Hidden Valley 4-H Camp
Jennifer Sweet, Camp Director, [email protected]
The Staff Hiring Process for Parents' Peace of Mind
The Staff Hiring Process for Parents Peace of Mind
One of the most important duties charged to a camp director during the “off season” is to hire quality staff who have all the attributes that campers and parents wish in their camp counselor. If parents and campers were to write a job description for a cabin counselor it would probably resemble the nanny descriptions in Mary Poppins. It is important to Camp Directors that people we hire not only possess the skills on the family’s wish lists but also exemplify the mission and vision of the camp. Most importantly, Camp Directors understand that safety is at the top of every parent’s list of requirements in their child’s cabin counselor. This article is to inform parents of the process by which we select the best of the best of all of all counselors at Hidden Valley 4-H Camp.
Our candidates and returning staff are put through a rigorous hiring process before stepping foot on the camp. We check their backgrounds, references and conduct personal interviews with each candidate, new or returning, to make sure they have the experience and commitment to work with our campers. We also have standards from the New York State Department of Health and the American Camp Association that we adhere to when selecting adults to work at the camp.
Parents have asked me how well we know our staff. Every employee and volunteer who interacts with the youth at Hidden Valley 4-H Camp must go through a high level background check. We run our checks through state and local databases and if a candidate does not pass the background check, they are not hired. We also report all findings to our Department of Health inspector.
It is also important that references are checked for every candidate (although most references are positive) there is much to be learned about a candidate from a written reference or a phone call. Also, a candidate who fails to provide references is a red flag and that individual would be scrutinized carefully.
Finally, and my favorite part, is interviewing every new and returning applicant and learning what they will bring to our campers in terms of experience, skills and commitment. It is important that our counselors understand that we want to run a safe and fun camp grounded in the 4-H model of Positive Youth Development. An interview and conversation with staff includes a discussion about their experiences with youth, working through scenarios about discipline, homesickness and special needs, as well as learning their own personal goals that will inspire our campers' futures.
I believe that the staff who work at the Hidden Valley 4-H Camp have much to offer our campers. Each year, they provide a safe and fun environment for our campers, inspire our campers to become counselors when they are of age, and continue a legacy of greatness our camp has provided to youth for nearly 71 years.