POSITION OVERVIEW

Oxbow Education (“OxEd”) is seeking Summer Camp Instructors to lead groups for five week-long day camp sessions and assist with occasional delivery of summer field trips and other programming, as needed, between camp weeks. Camp instructors will lead groups of 10 campers, ages 7-11, during day camp sessions. As a Camp instructor, you will facilitate a successful camp experience for campers by keeping them engaged with a variety of educational games and activities, while being responsible for their safety and planning activities for a portion of their daily schedule.

Camp instructors will develop and lead nature and farm-based activities, and will have the opportunity to learn more about environmental education and organic farming. This position would be a great fit for an energetic person who enjoys and appreciates the outdoors and who has experience leading summer camp groups and facilitating outdoor games and activities.

Camp instructors must be available to work ALL training and camp weeks, as outlined below. There will also be opportunities to lead summer field trips, work on farm projects in our Kids’ Farm, and lead programs on public event days.

Two weeks of our day camp will feature concurrent camp sessions: one session for campers ages 7-11 (Guardians of the Plants) and one simultaneous session for a smaller group of pre-teen campers ages 11 – 14 (Dig Deeper). Camp instructors will contribute to programming and mentorship of the pre-teen camp, and at times will welcome them into their small camp groups to support the younger campers with farm, culinary, or nature connection activities.

With a special emphasis on safety this year, Camp Instructors will be responsible for supporting campers and teen volunteers in hand-washing, mask wearing and social distancing in alignment with COVID-19 safety procedures established by Oxbow (based on CDC and American Camp Association (ACA) guidance). Oxbow has detailed policies in place and will provide training and support for camp instructors.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to planning and prep in advance of summer camp sessions, typically the Friday before the upcoming camp session is used as a planning day on site at Oxbow
• Plan and lead farm- and nature-based activities for your group of campers, ages 7-11,
• Facilitate games, songs, stories, and activities
• Participate in all-camp activities & farm tasks
• Behavioral management of campers and parent communication
• Check-in with parents during daily camper check-out, specifically addressing camper behavior and support
• Ensure safety of campers at all times and complete COVID-19 safety procedures and incident reports as needed
• Work with and give direction to volunteer(s) assigned to your group, or the pre-teens during camp collaboration times
• Set-up and clean-up of daily camp activities
• Participate in daily debriefing meetings to address concerns and develop as an education team, and morning stretch circles where important team building and planning happens prior to campers’ arrival
• Document camp sessions using personal cell phone or digital camera, uploading photos at the end of each camp week

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience facilitating educational outdoor games and activities
• Previous summer camp instructor experience preferred
• Ability to do light physical work, including standing for several hours, squatting/kneeling
• Experience working with children, especially ages 7-11
• Ability to take direction, ask for help/clarity when necessary, and accept constructive feedback on work and technique
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• High-energy and playful; exceptionally positive attitude
• Self-driven, motivated, timely
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Flexible, creative, and able to perform well in diverse conditions and under pressure
• A musical inclination, video or photo editing skills, theatrical experience, or any other sort of artistic expertise is a plus! Please make note of any skills you have in your cover letter

Required Summer Camp Dates 2021:

Staff training:    June 9 – 18 (exclusive of Sat/Sun)

Session 1:            June 21-25

Session 2:            July 5-9

Session 3:            July 19-23

Session 4:            July 26-30

Session 5:            Aug 9-13

Additional desired qualities include: environmentally conscious, detail oriented, self-motivated, energetic, and professional.

COMPENSATION

This is a seasonal position, paying $15 per hour, with some paid time-off and access to food from the fields.

The OxEd is part of a larger non-profit organization. A commitment to Oxbow’s overall mission and working as part of a team is critical.

OXBOW’S MISSION

Our mission is to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.

WHAT WE DO

Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center is located on 230 acres of forest and grassland bordered by Western Washington’s Snoqualmie River. We use this mixed landscape to:

Produce food. We cultivate 12 acres of certified organic mixed vegetable crops, herbs, and flowers using agro-ecological principles and engage in research to inform conservation agriculture practices. We grow food for local grocery stores, restaurants, hunger relief, a CSA program, and an on-site seasonal Farm Stand.

Grow native plants. We operate a native plant nursery that uses sustainable growing methods to produce plants for habitat restoration projects and urban landscapes. We share our knowledge to encourage increased production and use of natives in the Pacific Northwest, and beyond.

Connect children to nature. We offer education programs for children pre-K through high school to build environmental literacy and provide students with opportunities to learn about the links between agriculture, conservation, and the environment.

Restore and sustain habitat. We carry out ecological restoration projects and partner with scientists, regional planners, and other environmental organizations to learn how humans can benefit from the land while protecting biodiversity.

Cultivate community. We offer people of all ages opportunities to put their values into action as we promote climate resilience and encourage healthy food systems. We foster community through volunteer opportunities, Membership, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, workshops & tours, and special events.