Lifeguard- Residential Summer Camp Counselor
Highbrook Lodge hires exceptional people to do exceptional work.
We are looking for qualified applicants to join our team for our 2020 summer season.
All of our current openings are seasonal (June 14-August 9) and residential – meaning you’ll live on site with us.
As a member of the Highbrook Lodge team, you will be instrumental in ensuring that our summer camp (located in Chardon, OH) is providing a safe and enjoyable experience to all. You’ll have fun, laugh, make friends, cultivate skills and learn while making a difference in the lives of our campers.
Applicants should be interested in:
- Working with people who have vision loss or blindness, and other special needs
- Working in a residential, outdoor and communal setting
- Serving diverse individuals of all ages (0-99) and abilities
Applicants should be:
- Emphatic, independent, and problem solvers
- Team players and willing to be apart of a special, close-knit community
- Invested in making a difference in the lives of others
- Positive, tenacious, and fun-loving.
About Highbrook Lodge:
Highbrook Lodge has been providing quality summer camp experiences for young people, families, and adults for over 90 years. Since our foundation in 1928 by the Cleveland Sight Center, we’ve envisioned a future where those living with vision loss or blindness feel that they can always come together – summer after summer – to a tranquil and safe place that is bound by a diverse community, enthralling opportunities for play and fun, and an unwavering commitment to empowerment for all.
We aim to use our summer camp setting to empower our campers to foster meaningful relationships, increase levels of independence, take risks, and seek adventures within nature.
To achieve our mission, we host multiple day, weekend, and week-long sessions over the summer to meet the specific needs, ages, interests, and abilities of our campers. During these sessions we strive to offer many traditional summer camp activities – such as canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, and outdoor camping. Because many of our campers also have special needs in addition to their vision loss and blindness, we work hard to adapt all of our activity offerings so everyone one of our campers can have a safe, interesting, and memorable experience at Highbrook.
Our camp is located on a 60+ acre property in Chardon, Ohio -- close to Cleveland and Lake Erie. Highbrook Lodge has accessible facilities; a heated swimming pool; countless trails and sports fields; comfortable sleeping arrangements; and even an outdoor bowling lane! We are owned and operated by the Cleveland Sight Center.
This is truly a rewarding job that takes a lot of energy, creativity, flexibility, and patience.
Benefits for you:
Behind all of the fun, you’ll develop skills that future employers really want to see on your resume – like strong communication abilities, critical thinking and problem solving; interpersonal and leadership skills; collaboration and teamwork; and creativity.
You’ll also gain invaluable experience working with a diverse population of individuals. We provide internship opportunities, too.
You will be provided with room and board, too – meaning all housing, meals, laundry, and utilities will be covered. You’ll also receive professional development opportunities, certifications, letters of recommendation, and a paycheck!
Job Description:
Lifeguard / Cabin Counselor
ROOM/BOARD/MEALS/PAY: Room, board and meals are included in addition to pay.
RESPONSIBLE TO: Leadership Team, Aquatics Supervisor, & Camp Ranger (Certified Pool Operator)
BASIC FUNCTION: Responsible for the general supervision and guarding of all pool and shallow water-related activities (i.e. - fishing). This position is responsible for cleaning the pool daily and documenting daily pool chemical levels. Under the supervision of the camp Leadership Team this Leader is also responsible for the immediate safety, care, and well being of all of the campers and/or families assigned to them.
In addition, this employee will live-in camper cabins for the duration of the summer and is responsible for carrying out cabin activities; facilitating rest hour and other cabin supervisory duties; assisting campers with daily living and personal care; assisting with cleaning; attending overnight camp-outs; and other duties as assigned.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Work with individuals of all ages with disabilities in an outdoor setting.
- Serve as a lifeguard and complete all pool related duties as well as other camp duties.
- Provide surveillance during aquatic activities to help prevent and manage injuries.
- Provide rescues, first aid, CPR and other emergency services as needed based on certification and training.
- Actively participate, assist or lead all-camp activities, evening programs, campfire programming (camp songs, skits), and camp-outs as directed.
- Maintain and follow the daily, robust camp schedule; including attendance at all meals.
- Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, including: preparing reports and evaluations; reading instructions, manuals, and camper information; and participating in staff meetings.
- Assist campers (60-300 lbs.) with transfers from a wheelchair to a bed, chair and/or toilet.
- Assist campers with personal activities of daily living (toileting, bathing, eating, mobility, dressing, etc.) during assigned cabin time, meals, and overnight as needed.
- Lift and carry equipment, supplies and/or camper luggage weighing 50lbs over 30 yards.
- Maintain confidentiality of information received about campers.
- Honor curfews, schedules, policies, and procedures of Highbrook Lodge.
- Help maintain a healthy camp environment through daily camp clean up including sweeping, vacuuming, emptying trash, cleaning toilets, sinks, showers, etc.…
- Have the mobility and capacity to independently orientate oneself around campgrounds; possess the ability to provide own signature.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Serve as pool lifeguard during assigned schedule periods. Supervise using and following camp policies and site-specific training.
- Maintain knowledge of, and adhere to, camp specific aquatic procedures and policies. Ensure all are policies and procedures are followed by campers, volunteers and staff.
- Assist in maintaining camp schedule by closely following pool opening and closing times.
- Evaluate aquatic abilities of campers and staff and enforce deep-end rules.
- Record daily pool chemical readings. Report concerns to Supervisor immediately.
- Prep pool for cleaning. Vacuum and clean pool and pool deck as directed.
- Maintain all aquatic and rescue equipment; report concerns to Aquatics Supervisor immediately.
- Train and observe staff supervising and supporting campers in aquatic environments.
- Prepare program plans, written reports, awards, summaries, incident reports, evaluations of programs and campers and all necessary pool logs.
- Assist campers during out-of-camp field trip activities and vendor-run activities (such as horseback riding).
- Sleep outdoors in tents on camper overnight camp-outs and cook over a fire (once a week or less).
- Provide emotional and behavioral support for campers as needed.
- Supervise campers in the pool by being in the water with them as directed by the Lifeguard on duty.
- Communicate camper information to Supervisors and/or Camp Nurse.
- Other duties that will be assigned that are within the scope and responsibility of the position.
Required Skills and Experience
Minimum 18 years old by first day of camp.
- Education & Certification: High school diploma or equivalent; or college/university experience. Current Lifeguard Certification (with accompanying first aid/CPR/AED certification) by a national certifying body such as the American Red Cross, Ellis and Associates, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, etc. Shallow water lifeguard certification acceptable.
- Experience: Ideal candidates will have experience working with people of all ages who have disabilities. Previous experience working as a Lifeguard preferred.
- General: Individual with a demonstrated experience and interest in camping and/or aquatics. Must demonstrate maturity and responsibility; time management and organizational skills. Must have the ability to be a self-starter and work as a team. Must demonstrate good judgment and integrity; strong social and communication skills. Ability to learn and grow in the position through constructive feedback from supervisors. Must be able to live on-site at camp from June-August with minimal time off.
- Physical: Ability and stamina to work in a fast paced environment. Ability and stamina to endure long, irregular hours in a position that is both physically and emotionally demanding. Physical ability to perform lifeguard duties including daily exposure to the sun, sit or stand for long periods, perform aquatic rescues, visually and audible identify and respond to emergencies related to the aquatic environment. Must be able to ambulate, lift, push wheelchairs, walk long distances, hike, and participate in activities. Exposure to cleaning agent and pool chemicals.
- Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen and FBI fingerprint check.