Program Description

The Journey program is a 6-day experiential program for 16–18-year-old participants to experience self-discovery, camaraderie, gratitude, and personal growth through intentionally crafted experiences. The program is comprised of two distinct tracks: Hero’s Journey and Champion’s Journey. All Journey Program staff work with both Hero’s Journey and Champions Journey Participants.

Hero’s Journey is comprised of living outdoors, completing low/high ropes challenges, practicing mindfulness, participating in ceremonies, and mastering wilderness first aid skills. Basecamp is located next to Bigelow Brook on camp property and is a 10-minute walk from the zipline. Seasonal staff, volunteers, and participants sleep on cots in yurts, camp in tents, hike with backpacks and gear, cook over the fire, and bathe in the river or with a heated shower unit. Seasonal staff live in shared housing at the Young Adult Lodge when not at basecamp. Staff do not need professional outdoor experience to be successful in the program but should have personal outdoor experience and should feel comfortable living outdoors for most of the summer.

Champion’s Journey invites participants aging into the Adolescent & Young Adult Program to become the “champions” of Camp. By creating and completing a “mastery project” in one of Camp’s various program areas (e.g., Arts & Crafts, Music, Woodshop, Cooking Zone, Adventure, etc.) and engaging in leadership and teambuilding initiatives, Champion’s Journey gives participants opportunities to practice leadership skills while enjoying the fun of Camp. Outside of mastery project and group challenge time, participants enjoy the amenities of the traditional summer program, like eating meals in the dining hall, visiting various program areas for nonmastery project time, and engaging in a mix of traditional evening programs and Championsonly evening programming. Participants share rooms with their peers while staff sleep in separate rooms in the same lodge. Staff should feel comfortable connecting with participants in their late teens who are beginning the transition into adulthood.

Job Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be physically and mentally capable of handling the care of campers.
• Must be familiar with and enforce all safety, emergency, and camp policies.
• Serve as a role model and provide support to camp volunteers.
• Commit to fostering a community that celebrates our camp values, which are inclusion, gratitude, possibility, friendship and safety.
• Be flexible with the changing needs of the program.
• The ability to work with a diverse community in a multicultural environment.
• Perform other duties as deemed necessary by AYA leadership.
• Comply with and remain flexible with COVID-19 specific precautions and requirements throughout the program, as outlined/advised by the CDC and the Hole in the Wall Medical Team.
• All positions are residential and hired for the duration of our summer program. The time commitment is early-June to mid-August.

Journey Program Positions

• AYA Associate (1)
• Journey Program Counselor (2)
• Journey Program Expedition Leader (2)
• Journey Program Adventure Counselor (2)
• Journey Program Support Counselor (1)

Job Summaries

AYA Associate
The AYA Associate is responsible for the implementation of the Junior Staff (JS) and Champion’s Journey (CJ) programs. They will work collaboratively with staff to ensure high quality and replicable programming each session while maintaining flexibility to make necessary adjustments. This position will engage in all aspects of programming and foster a strong community amongst staff, volunteers and participants. The AYA Associate position requires the ability to work both independently and as a part of a team, as well as strong organizational, communication and teamwork skills. The AYA associate is a part of the seasonal leadership team.

Journey Program Counselor
The Journey Program Counselor is responsible for facilitating mindfulness programs and ceremonies designed to encourage introspection and foster deeper connection amongst participants. This position is responsible for framing each day to empower participants and for creating daily task groups to increase group synergy and deepen relationships. The Journey Program Counselor provides support to participants during reflective activities and ensures that participants feel physically and emotionally safe at all times.

Journey Program Expedition Leader
The Expedition Leader serves as a liaison between AYA leadership and seasonal staff. Though this position has no direct reports, they act as the group’s project leader when AYA leadership is not physically present (such as timeliness, leave no trace, program fidelity, coordinating staff coverage, etc.). They are responsible for managing the program schedule and making any necessary modifications to ensure safe, successful, and inclusive programmatic experiences. The Expedition Leaders are the “outdoor experts” and support the learning of outdoor living skills for staff and participants who have less comfort in this area.

Journey Program Adventure Counselor
The Adventure Counselor will attend challenge course training and is responsible for facilitating all Journey program high-and low-ropes elements, as well as other assigned activities. This position will facilitate opportunities for participants to challenge themselves and connect the metaphors of the activity to their lives back home. This person will create a safe environment to promote positive risk taking and self-discovery through adventure programming.

Journey Program Support Counselor
The Journey Program Support provides logistical and programmatic support to the Journey Program. They will oversee meals, ensure necessary supplies are stocked, and assume the responsibilities of any absent staff. They will be trained in all Journey Program areas, including high ropes, to ensure all programmatic outcomes are met. This position is strongly involved in the logistics of the Journey Program and works to ensure smooth operation of the program.

Special Benefits

A stipend, meals, and lodging are provided for all seasonal positions.