Benefits of Being a Camp Counselor Insight from the experts

By the time kids are teens, summer camp options and interest may seem limited. Help them flip the script and reframe the camp experience as a counselor instead. Teens who work at summer camps gain valuable experience, insight, growth, friendships and more. Plus, sometimes the work comes with a paycheck.

Parents of Tweens:

Kids aren’t quite old enough yet?

Many camps have junior counselors or counselor-in-training programs for tweens. Be sure to ask!

Read on for insight from former youth camp counselors with a variety of experiences.

A Job You’ll Love

Many teens enjoy the nostalgia of returning to a favorite camp as a counselor.

Lily, 17, of San Carlos—Girl Scout camp counselor

“I love participating in all the fun activities I used to do as a camper. I’m able to teach topics I care about like camping, hiking and outdoor skills. It’s also more fun to spend summers outside making new friends and learning new things, than cooped up inside.”

Anna, 19, of Del Cerro—Worked at her church’s overnight camp in the mountains

“I love being part of a thriving community that offers fun adventures in nature. Having the opportunity to meet and learn from people of all ages from all over the world has been mindopening and such a cool experience.”

Kayla, a high school senior from San Carlos—Cheer camp coach

“As teens, we often lose our sense of wonder. But as counselors, we watch over kids who still have that innocence. Counseling was so much fun because I was surrounded by kids who were genuinely happy and excited. It’s inspiring to see kids eager to be the best athletes they can be.”

Leah, a grad student—served at a Camp Fire nature camp

“Teens should consider being camp counselors because there are very few times in your life after high school and college where you’ll have time to be outside all day every day, and the work involves having fun and being silly.”

Jack, 17, of La Mesa—Camp counselor at a local museum

“I have so many fond memories from summer camp; from silly songs to designing our own rockets, volunteering was a great chance to give back.”

Learn & Grow

“Working with kids helped me become a better listener,” says Jack. “I took the time to listen to kids and ask questions about their favorite projects or memories of each day. Being supportive and encouraging was rewarding.”

Braydon, 17, of Vista—Youth soccer camp coach

“Coaching helped me approach my own mistakes in a more kind, constructive way, like I would with my students. Now when I make a mistake during a game or a test, I notice my errors, and determine how I can improve, rather than just criticize myself.”

Jakob, 19, of Carlsbad—Boy Scout camp leader

“My leadership and social skills have improved incredibly from my camp counselor position. I’m more confident, and have improved my critical thinking and public speaking skills. I’ve applied this in my daily life at work, as captain on my volleyball team, and leading Boy Scout activities.”

Kayla sees the camp counselor role as a way to make a difference. “Counselors help the team bond. It takes a good balance of stepping in and letting friendships grow naturally, but with your support even the most unlikely pairs find each other during camp.”

She’s especially proud of teaching campers skills that foster inclusivity and forming new friendships. “The kids see you as a role model…you can be a light for them this summer to create fun memories that will last a lifetime.”

Anna reflects on counselor training. “You really get to bond with your coworkers before working together,” she says. “It helped me open up to new situations, gain leadership skills and gave me good ideas to help address problems.”

Tips for Sticky Situations

“You will have to troubleshoot weird things you never thought could come up,” says Leah. “Once I had to have a conversation with a girl about proper hygiene… when it came to period products. Super yuck! The best way to handle these things is to ask the camp director for help. They have dealt with so many wild things before and are there to support you.”

“I had a kid in my group who refused to listen to any coach and was disruptive,” says Braydon. “I took him aside and competed with him one-on- one. Because he wanted to improve and win against me, this technique worked. Working with challenging students taught me to be a persistent problem solver.”

“When you get into situations where someone misbehaves, it’s important to stick with a system,” says Jakob. “Typically, my groups have a threestrike rule. If a kid misbehaves multiple times a day, we notify parents about the behavior and potentially take away privileges, like being able to play some games.”

San Diego County has tons of volunteer camp counselor opportunities for teens! Spending a summer (or more than one) as a camp counselor has a host of benefits, including leadership training and life skills; plus, it’s an excellent experience to include on college applications. But don’t wait—some programs have application deadlines in April. v

Cherie Gough is a freelance writer living in East County San Diego with her family.