Job Description

Job Summary:

The Trail Counselor is responsible for leadership in group facilitation and wilderness camping for groups of teenagers, families, or adults.

2. Essential Functions:

• Provide professional leadership and instruction to all campers
• Provide instruction in wilderness camping, canoeing, and backpacking, during overnight trips
• Participate in camp programs, such as campfires, group singing, and games
• Guide and influence the trail group's social interaction and personal growth
• Observe camper behavior, assess its appropriateness, and apply the necessary behavior-management techniques
• Promote the core values - Honesty, Caring, Respect and Responsibility
• Enforce safety and health regulations and emergency procedures
• Complete all paperwork including camper evaluations, parent letters and trip reports etc. in timely, high-quality manner
• Participate in routine camp maintenance, facility upkeep and other duties as assigned

3. Relationships:

This position reports to both the Program Director and Executive Director. Trail Counselors need to maintain professional, positive working relationships with the entire camp team including kitchen staff, office and support staff and other trail counselors.

4. Qualifications:

Required:

• Required certifications (may be acquired after hire but cannot lead groups until all certifications are complete):

• Lifeguard certification plus waterfront skills.We ecognize and accepts certifications from the following institutions: American Red Cross, YMCA, Star Guard, and Boy Scouts of America
• Basic Life Support/CPR for the Professional Rescuer (renewed annually). Must include adult, child, and infant 1 and 2 person and use of an AED. We recognize and accepts certifications from the following institutions: American Safety and Health Institute BLS, American Red Cross BLS or CPR for the Professional Rescuer, American Heart Association Basic Life Support.
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR). We recognize and accepts a WFR certification from a variety of institutions as long as they meet certain requirements. A full course must be at least 70 hours with a practical in-person component, must be called a “Wilderness First Responder” certification, and the institution providing the certification must have a medical director who is an MD and advises on the curriculum.

• Experience or education in wilderness programs, camp, youth programs, or related field
• Training or skills in wilderness camping, canoeing, backpacking, and/or trip planning
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Rock Guide: requires documented climbing experience
• River Guide: requires the physical ability to perform swimming and canoe rescues
• Backpack Guide: requires the physical ability to perform trail rescues and first aid

Preferred:

• 1 year experience in wilderness or camp counseling or related field
• Leadership experience with groups of youth
• One or two summers camp counseling
• Wilderness camping experience

5. Work Conditions:

• Ability to communicate and work with groups of campers, adults and families
• Visual, auditory, and decision-making ability to calmly and effectively identify and respond to environmental, human and other hazards related to remote travel.
• Ability to lift and carry canoe and/or backpack weighing up to 100 lbs in rough and hilly terrain for extended periods of time.
• Ability to live and work outside in a wide variety of conditions including extreme weather.

6. Additional Notes:

At all times the Trail Counselor must keep the safety and enriching experience of the campers in the forefront of their thoughts and actions.

This job description represents the major functions of the position but is not intended to be all-inclusive. The Trail Counselor is also responsible for taking direction from the Executive Director and Program Director or their representatives in completing projects or performing duties deemed necessary for the Branch or Association success.

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