Staff FAQ's

What experience or skills do I need to apply for a position at Camp Buckskin? 

Every summer Camp Buckskin hires about sixty staff members from all over the world to help our campers become happier, more successful people. Each staff member brings a variety of talents, skills, and life experiences to share with the camp community. The diversity of our staff enables us to reach out and connect with all our campers. Because our staff has a lot of different professional and life experiences it creates a great work environment for us to learn from each other.

While all these differences are good, there are many commonalities. The main attribute that brings our entire staff together is a genuine interest in wanting to make a positive impact in the lives of the children we serve. We seek individuals who genuinely care about our campers and want to have a positive influence on their lives. This is incredibly important to fulfilling our mission to help our campers achieve greater social and academic success.

Can I get college credit or do you provide internship opportunities while working at camp?

Absolutely. This work experience is especially valuable to any students who are pursuing degrees in the helping professions. While the majority of students that work at camp are pursing such studies, we believe that students studying in other fields can also gain valuable skills while working at camp. This is a unique experience because of the combination of the population we serve and the program content.

In past summers, staff have gained college or internship credits for a variety of majors. Requirements vary from school to school and even between departments within a school, so check with your advisor. This opportunity includes staff training, on the job experience, and performance reviews. This combination makes for an exciting, fun, and challenging but learning filled cooperative education or internship experience.

What is the weather like at camp?

The temperature at camp usually ranges from highs in the 70's and 80's with evening around 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit. While most days the temperature is very comfortable, we sometimes do get a bit of a breeze coming in off the lake or the occasional rain shower so it's best to be prepared for these changes.

Do staff have to wear a uniform?

No. We want our staff to be positive role models for our campers in every way possible, including the clothing they choose to wear while at camp. Our staff need to be comfortable and dress in a manner so they are able to be actively engaged with our campers in all the activities we offer. We do have Camp Buckskin gear available for staff to purchase through our camp store, but do not require that staff wear ‘our gear' at camp. Please take a look at our personnel polices for further information or guidelines regarding staff dress.

Do you provide references for graduate school or future employment?

Yes. One of the benefits of working at Camp Buckskin is gaining priceless knowledge and skills. This will further your professional career, regardless of major. So, you'll definitely want to add working with us to your resume. Part of our mission is to help our staff develop into well rounded professionals. We are glad to ‘talk up' our staff who stepped up for us and let that school or employer know what type of individual you are!

If I have prior commitments can I only work for part of the summer?

It is really important to have staff that can make the commitment to the entire season. The campers learn and do best when they can count on people to be there when they need help. Our campers don't do well with change and we don't want to confuse them by giving them a new counselor half way through the season. We need staff to truly get to know the campers. By knowing them, we best find out how to help them become more successful. The 12 day staff training is also crucial to get us working together as an effective team.

We do understand that some staff might arrive a little later due to conflicts with school schedules, or may have a wedding to attend. As long as you will not be away from camp for more than a few days, we will try to work with you. It is very important to communicate any questions or concerns about your dates of availability as soon as possible.

How do you determine compensation?

All employment opportunities offered at Camp Buckskin are paid positions, including internships. In addition to a standard base salary, compensation is determined by level of education, job experience, and current certifications as recognized by the American Camp Association (First aid, CPR, Life Guarding, Wilderness First Aid, Water Safety Instructor, professional licensures, etc).

Room and board is provided to all staff while at camp. A travel stipend and an end-of-season completion bonus are also part of the compensation.