The JCC Ranch Camp is not just the Denver JCC’s overnight summer camp, it’s also one of the best places to work during the summer. As a staff member, Ranch Camp will become your home away from home as you work to create a community where people can thrive. You’re a hero to your campers; you have the chance to do something you really care about and have a whole lot of fun doing it. Your experience as a staff member is just as important to us as our campers’ experience. That being said: We’re here to serve kids and make sure they are in the safest environment possible while having the time of their lives.

First and foremost, all our staff are madrichim or counselors.

Madrichim/Counselor Responsibilities

• Take care of your campers by prioritizing the physical, social, emotional health, safety, and well-being.
• Work as a team with your co-staff to make sure every day runs the way it’s supposed to and complete daily camper notes.
• Create a community that you want to be a part of and that you want campers to be a part of.
• Include everyone and make sure everyone is included.
• Jump into the camp life: ride horses, swim, camp, play games, sing songs, roast s’mores, be ready to do everything the campers do!
• Know where your campers are and what they are doing all the time.
• Manage camper behaviors using the tools you learn in Staff Orientation week (We’ll go over positive behavior management techniques, enforcing appropriate safety policies, emergency procedures, camp rules, and more.)
• Be flexible and adaptable because things change quickly at camp. You have to be able to roll with it.
• Live in a bunk/tent with your co-staff and your campers.
• And other duties and responsibilities as assigned: you might need to make your campers’ dreams of a beach themed ice-cream campfire song session come true or become your favorite legendary Pokémon for an evening program.

But our staff aren’t just counselors. We want you to do what matters to you while you’re at camp.

Want to spend your summer outside, exploring the back country of Colorado and climbing mountains? We have a job for you. Does spending the morning playing soccer and the afternoon creating art make your heart happy? We have a job for you. Want to design a rocket that can make grilled cheese, but also land on Mars? We probably have a job for you, let’s talk.

Trips Staff Responsibilities

• As a guide on the Teen Village trip, you will build campers’ personal skills; bond the group of campers together, and give them the tools they need to be self-sufficient while camping.
• Take the lead role in leading a 25-day trip (9 - 10 days of backpacking and 9 - 10 days of whitewater rafting, climbing, volunteering and trail work, camping, and other outdoor adventure activities) with a group of up to 12 campers.
• Assist is assessing trip intensity and adjusting in real time to fit camper needs.
• Facilitate meal preparation in the backcountry allowing campers to learn how to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner while on the trail and camping.
• Help campers develop backcountry camping and survival skills.
• Drive 15 passenger Turtle Top Bus.
• Assist with issuing and return of gear to ensure gear is in good repair.
• Ensure camper safety through conscientious decision making.
• Create and run multiple programs each day for campers on and off the trail that are safe, fun, and memorable.
• Act as the primary point person for communication to and from basecamp both summarizing events occurring on trips to basecamp and passing communication effectively to field staff from basecamp.

Finally, all staff must be able to attend Staff Orientations from 5/29/2023 - 6/5/2023 and be available to live at camp for the summer season from 6/6/2023 - 8/06/2023. While we prefer staff to work for the entire summer, we understand if you can’t and encourage you to apply if you can work at least 5 6 weeks of our summer season.

Physical Demands and Working Environment

Physical Demands: This job requires the incumbent to have operative auditory and visual functioning. Employee must also be able to walk upwards of two (2) miles each day, including use of stairs and uneven terrain. Employee may also stand, sit in chairs or on the ground, run, and swim. Employee may lift or body block campers when necessary. Additionally, all trips staff must be able to hike on uneven terrain at high elevations while carrying a 50 60 lbs. backpack for extended durations of over five miles per day.

Work Environment: Working conditions may include being in indoor, often time’s loud spaces and spending extended time outdoors under the sun. Must have the ability to work in a hectic, sometimes stressful environment while maintaining the standard of care.

Qualifications

Qualifications and Requirements

Basic Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Two year’s experience with group facilitation of teenagers with the ability to instill confidence in and lead others
• One year prior experience leading and/or guiding backpacking trips or three years of personal experience planning all aspects of backpacking trips
• Current Wilderness First Responder certification (training provided if needed)
• Ability to use SatPhone and Spot Device
• Satisfactorily fulfill requirements for employment at the Staenberg-Loup JCC, including: background screening, three references, documentation, and compliance with CDHS law.
• Must be high-energy, enthusiastic, creative, and open-minded!

Preferred Qualifications:

• One year previous experience in a camp environment
• First Aid and CPR Certifications
• Bachelor’s degree or degree in progress in outdoor education, psychology, social work, education, or other related field or equivalent experience

Benefits Overview

This is a seasonal job and is therefore ineligible for benefits.

Please note: This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive statement of every duty and responsibility which will ever be required of an employee in this position; however, the employee will be held responsible for all duties assigned.

The Jewish Community Center values diversity and inclusiveness and is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $2,100.00 - $2,500.00 per month

Expected hours: 40 per week

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person