Do you love working with children and being outside? Farm camp counselors create memorable day camp experiences for campers ages 5-13 during camp themes such as Farm Adventures Camp, Veterinary Science Camp, Horse Care Camp, Farm Chef Camp, and Wilderness Camp. Counselors guide campers through activities focused on daily farm and garden chores, farm animal care, hands-on nature exploration, farm ecology,  cooking and food preparation, and camp favorites like songs, games, and crafts.

Duration: May 29 (Memorial Day) — August 11, 2023. Staff are off on July 4, and an additional week of their choosing.

Responsible to: Camp Manager & Director of Education

Hours:  40 hours per week; 8:00am – 4:00pm M-F.

Compensation:  $12.00 per hour, including paid training.  Counselors aged 18+ are eligible for free on-site housing. This position can qualify as an internship for college credit requirements. 

Gorman Heritage Farm is an educational, working farm with a mission to educate about agriculture, nutrition, sustainability, and the environment.  Counselors work on a 2-counselor team to lead groups of 10-12 campers through scheduled camp activities. We provide a full week of training and follow-up training throughout the summer so counselors are prepared to guide campers through activities focused on daily farm and garden chores, farm animal care, hands-on nature exploration, farm ecology, cooking and food preparation, and camp favorites like songs, games, and crafts. Learn group management and communication skills that translate to every profession, make a difference in the lives of local children, and enjoy a fun summer on a beautiful historic farm in the heart of Cincinnati. 

Internship description: 

Farm camp counselors are immersed in the daily work of our farm and are provided training in how to interpret sustainable agriculture and the environment to a diverse youth audience. Interns will have opportunities to work on individual projects and attend professional development training with Farm staff. If Gorman Heritage Farm meets your internship requirements, our Camp Manager will help oversee any internship requirements. Our summer camp supports the mission of Gorman Heritage Farm, which is to educate about agriculture, nutrition, sustainability and the environment.  

Visit https://youtu.be/0tJ4pvwHplc to hear testimonies from former counselors about their summer experiences at the Farm!

“I learned something new every day! This is definitely a position I would recommend.” -Aana S., camp counselor

Primary Responsibilities and Expectations:

• Counselors foster a relationship with the same group of campers for a week at a time while ensuring campers’ safety and wellbeing during camp activities 
• Counselors run planned camp activities, and may also propose their own camp activities
• Counselors supervise campers’ participation in activities, and are an active part of all activities (i.e. farm animal interactions, lunchtime games, crafts, produce harvesting)
• Work with other camp staff to complete morning set-up and afternoon clean-up of camp areas
• Attend scheduled trainings and camp staff meetings

Qualifications and Experience of a Successful Counselor:

• Applicants must be at least 16 years of age (required) or 18 years of age (preferred).
• Strong desire to work with children and create camp magic!
• An ability to plan programs, conduct activities safely, and work on a team with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, creativity, open-mindedness, and flexibility.
• Interest in environmental education, agriculture, sustainability, gardening, animal care, cooking, arts and crafts.
• Counselors must be able to interact appropriately with and model professional behavior for campers and fellow staff in a variety of situations using positive behavior-management techniques, including: enthusiasm, a positive attitude, patience, sensitivity, a sense of humor, and self-control.