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Summer Day Camp Counselor 2025 - Kelly Hall YMCA

Job Category: Day Camp

Requisition Number: SUMME004608

Posted: January 16, 2025

Location: Kelly Hall YMCA
824 N Hamlin
Chicago, IL 60651, USA

Pay: Starts at $17.90 per hour, Monday-Friday schedule

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.

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.

Responsibilities:

• 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 schedule.
• Support camp activities as assigned by 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 fields 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.