Camp Counselor
Counselors are the heart and soul of Upward Bound Camp programs. In this role you will be stretched and challenged to lead yourself and lead others in a unique way as you support the needs of people with disabilities.
- Welcome campers & coworkers with intentionality.
- Build personal relationships with 2-5 campers each week
- Recognize and celebrate the strengths of each person
- Be curious about the life, goals, and dreams of others
- Provide Compassionate Care
- Support campers as necessary to complete activities of daily living and personal care (assist with showering, toileting, transfers, eating, etc.)
- Empathetically respond to others who are facing challenges
- Have eyes to see and meet the needs of others
- Invest in Discipleship
- Ask and respond to questions posed by others
- Be purposeful about your personal relationship with Christ or be open to developing a relationship with Christ
- Prepare and lead weekly devotionals
Skills Desired:
- Patience: the ability to sit with a person and seek mutual understanding, provide regular reminders, live at someone else's pace
- Active Listening & Communication Skills- our campers communicate in a variety of ways including verbal, nonverbal, and through augmented and alternative communication devices. It is important that you are open to communicating through your body, tone, and expression as well as your words.
- An open and flexible attitude: Camp is a dynamic and fast paced environment, meaning that one day will never be like the next. Counselors who are able to remain calm and confident when changes arise allow our campers to thrive!
- Willingness to share the Gospel- we are a faith based camp and hope that all campers will experience the love of God and hear the Truth while they are here.
**Counselors at Upward Bound receive up to 2 weeks of experiential training to equip them with the hard and soft skills necessary for their role including First Aid/CPR, Sexual Abuse Awareness Training, Oregon Food Handler's Certification, and archery instruction. Further, our staff are equipped with knowledge on the standard practices to provide personal care to people with a variety of support needs as well as skills in communication, and behavior management. We aim to build a positive and safe community for staff and campers where everyone is valued and celebrated for their unique skills and abilities.
Training and feedback are incredibly important to us throughout the summer as we continue to learn together. Through your time at Upward Bound Camp you will be uniquely equipped to lead and love others, solve complex problems, and communicate effectively to a variety of audiences!