Nature Camp Counselor (Oakland & Berkeley)

Inspire Behavioral Learning is now hiring Nature Camp Counselors for Summer Camp 2024! Employment openings are for experienced candidates, while unpaid internships are open for high school and college/university students with no experience necessary. Only applications completed in full are considered. We look forward to connecting with you!

Do you love working with children? Do you love the outdoors, nature, and hiking? Are you vegan? How about combining your passions into one fun seasonal job? Call of the Wild nature camps in summer 2024 include sessions with art, reading, writing, and vegan theme weeks. We seek an energetic, innovative, creative, and dependable outdoor enthusiast to join us in creating and implementing educational programs outdoors. Camp counselors lead children in outdoor nature camps for elementary school age kids to hike, read, write, explore, learn, and play in forests of the East Bay!

You may be the ideal camp counselor for this job if:

• You are a communicative and collaborative team player bursting with creative ideas, fun, adaptable, friendly, outgoing, energetic, and eager to inspire and engage children in learning by doing.
• You have experience in early childhood education, elementary school education, special education, outdoor education, environmental education, literacy education, recreation, outdoor recreation, and related fields.
• You are vegan: "Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals." - The Vegan Society

WHO WE ARE: Inspire Behavioral Learning, LLC believes that to inspire learning is to inspire action! We believe in experiential education and lifelong learning. We also believe in the wisdom of "be kind to every kind" and the benefits of veganism on animals and the environment. Outdoor educators in Call of the Wild Camps provide a fun, safe alternative to screen addiction; inspire nature connection and curiosity; and foster healthy, positive relationships with flora and fauna in our natural environments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Complete training online and onsite the week before camp, rain or shine, at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Joaquin Miller Park, and Tilden Regional Park (Summer 2024 training week is June 3-7)
• Punctually and reliably attend scheduled work hours, including training, staff meetings, and camp session dates (Summer 2024 weekly camp sessions run June 10-August 9, work hours from 8:25 AM-4:35 PM)
• Attend outdoor nature camps, rain or shine, each scheduled day for the season you are hired to work
• Safely lead hikes for campers in small groups
• Maintain a 4:1 or 5:1 student: staff ratio
• Create and facilitate fun and positive nature education curriculum on vegan topics such as animal rights, speciesism, health, food, clothing, and the environment
• Lead outdoor language arts activities for children 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
• Apply English Language Arts Common Core State Standards to science, such as topics in biology, ecology, zoology, life science, environmental science, outdoor education, environmental stewardship, conservation, preservation, etc., integrating naturalistic observation, group discussion, games, and relevant children's books and writing activities
• Engage children in outdoor activities that blend recreation and education, such as nature-themed hide and seek and chase games, crafting and playing forest "I Spy" games and scavenger hunts
• Facilitate nature-themed arts and crafts with children
• Facilitate vegan culinary arts activities with children
• Engage children with a fun teaching style and high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity
• Supervise and facilitate children's rest breaks, snack and lunch breaks, and physical play breaks
• Provide naturalistic executive function teaching across diverse activities
• Implement teaching and behavior management based on principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), including prompting, positive reinforcement, and contingencies of reinforcement based on student preferences and choices
• Facilitate emergent curriculum and child-centered, student-centered, naturalistic, incidental, and play-based teaching and learning opportunities
• Work closely and cooperatively with the Camp Director in creating and implementing both structured and naturalistic learning opportunities for the camp schedule
• Implement age-appropriate, grade-appropriate, developmentally approprirate activities for K-5th graders
• Keep work materials neat, organized, and in good working condition
• Record accurate, objective incident reports
• Follow all health and safety requirements, and make sure campers follow them
• Follow leave no trace principles, and make sure campers follow them
• Actively contribute and participate in staff training and meetings
• Proactively communicate camp questions and concerns to the camp director and supervisor
• Follow directions and implement feedback from supervisors
• Interact with students and staff in a kind, caring, respectful, positive, and professional manner
• Represent Call of the Wild Camps in a positive and professional manner with customers, staff, and park visitors
• Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Provide proof of your high school diploma or higher degree
• Provide your academic transcripts (unofficial transcripts are permitted) in good standing

Certification and Safety Requirements:

• Provide proof of unexpired CPR and First Aid certification that remains unexpired through all camp dates you're applying to work
• Provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination
• Pass a DOJ and FBI background check

Experience:

• Minimum 1 year experience as a camp counselor, outdoor educator, recreation leader, or teacher for outdoor education camps, outdoor recreational camps, nature camps, science camps, STEM camps, STEAM camps, literacy camps, after school programs, or equivalent experience
• Minimum 1 year experience working with elementary school age K-5th graders
• Experience hiking trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles a day
• Experience working with culturally, linguistically, and developmentally diverse children
• Experience working with students with widely diverse abilities, such as giftedness, typically developing children, children with disabilities (e.g., autism, ADHD, dyslexia, speech and language delays), and English Language Learners (ELL)
• Experience taking initiative leading groups of children
• Experience leading extracurricular enrichment activities for children
• Experience implementing effective and appropriate behavior management for elementary school age children
• Experience with child development and age-appropriate, grade-appropriate, developmentally appropriate activities
• If you lack the experience requirements for employment, you are welcome to apply from the company website www.inspirebehavior.com for an unpaid internship to build your experience!

Skills:

• Ability to model and educate about veganism as more than a diet
• Ability to hike trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles a day each day
• Ability to carry a loaded hiking backpack weighing up to 20% of your body weight for the duration of each camp day
• Fun and engaging teaching style with high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity
• Kind, caring, compassionate, and patient with learners of all skill levels
• Demonstrate care for children and a desire to help the whole child learn and grow in enjoyable ways, in addition to language arts and/or biology subject-matter competence
• Command of American English phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
• Eagerness and openness to continually learn and develop your skill set, no matter how minimal or extensive your experience
• Excellent ability to break concepts down into simple and easy steps
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Punctuality and reliable attendance
• Demonstrable love of nature and the outdoors, eco-conscious, and health-conscious
• Demonstrable love of language arts and literacy teaching
• Enthusiastic about making education relevant to children's lives

Other Requirements:

• Provide proof of a valid California driver license
• Possess your own reliable transportation for commuting to and from work sites

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Familiarity with Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Joaquin Miller Park, Tilden Regional Park, and East Bay flora and fauna
• Majoring in or degree in biology, environmental science, education, or related field
• You are vegan, as defined by The Vegan Society, and you can articulate the benefits of veganism on animals and the environment

PERKS AND BENEFITS:

• Have fun teaching kids in the outdoors!
• Paid training
• Paid rest breaks
• Off-duty meal breaks
• Retirement plan
• Supportive and friendly environment with coaching and mentorship
• Successful hires may be invited to return for additional seasonal camps
• Become part of a company that truly cares about both the employee’s and student’s happiness and success!

LOCATIONS: Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, CA. Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland, CA. Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley, CA. Only applicants residing in the East Bay are considered.

SCHEDULE: Summer 2024 training week is June 3-7. Summer 2024 weekly camp sessions run June 10-August 9, work hours from 8:25 AM-4:35 PM. July 4th is a day off.

CLASSIFICATION: Non-exempt employee for temporary, seasonal work.

COMPENSATION: $19.00/hr - 22.00/hr DOE

APPLY: Submit both a resume and complete application specifying why you might be a great fit for the Nature Camp Counselor in Call of the Wild Camps at Inspire Behavioral Learning! You may also apply from the company website www.inspirebehavior.com. If you lack the experience requirements for employment, you are welcome to apply from the company website for an unpaid internship to gain experience! We look forward to connecting with you!

Keywords: Oakland camp counselor, Berkeley camp counselor, summer camp counselor, camp leader, camp teacher, camp instructor, outdoor educator, outdoor camp educator, outdoor camp counselor, naturalist, nature camp counselor, science camp counselor, reading camp counselor, writing camp counselor, youth leader, youth group leader, program leader, lead camp counselor, and elementary program leader.

Who We Are:

* Inspire Behavioral Learning, LLC believes that to inspire learning is to inspire action! We do this by moving individuals to learn in ways that are personally meaningful, motivating, and relevant to their entire lives. We provide outstanding educational and behavioral health services for children, teens, and adults throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

* We are educators and clinicians. Camp educators inspire nature connection and a love of the outdoors for campers in forests of the Bay Area. Tutors engage diverse students in academic English, English as a Second Language (ESL), multiple subjects, and executive function tutoring. Clinical teams, including Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) under supportive BCBA supervision, provide interactive behavior therapy for children, teens, and adults using applied behavior analysis (ABA), the science of learning. We guide learners to master and apply English language skills, communication, social skills, executive functioning, self-advocacy, and more! We promote a lifelong love of learning in academics and in life beyond the four walls of a classroom. This applies as much to customers as to employees, who enjoy ongoing training and professional development in lifelong learning and growth.

Our Mission:

* Inspire's mission is to empower people of all abilities to live happier, more independent and fulfilling lives by achieving their health and educational goals.

What Makes Us Unique:

* We use emergent curriculum and principles of ABA for all learners
* We are a small company focused on quality over quantity. We value excellent service both for you as an employee and our customers, rather than rapid growth at the expense of employee and consumer happiness.

* Each employee is valued as a whole person and a unique individual, which is the same respect we give to each client. We use 360 degree feedback, in which everyone's observations matter.

* We value the integrity of the whole person. As such, we are dedicated to well-rounded knowledge and critical thinking; warmth and empathy; and action focus to help learners achieve goals and improve their lives.