaging, and inclusive environments for kids and staff alike.

About Camp Fresh Roots

Camp Fresh Roots is an inclusive, risk-aware, all-outdoor day camp for kids ages 4-12. Since 2018, we’ve focused on developing youth leadership through growing, cooking, and sharing delicious food, and building deep connections with food, land, and community. For more information, please visit freshroots.ca/camp. 2025 program information will be available in January before applications are due.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications

• 1-2 summers of experience as a camp director or assistant director, or program specialist with managerial experience, or equivalent experience working with kids and managing programs and staff
• Confident and comfortable leading and teaching groups of kids and youth, from ages 4 through young adult
• Experience working with diverse populations, including kids/youth with exceptionalities, especially ADHD and autism
• Experience and comfort with managing conflict and disruptive behaviours in a supportive way with a focus on opportunities for learning and growth
• Experience managing emergency situations, including using first aid and ensuring proper communication with all relevant parties
• Commitment to Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. English fluency required.
• Able to prioritize tasks and keep track of many details at once.
• Comfortable working with web-based technology and willing to learn new systems
• Physically able and happy to work outdoors in all conditions for up to 8 hours a day and lift and carry up to 25 lbs.
• Able to pass a criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations
• Current Standard First Aid with CPR-C or better and FoodSafe certification will be required before programs start. Fresh Roots can cover costs for these if needed.
• This position is funded through Canada Summer Jobs; in order to qualify for funding the applicant must be less than 30 years old, and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or have refugee status. Minimum age for this position is 19.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience cooking and gardening/farming, especially experience teaching those skills to kids
• Knowledge of local Indigenous plants and ecologies
• Confident navigating tricky conversations with kids around topics such as race, culture, gender identity, etc.
• Experience using plants as art/craft materials
• Experience managing budgets and inventories
• Able to speak additional languages. Languages frequently spoken in our communities include Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Punjabi, Farsi, French, and Ukrainian.
• Driver’s License (Class 5 or better); access to a vehicle a plus

Hours: Average of 40 hours/week; some weeks may be up to 48 hours, especially in July.

Schedule: Monday - Friday, typically 8:15/8:30am-5:00pm. Some evening and/or weekend hours will be needed in July and August.

Pay Rate: $21-24/hour, DOE.

Benefits: 4% additional pay in lieu of vacation; 5 days sick time; extra paid day off August 5.

How to Apply

Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.

Apply directly through our site with a resume/description of past experience and your choice of: a short cover letter (500 words max) uploaded as a document, OR an introduction video (3 minutes max) linked in the “website, blog, or portfolio” line.

Your cover letter or video should introduce yourself and share why you are a good fit for this position. Please let your passion and personality shine!

Please note that we are not judging videos based on your video editing skills, and neither videos nor cover letters are preferred. Choose the option that is best for you.

We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.