Camp America Application Tips

I know it's way too late to apply for Camp America now, but I just thought this blog post might help those thinking about doing it next summer. Last year I applied through Camp America but I found my camp myself and decided to just get my visa, flights etc all on my own. I just wanted to show you guys my application in hopes that it might help you with yours.

(I've just seen a comment asking about how I was able to get my visa without the help of an agency and it was through an organisation called IENA. My camp had set up with them to help us get our visas so if you are thinking about doing it without the help of a summer camp agency like Camp America or Camp Leaders etc, then research camps until you find a few that you like and just email to ask what way they go about hiring their staff.) 


I'm not sure if they have changed the process since then but I first had to start with a personal essay. There is also a word limit on each section, I can't remember exactly but I would advise to open up a word document, write your answer there and then copy & paste into the box and see if it fits. If not, just go through and see how you can condense it. If you still have a little bit of room then use all of it that you can.

Personal essay
School and college were both fundamental instruments in allowing me to realise my passion for learning. This is reflected in my attempts to strive for perfection and precision in everything I do from coursework to projects to everyday tasks. I concentrate on the task at hand and never gave up until I am satisfied with the results. I enjoy taking on new tasks and find the challenges exciting and I would consider myself an enthusiastic learner.
I work well as part of a team and am always encouraging and motivating everyone to participate in group activities. I usually find myself being the problem solver in a group scenario and quite enjoy providing everyone with different roles and jobs to do demonstrating my leadership skills, independence and creativity. I am a punctual person and always kept a good attendance record. During my time in school I liked doing research and finding out more about the subject we were learning and studying.


I decided to leave out my childcare experience because there were enough opportunities through-out the application so I just stuck with a little bit about my time at school. You can also add some things about your family and friends here if you feel it appropriate. Anything you feel that relates to being a camp counsellor would be great in this section.

Reason for applying
I have a passion & a drive when it comes to working with kids. I feel like being a camp counsellor would really help me to understand children more and ultimately this would also benefit me in my career plans. It is an amazing opportunity and I want to be able to come home from camp feeling as if I have had a positive influence on the lives of the campers. I would love to say that I helped a child do something they never thought possible, that I encouraged them in a positive way and helped them to be more confident in themselves.
Not only do I want to have the summer of my life but I want to ensure that the kids do also; that they learn new skills, meet new friends and at the very least try everything once. I want to teach the campers the importance of team work, how to work together and to support one and other. I have a desire & willingness to learn and can hopefully encourage the children to embrace new experiences.


This is the part that you should focus on why you want to participate in Camp America. You shouldn't write things like; "I just want to spend a summer in America." or "It sounds like an easy job, so why not?". It is certainly not an easy job at all, it is a lot of fun but it is hard work and a lot of responsibility. 

Childcare experience
In May 2011 I travelled to Brisbane, Australia to become a nanny for an 18 month old girl, Kira. Although I was only there for several months it was amazing to see Kira develop. I love knowing that I encouraged and helped her to learn. My duties involved ensuring she had a nutritious and healthy balanced diet from breakfast, lunch and snacks. I also provided stimulation for Kira through activities and exercises throughout the day which included; listening to music and reading stories, arts & crafts and playing in the park.
It was important for me to ensure that there was a structure and routine in her everyday life. I formed a strong bond with her and her parents as it was important for them to trust me and feel totally comfortable with Kira being in my
care. They had to rely and depend on me. They had to feel secure and at ease when I was minding their daughter. From this experience I believe I became a very dependable, trustworthy, reliable, loyal and responsible young woman.


I focused on my time as a nanny/AuPair in this section because there were other sections that I could write about my youth work etc. I didn't feel the need to do a summary about all of my experience and since there wasn't a section for being a nanny then I thought this would be perfect here.

Youth work - Intermediate Experience
In 2006 I became a member of the YMCA cross community project called Friends Forever. The programme helped me to not discriminate against people, to not be prejudice and to become more aware of the different religions and communities around me. We did team building exercises including; belaying on high ropes, flying small planes and visitng the New England Holocaust Memorial. We learned a lot from each other and now have a new understanding about the different cultures throughout N.I. I learned to never judge a book by its cover and that it's what's on the inside that counts. I became a more accepting, understanding and non-judgemental person from this experience. The programme helped me to be more comfortable when meeting new people. Our trip to the USA helped me to adapt to new environments since I had never been that far away from home and my family before. It taught me different social skills and I really feel like I became a more confident, secure and courageous person.
Coaching experience informal - I volunteer with a similar organisation called Children For Peace which works towards gaining peace and understanding with the youth of Northern Ireland as they are the future. I talk about my experience growing up being from a mixed religious family of both Catholics and Protestants. I show pictures from my past trip with Friends Forever and tell stories of the adventures we had. Both programmes bring teenagers from all walks of life together regardless of each other’s backgrounds, religions and beliefs. I also volunteer in my local youth club Rosario every Monday. After Christmas I will be doing my training in OCN Level 2 Introduction to Youth Work & Introduction to Community Relations. Other programmes that I will gain certificates in include; Creative Arts, Developing International Youth Work Exchange Programmes, Outstanding Youth Work, Suicide Awareness and Mental Health, Engaging Young Women & Men and many more. I will also be doing courses in First Aid and Child Protection.


These are the sections were you can describe in detail how much experience you have in certain areas, hence the intermediate experience at the top. You can also fill out if you have had any coaching experience in this and at what level.

Social work - General Experience
My ambition and desires have always been to become a professional that works closely with the development and improvement of children’s day to day lives. I felt that one way in which I could experience this objective was to become a nanny for several months. This gave me the opportunity to discover that I would like to pursue a career as a social worker or as a children’s nurse. This year I am studying Sociology & Psychology as part of a social and behavioural sciences access to University course in Belfast Metropolitan College. After this I can then go on to study towards a degree in Children's Nursing and Social Work BSc (Hons) at Edge Hill University in September 2013.
Coaching experience informal - I volunteer in my free time with a charity called Make A Wish foundation and also with Caudwell Children. Make A Wish is a charity who grant the wishes of children and young people aged between 3 and 17 living with life threatening illnesses. My volunteer role as a wish visitor is to meet with the children and their family to discuss their wishes. Caudwell Children is a charity which helps sick & disabled children with specialist equipment, treatment, therapy & Destination Dreams. My volunteer role in this charity is to work directly with children, providing support to not only disabled children and young people but also to their families.

Acting/drama - Intermediate Experience
When I was younger I attended acting lessons at my local theatre company for children called Youth Lyric and I also studied drama and theatre studies at school. I was a member of the performing arts society at Aquinas which involved putting on regular shows and performances. These included; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Guys and Dolls, Blood Brothers, Of Mice and Men and A Streetcar Named Desire, to name but a few. I always had a role to play in each piece, but also loved helping with the costume and set design. I found that this allowed me to demonstrate and express my creativeness and show my artistic side.
When we performed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I played the role of Nurse Ratched. It is one of my favourite plays and books so I was delighted to have such a massive role. I studied my lines every night and became very involved in the play. I studied the play, the book and the film for some inspiration and really feel that I did the character justice in my portrayal.
Coaching experience formal - I intern at the Youth Lyric every Friday night and Saturday mornings & afternoons. I assit in teaching ages from 5-21 the basic skills of theatre and I help the children with character development and learning lines. I love coaching the kids because they can express themselves without judgement and can just be who they are and want to be. In the different classes we help them to feel comfortable, confident and courageous. Acting gives the students the opportunity to communicate physical and emotional expressivity, use of imagination and also the art of improvisation. It allows them to be unique, creative and gives them the ability to interpret drama in their own way. They can be spontaneous, impulsive and adventurous. Everyone can get nervous before a performance so I always make sure to offer my assistance to anyone who needs it. Helping the younger students is always rewarding, I always take the time to give them a little encouragement and help them prepare for performances.

Exceptional Skills Other - Netball - Advanced Experience
I discovered my love of sport especially for netball during my time in school. I also played some soccer, basketball and Gaelic football whilst at school but netball was my main focus. I was captain of my squad, which allowed me to show my leadership qualities and show that I was determined to help motivate the rest of the girls before a match. Being captain meant that I had to use my time management skills in training sessions to decide how much time would be spent on what activity.
Being captain meant that I had to make sure that the team was always enthusiastic and eager to work hard at training sessions. I had to boost everyone's confidence but also be stern and truthful if someone needed to practice more or work on a particular skill. I always made myself available to anyone who needed advice or just someone to listen to. Being sensitive towards the girls showed that I had good communication & listening skills and also that I work well under the pressure of being relied on.
Coaching experience formal - In 2003 I represented my school by playing for a Belfast team, fourteen girls from all over the greater Belfast area were chosen to compete in a league against other cities and towns throughout Northern Ireland. It was a massive honour to be chosen and I feel so proud to have been a part of it.
I helped our netball coach train the younger girls while I was at school. This proved that I was responsible and dependable. I really enjoyed working with the other teams as I love working with children and young adolescents. Every Tuesday night I coach the first year girls netball at my school. I love giving back to Aquinas because it gave so much to me while I attended. It is fun teaching the girls the fundamentals of the game and all the basic skills. We work hard but we also enjoy ourselves during the training sessions. I prepare the girls for matches against other schools and always try to devote as much time as I can to extra trainings closer to tournaments and league games.

Arts & Crafts – General - General Experience
I love scrapbooking. I find that it really relaxes me and feel that it is a great way to keep all your memories and photos in one place. I have made lots of different scrapbooks from distinctive times in my life; I have one which includes my memories from school, one from my time spent with my youth group Friends Forever and even one with just photos of me and my best friends. I have made quite a few memory books for my friend’s birthdays to remind them of all the fun and amazing times we have had together and with our friends. I feel that it is such a personal gift and something they can keep forever. They are a brilliant idea as you can look back at them in years to come and remember such wonderful memories. I like adding colour and different fun stickers to make it more lively and charming. It requires concentration and precision, you need to
have a good eye in order to see what picture or memory (a concert ticket or birthday card) best fit together or go with the theme of the page.

What do you understand the Counsellor role to be and why do you think you will be a good Camp Counsellor?
You must be flexible, responsible & reliable and show you can work in a supervisory position. You are a role model for the children and must ensure you provide a happy, comforting and safe environment. You should assist timid, shy or homesick campers to become more independent, outgoing, courageous and confident. I am a fun-loving yet mature and caring young woman, I have lots of positive energy and enthusiasm. I'm a very encouraging, dedicated, committed, accepting and understanding person.


What experience do you have to demonstrate your ability to be flexible, work long hours, sometime performing tasks that are physically and emotionally demanding and live in a community with strict rules? (e.g. ban on alcohol and adhering to curfew)
In work I am always keen to offer my assistance if they need me to work extra shifts. Sometimes these include 9am-9pm but I work hard and like to give a helping hand. My volunteer work is demanding but rewarding. I love knowing that I have helped someone; I've provided support when they've needed it and had a positive influence on them. As a nanny I had certain rules regarding alcohol and curfews to ensure I was not too tired, I was happy to oblige to ensure a safe and trusting environment.



These last questions had a very small limited word count so I couldn't write all that I wanted to. The best advise I could give would be to write about ANY experience you have working with children, even if it is just babysitting, everything can help your chances of getting noticed by a brilliant camp.

I hope some of you might have found this helpful, I wish I had some sort of template or guideline when filling out my application.

Later skaters
Love S xoxo