Is working a summer camp for me?

There are lots of conflicting opinions about summer camps. Below is all you need to know when considering working for one. Included are the pros and cons of working for popular camps such as CampAmerica.

Organisations such as CampAmerica have been around for years and are often considered reputable options. They have plenty of positive reviews and experience with foreign workers making them reliable options. They typically have easy registration processes and simple prerequisites. This means working for a summer camp could be perfect for you if you're interested in earning a little money whilst gaining work experience and meeting like-minded people. The systems at camps are also very desirable to new travellers given the benefits they provide. CampAmerica specifically will provide both your accommodation and food, taking a huge responsibility of your plate. They will also provide help with visa applications making the whole experience feel hassle free and even more simple.

Summer camps typically run over the main summer months with employment periods of about 9-10 weeks. Camps will prearrange your start and finish dates with you and usually have many different rolls you can apply for. You should apply for roles that will fit your personality and skills best. Roles can include;

• cook
• sports instructor/ coach (e.g. sailing)
• lifeguard
• maintenance worker
• Art assistant
• science coach

There are many more roles depending on the provider. Some will also offer the opportunity to work with special education children or with faith focused camps.

At campamerica the rolls are classified into two main categories. 'Campower' which helps with the behind the scenes running of the camp and 'camp counsellors' who concentrate on interactions with the kids. Some of these roles require no experience whilst others such as lifeguarding may require the appropriate qualifications. Due to the variety of roles you are sure to find atleast one that will be a good fit for you. One key note to bare in mind is in order to be a good camp counsellor you need to be somewhat socially keen as you will be interacting with the kids all day. So this isn't necessarily ideal for any huge introverts (that's me!). You will find plenty of more desirable roles under campowers if this also applies for you!

What is the pay like?

My major con to camp work is the poor salary. Some providers will organise flights from some major airports and the flight costs but in consequence will pay you a smaller salary. You can opt out of this system and get a slightly higher salary but it would be in exchange for worrying about organising your own flights and transfers. However, regardless of if you have the flights included or not, the payment for the amount of hours you end up working is minimal. It is important to weigh up all the influencing factors. If money is a big factor towards your final decision but you still like the idea of camp work, I recommend doing research into other camps such as Americamp or Bunac and avoiding campamerica. CampAmerica offers an even smaller salary after deductions compared to other camp providers.

It is also important to recognise that camp work typically has long hours, minimal time off during the employment period and can be held in an isolating area. These factors may not be an issue for you, but it's best to bare them in mind whilst making your decision.

Additional costs and visas?

If you are considering camps in America you must also account for pre-arrival fees associated with your visa, insurance etc. (some camps may help provide insurance). Depending on your country of origin is in normally required to obtain some sort of working visa to work for campamerica. Due to the quantity of foreign workers they have had in the past, they are very familiar with the visa application processes and will help you through your application as well. You must bare in mind as mentioned that the cost of the visa requirements is not typically covered and you must also have a valid passport. On this note however, a huge benefit to working with a summer camp is the remaining time on your visa can be used to travel the country. Usually the work visas will have 3-4 weeks remaining. Many will use this time and the money they have just earnt to explore the area with other camp workers they have met.

Overall summer camps are an easy option if you're not quite sure what to do with your gap year but know you want to get travelling. Here is a pro and con table to put all of the above simply: