• Positions Available: 1
o Outdoor Education Counsellor (spring season)
o Summer Camp Counsellor
o One-on-One Support Counsellor
o Leadership Development / Expedition Counsellor
• Start Dates: Early May or Late June, until August 30, 2024

SITUATION: Join YMCA-YWCA Camp Thunderbird, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, near Sooke, BC and help shape tomorrow’s leaders through outdoor adventure and wilderness immersion! We offer both overnight and day camp programs. With 1200 acres of wilderness and a commitment to excellence, our camp provides children and youth with skills, confidence, and appreciation for the natural environment. Activities include canoeing, rock climbing, kayaking, archery, orienteering, ropes courses, lake swimming, games, campfires, drama, and more … don’t have these skills yet? Not to worry… we will train you!
• You'll be part of a tight-knit and caring team.
• You'll lead activities, teach skills, facilitate safety, build community, and promote inclusion.
• You’ll also get:
❖ staff special events such as evening socials (build your own sundae, nacho night etc.)
❖ excellent food including: bottomless salad bar at lunch and dinner (breakfast bar too); homemade pizza, chili, curry, burgers, and more; dessert after every dinner, evening snacks.
❖ free membership to the YMCA-YWCA gym and pool facilities.
❖ 4% vacation pay on top of your daily wage.

What you’ll need before work starts:
❖ a clear police information check, with Vulnerable Sector Screening
❖ Standard First Aid with CPR-C
❖ experience working with children.

What you will be doing:
• Counsellors work in pairs and are responsible for meeting the emotional, physical and safety needs of a group of up to 10 campers, age 5-15.
• Live in rustic cabins or yurts with a co-counsellor and the camper group.
• Planning and delivering group programs, enthusiastically leading campers in all activities and camp-wide games and provide for the individual and group needs of children, up to 24 hours/day.
• Managing group dynamics and behavior of the group to ensure all campers feel supported, safe, and included.
• Following YMCA Camping and BCCA accreditation standards in program delivery– part of the training!
• Promoting and role modeling the YMCA-YWCA core values: honesty, caring, respect, responsibility and inclusion.
• Demonstrating, promoting and role modeling exceptional interpersonal skills, and a love of working with children and youth.
• Seeking help from a supervisor when it’s necessary. They are there to help!

Some details on qualifications:
Counsellors and One-on-One Support Counsellors:
• Experience working with children in a day or overnight camp, childcare, educational or recreational setting is an asset.
• High School Graduation and post-secondary education/courses are an asset.
• Current Wilderness First Aid an asset.
• Hiking, Canoeing, Kayaking, Rock Climbing certifications an asset (training provided)
• Current Bronze Cross or National Lifeguard (NL) certification is valued (those with NL will earn a higher wage than those with equivalent experience but without NL).

Leadership Development Counsellors (please also see Expedition Leaders job posting):
• Extensive experience working with children in a wilderness environment is required.
• Completed High School required, with post-secondary education/courses an asset.
• Current SKGABC Assistant Overnight Guide Certification is required.
• Current 40-hour Wilderness First Aid and CPR C Certification is required. Current Bronze Cross or National Lifeguard (NL) certification is valued (those with NL will earn a higher wage than those with equivalent experience but without NL).