Summer camps are a real North American tradition. Each year thousands of children aged 6 to 16 look forward to spending anywhere between 1 to 9 weeks at summer camp. It’s their time to break loose – to enjoy themselves, have fun, make friends, try new things and get looked after by a lot of people with funny accents!
Life at camp is intense – it’s hard work, and in a very short space of time camp becomes your world…and each world is different, because each camp is different.
Camp America works with the following types of camps:
Private/Independent camps
These camps are the flagships of the great summer camp tradition and many have been around for a long time, some have even been passed down through the generations in families. They are privately owned, offer extensive facilities and are expensive for campers to attend. An emphasis is placed on the facilities, and a huge range of sports and arts activities will be on offer – which means there will be plenty for both you and the kids to enjoy!
Special Needs Camps
These camps provide for children and/or adults who have a variety of needs. Different camps usually cater to campers with different needs, whether they are learning or emotional needs or physical or mental disabilities. These camps tend to have a very high staff to camper ratio. Counsellors often tell us that it is a challenging but rewarding role. Prior experience is a plus with staff in high demand, however it it not usually a requirement for all camps.
Faith Camps
There a are generally 2 types of faith camps. Some are “faith lite” – where the focus is fully on giving the kids a great summer experience. At some camps, faith will play a central role that serves to unite the camp’s community, with services and faith studies comprising a significant part of life at camp. Often belief in the faith is not a pre-requisite for counsellors, however, being respectful and willing to learn about the faith of others is essential.
Disadvantaged Camps
The children who visit these camps are generally from an urban, low income, difficult or homeless background. They’re given the chance to spend a couple of weeks in the countryside, which they may not have seen before. Camps are funded by local authorities, charities or agencies. Counsellors at disadvantaged camps find their experience to be extremely rewarding.
Girl Scout Camp
These all girl camps are about fun filled outdoor living, making new friends and learning new skills. The accommodation is usually platform tents and they’re quite similar to what girl scouts do in Australia. Activities can range from hiking and orienteering to waterfront activities like canoeing and kayaking and team building with songs around camp fires before bed time.
Day Camps
Days camps are usually the same as any other camp, with one key difference. The children don’t sleep at camp. Usually days camps are children from the local area spending time at camp for a full range of activities during the day returning home at night. Staff may live at camp or with local families with the evenings free. Camps generally run for 10 weeks.
