The St. Louis Jewish Community Center (the J) has been providing excellent experiences in health & wellness, early childhood and adult education, sports and recreation, camping, Jewish and cultural experiences for the entire community for over 140 years. Members and program participants enjoy access to state-of-the-art facilities and programs. Employees enjoy a large range of benefits, including a complimentary membership! The Js commitment to diversity and equity is ongoing, and our culture is warm and inclusive of all, regardless of faith. Employees are safe being who they are at work. We invite you to be a part of our amazing team and community.  

Summary:

We have an opening at the Jewish Community Center of St. Louis for a Teen Skills Camp Director in our 2024 Summer Day Camp program. This seasonal position is available at our Creve Coeur location. Camp runs Monday-Friday for 11 weeks, May 27th-August 2nd. In Teen Skills Camp, campers with developmental disabilities work on acquiring essential social and daily independent living skills as they enjoy traditional camp activities, such recreational swimming, arts and crafts, cooking, sports, Shabbat, and nature.

Responsibilities:

• Attend mandatory staff orientation May 27th-31st and Parents’ Meet & Greet on June 2nd.
• Plan, implement and supervise summer program for youth, teens, and young adults with disabilities.
• Create camp schedule and assist with special events.
• Work with Day Camp Director and Inclusion Coordinator to plan weekly field trips.
• Assist Inclusion Counselors in appropriately managing crisis situations related to behavior or health as needed.
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Inclusion Counselors throughout the summer. 
• Define camp goals and plan programming to reflect those goals.
• Serve as lead staff person in administering the program. 
• Support children and youth with disabilities as they participate in group or individual activities.
• Make accommodations to activities as needed to allow the camper to fully participate.
•  Assist Day Camp Directors in brainstorming creative and innovative ways to include campers with developmental and physical disabilities into traditional camp activities.  
• Develop procedures for camp operations including ordering of supplies, record keeping, carpool, swimming, lunch, camper assessments and equipment set up and safety check.
• Maintain regular parent communications. 
• Provide quality customer service at all times.
• Recognize and respond to opportunities for problem solving.
• Help each participant meet camp goals established for camper development.
• Guide group/individual campers to participate successfully in all aspects of camp activities.
• Observe camper behavior, assess its appropriateness, and apply appropriate behavior management techniques. 
• Enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures.
• Attend all staff meetings throughout the summer.
• Collect progress notes from counselors each Friday.
• Maintain good attendance.
• Follow all camp rules and regulations. 
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Be available for the entire duration of camp (May 27th-August 2nd). 

Qualifications:

• BA in related field (Psychology, Sociology, Special Education, Social Work).
• Experience working in crisis situations with children or youth with developmental disabilities.
• Understanding of unique needs of children and youth with developmental disabilities.
• Previous camp or childcare experience.
• Must have auditory, visual, ambulatory and cognitive, communications and physical ability to complete major tasks in the program.
• Ability to relate to and communicate with one’s peer group, parents, as well as to child’s age and skill levels.
• Ability to accept and give guidance and supervision.
• Ability to assist children and youth in emergency situations, including fire, evacuation, illness, or injury.
• Should possess good character, integrity, and adaptability.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience, and self-control in a dynamic environment.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification is required and must be maintained, training will be provided if necessary.
• Must be able to be or currently be registered in good standing on the MO Family Care and Safety Registry to hold this position.

For more information about the J and all that we do, please visit our website: www.jccstl.org.

The J is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program.