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Respite Specialist - Internship

Looking for a Fall internship? This program is hybrid, with lecture-style meetings throughout the week and in-person and hands-on training and fun on the weekends!

We’re looking for motivated individuals who have a desire to work with children who have emotional, learning, and behavioral challenges.

Camp Starfish Respite Specialists are seasonal, (Fall and Spring) camp counselors who accompany and support Starfish campers through our weekend respite program. This position is best fit for individuals looking to work directly with campers through all aspects of life.

Respite Job Responsibilities:
• Encourage camper participation in all respite activities
• Help campers who may require additional time or explanation
• Support campers who may require extra attention or assistance
• Implement and monitor individualized camper behavioral plans

About the Weekenders Program:
Weekenders offers a chance for campers to reconnect with camp and change their scenery for a few days during the school year, and gives parents/guardians much-needed respite. Our respite has a very Starfish flavor - though limited electronics use is allowed at specific times, participants spend the majority of their time engaging with others in camp activities, reconnecting with friends, and continuing to work on their Tools and Keys. At Weekenders, our day has a schedule that is forecasted and previewed for campers, but activity periods are more loosely organized. Transitions feel different because we come back together as a group after each activity to review options and determine where everyone is going next. Some activities differ from those at camp (like baking apple pies after returning from an apple picking field trip!) and others - like GaGa or Free Play - will feel very familiar. Each weekend includes a field trip off-site; past field trips have included going to the ecoterrium, bowling, or visiting the Peterborough rec center!

Successful Candidates Demonstrate:
• Strong personal integrity, adaptability, emotional intelligence, enthusiasm, patience, grit, and self-control
• Ability to understand, role model, and adhere to Starfish policies and procedures
• Willingness and ability to seek and accept supervision and guidance
• Ready to embrace and accept differences in religion/age/ethnicity/culture/race/gender/sexual orientation and/or other diversities. Willingness and ability to treat all campers and staff fairly regardless of identity, ability, background, and/or preferences
• Willingness to live, work and play in an indoor/outdoor setting with children who have emotional, learning, and behavioral challenges.

Salary and Perks of the Job:
  • Room and board for the weekend provided
  • Meals are provided for the entire weekend
  • Earn course credit (dependent on your school’s requirements)
  • Gain valuable skills needed to work with a variety of children
  • Make friends that will last a lifetime
  • Great opportunities for networking

Internship/Course Credit/Fieldwork Experience Information:
Many individuals who work at starfish seek to receive course credit through their university. In previous years, staff members studying Psychology, Social Work, Education, Recreation, Sports Science, Wilderness Leadership, Business Management, and many other subjects were able to spend the summer having fun at camp while still working towards their degree! With this respite position, staff are now able to work and receive course credit while still in school! As a part of this program, staff will be supervised by several Starfish directors, alumni, and returning staff members. They will receive smaller sections of online training the week prior to their working weekend and will receive formalized feedback throughout the process.

If you are planning to use your time at camp to gain course credit, we strongly recommend that you speak with your advisor, etc. to determine the necessary steps to apply for credit at your particular institution. We recommend you apply as early as possible to give both you and us enough time to get everything organized.

If you join our team as a paid intern, you will receive over 140 hours of hybrid and hands-on training as well as be placed in our Intern Seminar that meets weekly and focuses on professional development.

All hiring decisions contingent on reference verification, and results of background checks.'