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Nature Camp Counselor Intern

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Do you love working with children? Do you love the outdoors, nature, and hiking? Are you passionate about children's books, reading, and writing, and do you want to make learning fun for kids? How about combining your passions into a fun camp counselor opportunity?

 

At Inspire Behavioral Learning, LLC, we are looking for teen camp counselors and college/university student camp counselors to intern for seasonal day camps. Interns learn to work with kids in grades K-5 in Call of the Wild Camps in Oakland, Berkeley, and Cupertino, CA. Our nature camps are for kids to hike, read, write, explore, learn, and play in forests of the Bay Area!

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Our ideal nature camp counselors are outgoing, friendly, dynamic, creative, fun, energetic, and dependable outdoor lovers who are eager to inspire and gain experience with elementary school kids. The #1 preferred quality is eagerness and openness to learn and develop your skill set. Students interested in future careers in education and environmental science are encouraged to apply!

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SCHEDULE: 

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• Training: the week before camps begin, minimum 3 day attendance mandatory; ongoing training during camps.

• Camp Sessions: ​​

  • Fall camp in Oakland: November 25-27

  • Spring camp in Oakland: March 31-April 4

  • Summer camps in Oakland and Berkeley: June-August

  • Summer camp in Cupertino/Los Altos Hills: dates TBD

• Intern Hours:​

  • Full day 8:30 AM-4:30 PM

  • Half day option: 8:30 AM-12:30 PM

  • Half day option: 12:30 PM-4:30 PM ​

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ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

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• Actively participate in and complete intern training the week before camp and ongoing training during camps

• Develop internship goals, and actively participate in weekly 1:1 training with the camp trainer 

• Punctually and reliably attend scheduled hours, rain or shine

• Safely lead hikes for K-5th graders in small groups up to approximately 6 mi. per day

• Create and facilitate outdoor language arts activities for day campers with nature and wilderness themes, including circle time with story time and singing, literary show-and-tell, skits, nature journaling, mapmaking, creative writing, and authoring and illustrating books

• Create and facilitate hands-on science activities in biology, ecology, zoology, life science, environmental science, outdoor education, environmental stewardship, conservation, preservation, etc.

• For Berkeley and Oakland camps, implement activities for the theme weeks Enchanted Forest Reading, Enchanted Forest Art, Enchanted Vegan Nature, and Enchanted Forest Writing

• Facilitate fun and positive nature education curriculum on vegan topics such as animal rights, speciesism, health, food, clothing, and the environment

• Engage day campers in outdoor activities that blend recreation and education, such as nature-themed field games, hide and seek and chase games, crafting and playing forest "I Spy" games and scavenger hunts

• Create and facilitate nature-themed arts and crafts 

• Engage children with a fun teaching style and high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity

• Supervise children's snack and lunch breaks

• Provide prompting and positive reinforcement to help children learn

• Facilitate emergent curriculum and child-centered, student-centered, naturalistic, incidental, and play-based teaching and learning opportunities

• Work closely and cooperatively with camp staff, assisting in daily scheduled activities

• Keep work materials neat, organized, and in good working condition

• Follow all health and safety requirements

• Assist day campers in following safety rules and leave no trace principles

• Proactively communicate camp questions and concerns with the camp supervisor

• Follow directions and implement feedback from camp supervisor

• Represent Call of the Wild Camps in a positive manner with campers, parents/guardians, staff, and park visitors

• Perform other intern duties as assigned

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

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Education:

 

• Current enrollment in grade 9-12, enrollment in grade 9 in Fall 2024, or current enrollment in a college/university program in education, biological sciences, or environmental science

• Minimum 3.5 current GPA and in good academic standing

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Experience:

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• Experience hiking trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles per day

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Skills:

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• Ability to hike trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles per day five days a week (for multiple consecutive weeks in summer)

• Ability to assist teaching kids with a fun and engaging style, high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity

• Kind, caring, compassionate, and patient with learners of all skill levels

• Ability to make biology and language arts fun and interesting for elementary school age children 

• Eagerness and openness to continually learn and develop your skill set

• Ability to break concepts down into simple and easy steps

• Ability to work as part of a team

• Punctuality and reliable attendance

• Demonstrable love of nature and the outdoors

• Enthusiastic about making education relevant to children's lives

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Other Requirements:

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• Access to reliable transportation for getting to and from camp sites in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Joaquin Miller Park, Tilden Regional Park, and/or Rancho San Antonio County Park

• For adults (age 18+), pass a DOJ and FBI LiveScan background check after accepting an offer to intern

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

 

• 1 year experience with elementary school age children (does not need to be formal volunteer work, internships or employment)

• Experience hiking in the parks you apply to intern in: Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Joaquin Miller Park, Tilden Regional Park, and/or Rancho San Antonio County Park

• You are vegan, as defined by The Vegan Society, and/or you would like to learn the benefits of veganism on animals and the environment

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SUMMER 2024 INTERNSHIP STIPEND (OUSD STUDENTS ONLY):

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For students interning through OUSD's ECCCO program, a stipend is available upon completion of a Demonstration of Mastery Project and the below hours in a summer internship experience:

• 100 hours - eligible for a stipend of $1,000.00

• 50 hours - eligible for a stipend of $500.00

• 25 hours - eligible for a stipend of $250.00

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WHAT YOU GET:

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• Have fun assisting with teaching kids in the outdoors!

• Supportive and friendly environment with coaching and mentorship

• Free intern program to expand your knowledge and job skills with hands-on training 

• Intern experience to enhance college/university applications and build a resume

• Volunteer hours for unpaid internships

• Successful interns may be invited to return to intern for future seasonal camps

• Successful interns may be invited to apply for employment upon receiving a high school diploma and turning 18 (Inspire's camp counselor employee position is $19-22/hr DOE)

• Become part of a company that truly cares about the happiness and success of all interns, employees, and students!

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LOCATIONS:

• Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland (summer camp in July 2025, fall camp in November 2024 , spring camp in April 2025)

• Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland (summer camp in June 2025)

• ​Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley (summer camp June-August 2025)

• Rancho San Antonio County Park and Open Space Preserve in Cupertino/Los Altos Hills (summer camp 2025 dates TBD)

 

CLASSIFICATION: Internship, seasonal.

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Ready to get started? We look forward to connecting with you!

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Apply to Intern as a Nature Camp Counselor:

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