Welcome Parents of Junior Counselors!
Being a Junior Counselor at Outpost is a great way for your teen to spend two (or more) weeks of summer. By enrolling in the Junior Counselor Leader in Training Program your high schooler will learn and practice leadership skills, work directly with campers, and make new friends that will last a lifetime.
The Junior Counselor (JC) Program is not a job, however, one of our goals is that your teen will improve in both working with people and improving their professionalism. Therefore, we prefer that your child call or email our office themselves, though you are also welcome to call or email with any questions if needed. They are the ones that are a part of our program, and our hope is that part of the JC experience is getting practice doing awkward things like contacting a supervisor or asking a clarifying question to build that muscle and comfort for future professional roles.
We know that you, as a parent, have a large role in helping coordinate your JC’s schedule and commitments. This webpage is designed for you to understand your JC’s role, schedule, and other necessary information. We want the three of us – you, your JC, our director team – to be on the same page. Below are links to helpful resources and other pages that will aide their summer.
Important Things to Know:
| Session | Dates | Training |
|---|---|---|
| ALL SESSIONS | Sat, June 7: 10:00 AM-4:30 PM | |
| Session 1 | June 16 to 27 | Mon, June 9: 4:30-7:00 PM |
| Session 2 | June 30 to July 11 (no camp 7/4) | Sat, June 28: 1:00-4:00 PM |
| Session 3 | July 14 to 25 | Sat, July 12: 1:00-4:00 PM |
| Session 4 | July 28 to August 8 | Sat, July 26: 1:00-4:00 PM |
The Acceptance Process
Starting in January each year, students entering 10th grade and above can apply to the program. You can learn more about the program, steps to apply and benefits on our main JC page here.
Junior Counselor Responsibilities During the Summer
Junior Counselors learn many skills during their two weeks at Outpost Summer Camps. Below is a brief list of some of the daily responsibilities of Junior Counselors (there are slight variations between Junior Outpost, Day Camp, and Senior Outpost Junior Counselors).
- Group management – playing with campers, facilitating friendships, and forming connections with each camper in their 12-camper group
- Accountability to campers, parents, staff and directors – showing up on time, accepting and seeking feedback, and maintaining professional relationships
- Partnering with their Senior Counselor to create a positive group culture and ensure the emotional and physical safety of all campers
- Showing enthusiasm on a daily basis
- Encouraging creativity of campers
- Recognizing and responding to opportunities for problem solving
- Demonstrating the ability to work in a group setting
- Being a positive role model
- Communicating successfully with Senior Counselors and Directors
- Maintaining the integrity, quality, and reputation of Outpost Summer Camps
Screen-Free Policy
At Outpost Summer Camps, we are fully committed to an “Outside and Unplugged” camp experience. Our campers and Junior Counselors become completely immersed in our program and benefit most when they are away from screens. As per our JC Terms and Conditions (in their enrollment and emailed to you after your enrollment was confirmed), and in alignment with our philosophy, all campers and Junior Counselors are prohibited from bringing any screens including cell phones, smartwatches, or other electronics. *If necessary, JCs may check their electronics into our JC phone lock box for the duration of the camp day upon arriving at camp.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
1) When and where is training?
Each Junior Counselor participates in at least two trainings (more if they are signed up for more than one session). Junior Counselor Training for all participants is on Saturday, June 7th (all day). A session-specific training will take place on the Saturday afternoon (1 to 4 PM) before your JC’s specific session(s). All trainings will be held at Canyonside Community Park: 12350 Black Mountain Rd, San Diego 92129. For training, JCs should bring a backpack and water bottle and wear close-toed shoes and comfortable clothing. Outpost will provide sunscreen and water refills. For the all day training on June 8th, JCs should also bring a peanut-free lunch.
2) What if my JC needs to miss a day?
When a student commits to the two week session, we expect them to attend all ten days of their session. Because each JC is paired with a specific group of children, absences are disruptive. Their campers, Senior Counselor, and directors are counting on them. We do understand that there are extraordinary circumstances (including sickness symptoms) that require JCs to miss camp. If that occurs, we expect your teen to call or email the office and let us know as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly.
3) How do you choose which age group they are assigned?
We assign Junior Counselors to specific groups based on goodness of fit. We look at a variety of factors based on their application, interview, and training day, including age, skills, personality traits and experience. Most importantly, we assess who we think they will work with best. All of our JCs are paired with Senior Counselors, and we intentionally place everyone where we believe they will be most successful and contribute to camp most effectively.
4) What should my Junior Counselor bring to camp each day?
Junior Counselors should bring a backpack with a peanut-free lunch, water bottle, and swim suit (unless placed in Junior Outpost). Hats and non-smart watches are recommended. Outpost provides sunscreen, water refill stations, and a daily snack.
5) My teen cannot commit to the entire two weeks. Can they be a JC for just a few days?
Unfortunately, no. We need students to commit to the entire two-week program. While this is often difficult, we have many high school students who can commit to the entire two week session. We do not make exceptions.
6) Will they receive volunteer hours?
Upon completion, your teen will receive a certificate of leadership completion. This will serve to show their successful completion of the Junior Counselor Program. As a participant in the Junior Counselor Leadership in Training program, your teen is not officially a “volunteer.” They are a camper in leadership training. However, some schools do accept the certificate as documentation of serving in a volunteer position. Our directors are also happy to provide letters of recommendation in the future, and JCs often seek these for college applications and/or applications to school clubs and societies such as National Honor Society.
More Questions? Email the office at jc@outpostsummercamps.com or give us a call at 858-842-4900.