Camper Support Advocate, Camp Grossman, Summer Day Camp

Are you looking to make a difference in the life of a child with mild to moderate Behavioral, Mental, Emotional, or Social Health (BMESH) needs and create unforgettable summer experiences filled with learning and growth opportunities?  Join Camp Grossman and share your passion and skills as a Camper Support Advocate (CSA). This full-time, on-site summer role is perfect for enthusiastic, compassionate individuals who have experience as a mental health counselor, social worker, or school adjustment counselor (or something similar), love working with kids with BMESH needs, and are compassionate, creative, and camp-spirited. As a Camper Support Advocate, you will work with other Advocates to ensure all campers have the supports they need to access the general camp environment. Working with the Program Director, you will help build support programs, and train staff on how to support all campers, not just those experiencing more acute and/or chronic BMESH needs. Are you ready to make an impact? Join us for an incredible experience.   

JCC Greater Boston is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston’s core values - Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation - which resonate with many who do not identify as Jewish. 

Primary responsibilities include, and are not limited to:  

• Works with campers who have Behavioral, Mental, Emotional, or Social Health (BMESH) needs to support them in the general camp environment  
• Works with families, campers, and unit staff to build and monitor manageable support systems for campers with BMESH needs  
• Works with camp leadership to provide training in de-escalation techniques to all staff  
• Manages camper profile paperwork for campers screened into the Camper Support program
• Meets with Program Director prior to the start of camp (late spring) to process intake information to plan for successful camp opening    
• Acts as a part of the camp crisis intervention team, supporting campers who may need acute and immediate support 

 Standard staff expectations include and are not limited to: 

• Leadership skills and ability to build strong relationships with campers, co-workers, and camp leadership, while managing situations effectively and diplomatically  
• Experience as a mental health counselor, social worker, school adjustment counselor, or something similar. 
• Models maturity, reliability, flexibility, and patience   
• A love of working with children and a strong desire to make a difference every day   
• Strong organizational, teamwork, and relationship-building skills. 
• Possess a proactive mindset, demonstrated by the ability to anticipate needs, identify potential challenges, and take initiative to address them effectively. 
• Exhibit forward thinking, adaptability, and a commitment to finding creative solutions that contribute to the team's success. 
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills - comfortable speaking with parents/guardians - listening, discussing and resolving issues   
• Committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of campers 
  

This is a great chance to join JCC Greater Boston's respected and valued, people-orientated workplace of diverse community services providers, which is rapidly growing!   

JOB DETAILS: We are an outdoor camp, located on beautiful, wooded property in Dover, MA. This is an hourly position, 8:15 - 4:15, Monday - Friday, for the camp season*. In addition, the Community Support Advocates are expected to attend / help facilitate 3 or 4 staff meetings on Monday afternoons at Camp and/or evenings at JCC Greater Boston, and may also be expected to work between 1 and 3 additional evenings and/or overnights (meals provided!) over the course of the summer. Offering great perks, including JCC Health & Fitness center access, a supportive, vibrant in-person work environment, and a competitive starting pay rate of $20 per hour. The pay rate offered will ultimately be determined by relevant qualifications, experience and JCC's internal equity.  

*The regular camp season begins June 23 and ends August 15 (with the possible option to work the following “9th Week” as well). Orientation takes place (in-person and with different hours) the week of June 16th and ends with Visiting Day (a pre-camp visit for all campers and families to meet staff) on Sunday, June 22. While we prefer staff who can start Orientation Week and work the entire 8-week regular season, we are happy to consider quality candidates who may have conflicting obligations.  

About JCC Greater Boston 

Since opening its doors in 1983, JCC Greater Boston has been committed to creating a vibrant, inclusive, diverse community by nurturing meaningful, lasting relationships. Through our network of early learning centers, day camps, regional teen and family programs, health and wellness offerings, and adult arts and ideas classes, JCC Greater Boston provides highly valued connections, learning, and experiences for the Jewish community and friends. 

JCC Greater Boston staff enjoy working in an innovative, friendly, and welcoming environment where their talents and contributions are appreciated. In our recent employee survey, staff rated their direct management and organizational alignment experiences close to 90% positive. If you want to upgrade your working experience and have a better work-life balance, we encourage you to explore becoming part of the JCC team!

To learn more about what makes JCC Greater Boston a wonderful place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.bostonjcc.org/careers/ 

JCC Greater Boston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or disability. In a continuing effort to maintain and enrich a diverse environment, we actively encourage applications from women and members of underrepresented groups. 

Education and Experience:  

• Bachelor's degree required (with a Masters or above preferred) in counseling, social work or a related field
• Experience as a mental health counselor, social worker, school adjustment counselor, or something similar. 
• Experience working with children and teens
• Experience with children with special needs is helpful and preferred, but not necessarily required
• Experience working in and/or attending summer camp preferred 

 *An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted at the JCC’s discretion to meet minimum criteria.  

 Skills and Abilities:

• Leadership skills and ability to build strong relationships with campers, co-workers, and camp leadership, while managing situations effectively and diplomatically
• Models maturity and reliability with the ability to stay playful – exhibiting flexibility, patience, empathy, innovative problem solving and collaboration
• Shares Camp’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Models a positive, proactive, and kind approach while concentrating on providing children with a pleasant and safe camp experience
• Possesses ability to manage all situations calmly, effectively, and diplomatically
• Has a strong desire to make a difference every single day
• Possesses the ability to work independently and as part of a team, with strong relationship-building skills
• Demonstrates excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple tasks and/or competing priorities
• Must be a self-starter who takes initiative
• Demonstrates a history of superb interpersonal and active listening skills 
  

Physical Requirements:  

• Must be able to work in-person, on-site in Dover, Massachusetts
• Must be able to navigate 70 acres of rugged, uneven and rustic campgrounds independently
• Comfortable working all or most of the day outdoors or inside without air conditioning
• Able to work well in a busy, dynamic and sometimes noisy environment involving multiple tasks and priorities
• Able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 30-40 pounds (boxes of supplies, children’s backpacks etc.)
• Able to sit and kneel; getting down at eye level with children regularly. 

ADA Statement: Individuals must possess these criteria for knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation and using some other combination of skills and abilities. 

In addition to offering rewarding work and great career opportunities within our mission-driven, values-driven, and family-centric environment, JCC Greater Boston proudly offers employees the generous benefits listed below.

JCCGB Perks! Each seasonal employee is eligible for access to JCC Greater Boston's top-class fitness, recreation, and wellness facility in Newton! Seasonal access to the JCC Fitness Center includes:

• Use of the Fitness Center at Leventhal-Sidman JCC during active seasonal employment
• Free or discounted Camp Grossman enrollment for camp employees' children during the weeks worked.  Discount prorated based on number of regularly scheduled hours. 

 Benefits are subject to review and change by the Organization, and plan documents are the primary determinant. 
 
A Great Place to Work! JCC Greater Boston is consciously evolving as a great place to work! In our recent 2023 employee engagement survey, at least 88% of our staff gave us top ratings on:  

• Supportive colleagues
• Team camaraderie
• How their managers treat them
• Individual autonomy
• Knowing what their work contributes to and how it impacts others
• Pride in working for the JCC
• Program and service quality
• Holding ourselves accountable      

Our staff and leadership bring experience, excellence, and commitment to everything we offer, and we are dedicated to a culture where all our employees may thrive. Our culture is built on our values, driven by our mission, and nurtured through the expert contributions of our professionals.