Benefits

A brief stop on our applicant forum or Facebook page would instantly demonstrate that there are a million and one different reasons why you should get involved in the Camp America programme. It’s ridiculously good fun, it gives you a chance to travel and you’ll meet a ton of new friends – from all over the world! We know that as a young person, this is what attracts you to our programme – but there are some other great benefits in taking part that may not stand out to you, but will certainly stand you in good stead later on in life.

It says ‘I’m not one to waste my time’ - taking part shows that you didn’t spend a summer slouched on the sofa in front of the TV, or working in a shop in town. It says that you actually got off the sofa, applied, passed an interview, presented an application and were selected to take part. It says that you have something to offer others! During the summer you’re perfectly entitled to lie on a beach and sun yourself or hit the town every weekend partying with your friends – but choosing to do something worthwhile and beneficial to your personal development instead really says a lot about you and will stand up and make other people notice.

It gives you a stand-out CV – as an established brand name Camp America sticks out on your CV like a big, sore thumb because employers are fully aware that the skills you learn at summer camp are directly transferable to the working environment. Furthermore, working with kids shows you’re ultra-responsible – and the close proximity and duration you work with the kids really builds responsibility and structure within you as you’re directly responsible for the safety, well-being and all round care for your campers for 9 whole weeks! This is the equivalent of about a year’s volunteering with children rolled into one summer! In 2012, Camp America polled 55th in The Guardian's UK 300 Top Graduate Recruiters – beating off competition from massive, massive companies such as JP Morgan, Virgin and Sony, and therefore future employers will know that you've spent your time wisely in working with Camp America. Whilst there are other summer camp providers, are employers going to immediately recognise their brand name like they would with Camp America?

It helps you build confidence, and learn new skills – the camp environment is like a mini, little world and the things that you’ll do on a day-to-day basis will push you forward and develop you personally in ways that you cannot even imagine! Guaranteed you’ll come home from camp and everyone will be saying “you’ve changed!” This is something you might not even notice yourself – but it is going to happen – and this is a great thing! You’ll learn about leadership, time-management, organisational skills and perhaps most importantly, communication/interpersonal skills! You’re going to be meeting people from all over the world, who’ll have big personalities and who’ll be from different cultural backgrounds and therefore they’re going to rub off on you and vice versa! This is going to build your ability to communicate with groups you’re not used to and it’s also going to build your confidence – and these are key attributes that you want to bring home with you and apply to your day-to-day life! Camp is also a great place to try something new; whether that’s water-skiing or throwing yourself down the zip line – grab the chance to give something new a shot! You may also have the option to become certified in some areas; such as lifeguarding, first-aid or motorboat driving! These are qualifications you can carry forward and again will look great on your CV. After camp travel is also going to help you learn the importance of budgeting and managing your own finances and again, this is going to do wonders for your personality and confidence levels!

It says you took on the challenge – yes camp is fun, it’s crazy and it will take you some pretty cool places, but we’re not going to lie - working at a summer camp is HARD WORK! You’re in charge of getting not just yourself up in the morning, but all the kids in your bunk/cabin too. Looking after campers is great but it is tiring. Camps have pretty early starts and long, active days - so you’ll certainly sleep very well! So doing 9 weeks is a challenge – but it’s a challenge that’s worth it. Once you’re home you’ll realize how much you’ve got from it. You’ll go back to your home country with a massive work ethic – but we’d advise keeping this one quiet from your parents, as they’re likely to double your chores...

It means your Facebook Friends count will rocket – camp really is about the people that you’ll meet – and those you’ll work with. You’ll get really close to your co-counsellors – and many of them will be people you stay in contact with for the rest of your life! This is also going to potentially lead you on many road trips to visit them and even to foreign countries that perhaps you never thought you’d visit! It’s a great way to network also and who knows where it’ll lead you later on in life...

Other benefits include...

Excellent pocket money rates – we’re going to pay you based on what you can bring to the table, rather than just having a flat rate for everyone. So, if you have a certain level of experience or a specific skill then we’ll reward you appropriately!
Comprehensive medical cover – camp is an active, outdoor environment and therefore we want to make sure that you’re fully covered for shooting down the zip line or negotiating 20 kids kicking at your ankles on the soccer field – and with our policy you can rest assured that you are!
Room and board – you’ll work up a serious appetite being out and active in the sun all day long – and we’ll certainly feed that appetite 3 times a day! We’ll also provide your accommodation and depending on what type of camp you’re placed at, we may even do your laundry!
We’ll fly you there and back – we’ll leave the actual flying part to the trained pilots but we’ll certainly get you to and from your destination – and we won’t even charge you for it!
Visa sponsorship – unlike some other programme providers, Camp America is a designated exchange visitor programme sponsor and therefore you can travel safely with peace of mind that you’re being well looked after by an established and reputable company. Should anything go wrong during your placement in relation to this then we’re experienced and ready to react to ensure that your issues are resolved as quickly and as stress-freely as possible!
24 hour support – call us at 4am and we’ll pick up the phone and answer your call! Call us again at 4.05am and we’ll pick it up again, and again, and again – because we’re just good like that and want to make sure you have everything you need this summer – whenever you need it!
After camp travel – the visa that you get as a Camp America participant allows you to travel in the US for up to 1 month after your placement ends. We’re again on hand to support you through this process and your CA medical cover will also look after you during this period.