Camp Wise - Summer Overnight Camp Social Worker

Position Summary

The camp Social Worker, in tandem with the Camper Care Supervisor, Community Care Manager and leadership team, is responsible for ensuring the positive resolution for any and all camper and staff issues that may arise during the camp season. The Social Worker is expected to provide campers and staff with meaningful and critical guidance to make healthy, responsible, and respectful choices. The Social Worker plays a key role in training staff on topics including but not limited to: fostering positive social interactions, managing challenging camper behaviors and interpersonal disputes, identifying and supporting campers with special needs, homesickness and self-care. The Social Worker embodies Camp Wise’s core values in their interactions and decisions regarding camper care and is a positive, contributing member of the summer leadership team. The Social Worker is expected to create strong relationships with campers and staff alike and exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills.

This position requires a person with a variety of skills and the ability to transition from one situation to another quickly and intuitively while also showing compassion and empathy for campers and staff. This position does not have programmatic responsibilities but will be involved in and responsible for facilitating pre-camp training sessions and ongoing staff development throughout the summer.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a positive role model in the camp community and represent camp values
• Participate in required supervisor and staff training prior to camp
• Serve as the lead professional in determining appropriate responses to all camper and staff issues related to social, emotional, and mental health, safety, and well-being, including but not limited to: anxiety, behavior management, interpersonal disputes, homesickness, hygiene, and diagnosed disorders
• Communicate with Directors, Camper Care Supervisor, Village Supervisors, and infirmary staff to monitor and support the physical, social, and emotional health, safety, and well-being of campers and staff
• Act as liaison between infirmary, summer leadership team, directors, and parents to identify and address patterns or concerns with camper and staff behaviors based on daily check-ins and observations
• Facilitate training modules and ongoing staff development opportunities that give staff the necessary tools and skills to provide proper camper care ranging from identifying special needs, to responding to challenging camper behavior, providing interventions and accommodations, and managing escalated and crisis situations
• Assist staff members with challenging camper situations and provide ongoing support to staff to respond to campers behavioral, emotional and mental health needs
• Consult with Community Care Manager, Camper Care supervisor, & Director about significant concerns and issues that arise to determine appropriate response for campers, staff, and parents
• Observe and document camper situations/incidents, design behavior intervention and/or management plans, and monitor and report on progress
• Be aware of camper and staff behavior, enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures, and apply appropriate behavior-management techniques
• Debrief and provide guidance to campers and or staff after crises or stressful and traumatic events
• Provide staff with support for camper, camp and personal-related concerns
• Work with campers and staff individually or in groups, as needed
• Make parent phone calls and send emails as necessary
• Create a binder with resources, best practices, and suggestions for future CW camper care staff to turn into the Camp Director at end of the summer

• Serve as a general member of the supervisory staff team

• Perform other related duties as assigned by Camp Director
• Be present and available throughout the camp day

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree/License in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Mental Health or Similar Fields
• Demonstrated clinical knowledge of a myriad of treatment techniques
• Previous experiences in a camp setting or similar environment is preferred
• Experience with children, teenagers, and adult mental, social, and emotional health
• Must be able to think critically and act swiftly in high stress situations
• Attention to detail in documentation and maintaining records
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills and comfort in communicating with children, young adults, and parents
• Must be caring, empathetic, patient, hard working, and diligent professional who takes initiative and is creative, enthusiastic, open-minded and high-energy
• Must have ability to function both independently and as part of a team
• Must be available for full training and summer: May 26-August 8