Location: New York,NY, USA
Benefits Ineligible New York, NY, US **Title: Support Specialist - New Country Day Camp**
**Division - Department: 14th Street Y Youth Programs**
**Job Classification: Non-Union PT FT (Full Time during camp program, June-August)**
**Date: February 2022**
**Supervisor: Support Supervisors**
New Country Day Camp is an open-tent community that celebrates and sustains joyful, outdoor summer experiences where all can thrive. We build meaningful connections with ourselves, each other, and the natural world around us through innovative programming that is rooted in Jewish tradition and guided by universal values. New Country Day Camp is an 8-week, outdoor summer camp for campers in kindergarten-8th grade. NCDC operates M-F, 8am-5pm and provides transportation for staff and campers to and from our campgrounds on Staten Island via multiple locations throughout Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. ***We have a disability-inclusive camp model, so all campers and staff are given the individual support they need to have a successful summer. Some of our campers have disabilities or atypical support needs, and our Support Specialists are there to offer the additional support they need to make camp a success!***
NCDC is a part of the Educational Alliance, a 133 year-old New York institution, is a vibrant, dynamic organization serving New Yorkers from all walks of life. We serve everyone regardless of the language they speak, where they come from, or their socioeconomic status. We believe that everyone should have a chance to live a better life and that arts and culture, education, health and wellness, and social services can help lay that foundation.
**JOB PURPOSE**
Support Specialists are enthusiastic, highly motivated, creative, and responsible role models who are directly responsible for the well-being of campers with disabilities or atypical support needs (e.g. mild to moderate autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADD/ADHD, mood or anxiety disorders, etc.) at New Country Day Camp from June 28th to August 12th with a ***special eye toward our campers with disabilities or atypical support needs who require additional support***.
**SCOPE OF INFLUENCE**
* Direct client group: Campers ages 5-13, with special attention toward a small group of campers with disabilities or atypical support needs who require additional support.
* Will collaborate closely with Group Counselors
* Directly supervised by Support Supervisors
**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES**
* Attend all days of staff orientation before camp, evenings beginning the week of June 12th
* Attend all days of camp and after camp staff meetings during the summer
* ***Learn about assigned campers who need additional support and help carry out their plan for success throughout the summer***
* Communicate regularly with Support Supervisor about the campers progress and challenges, and with Division Head about daily schedule and responsibilities
* Work harmoniously with group counselors to support campers
* Maintain standards of camp conduct, behavior management protocols, and inclusion
* When working with campers and fellow staff, uphold and implement NCDC camp values (Personal Growth, Empathy, Respect, and Passion)
* Follow COVID-19 safety protocols and implement COVID-19 procedures at all times
**Camp Activities**
* Assume responsibility for the physical and mental health and safety of campers
* Follow COVID-19 safety protocols and implement COVID-19 procedures at all times
* Actively participates in all camp activities
* Provide quality supervision at all times (e.g. on the bus, in locker rooms during changing periods, during lunch, throughout swim periods and all transitional periods)
* Assist bus supervisors with camper needs on the bus ride to and from camp
* Encourage all campers to do their best & be their on-site daily support system
* Focus on social dynamics & friendship building of assigned camper group
* ***Be a supportive partner for campers with disabilities or atypical support needs to anticipate/identify when they might need additional support, and proactively engage them using supportive strategies from a strengths-based perspective***
* Write weekly progress reports to families of assigned campers
**JOB REQUIREMENTS**
* Availability to attend all days of camp from June 28th and August 12th or 19th and pre-camp orientation starting in mid-June
* Currently pursuing an education in Social Work, Special Education, or any related fields, Bachelors Degree a plus
* ***Demonstrated interest and experience in working with children who have disabilities or atypical support needs***
* ***Patience and willingness to learn about different disabilities or atypical support needs and ways to support campers who might need additional support***
* Willingness to learn about and participate in Jewish culture and traditions
* Friendly, warm, active and genuinely enjoys working in an outdoor camp setting
* Excellent communication skills
* Collaborative, flexible, with the ability to work in a fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment
* Previous experience working with children from diverse cultural and social backgrounds
* Experience working in a camp setting is a plus
**Role Key Competencies**
Communication
Team Work
Enthusiasm
Safety Awareness
Initiative
Inclusivity
**EEO Info**
*All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. Educational Alliance takes affirmative action in support of its policy to employ and advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.*