Have patience and build strong connections with the kids
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Camp Counselor
June - August 2019 • San Diego, CA
What I liked
Working with the kids and going on trips.
What I wish was different
Nothing
Advice
Do a job that you enjoy because it will make it easier to get up and go.
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Summer Camp Counselor
April - August 2018 • Austin, TX
What I liked
Hanging out with kids!
What I wish was different
The leadership / organizational function was poor
Advice
Get to know what works best for tourney specific kids / what they respond to!
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Camp Counselor
June - August 2018 • Manitowoc, WI
What I liked
I liked the opportunity to work with elementary aged students.
What I wish was different
I wish my supervisors would have been better communicators.
Advice
I dabbled with the elementary aged students a few times, and this is why I knew from the get go that I wanted to work with high school. So my advice would be to be open minded and still give opportunities a chance.
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Health Director
May - August 2019 • Branford, CT
What I liked
I liked being able to work with kids and being able to critically think while working through different problems that arose.
What I wish was different
I wish the upper branches of the organization were more organized and didn’t put as much stress on the minimum wage workers.
Advice
Working with kids is much more difficult than it seems. You need to always be prepared for anything to happen and be able to be flexible with plans.
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Kid Zone Counselor
July 2017 • Sammamish, WA
What I liked
Great co-workers. Job was fairly enjoyable. Good pay.
What I wish was different
Poor management. Very passive aggressive environment.
Advice
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YMCA
May - September 2018 • Austin, TX
What I liked
I liked that I was able to work hands on with pre-teens between the ages 11-14. Working with these kids allowed me to be a kid again and gave me the opportunity to go outside of my comfort zone and try new things.
What I wish was different
I wish that I had joined the YMCA sooner since everyone was mainly a returning employee but they all made me feel very welcomed and apart of the YMCA family.
Advice
Don't be afraid to be a kid again!It will let you enjoy your time at the YMCA much more and you will find yourself waking up every morning wanting to go work with your campers and enjoy new activities!
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Assistant
May - July 2019 • Greencastle, IN
What I liked
I enjoyed being able to work with the children everyday. I am an Elementary Education major so the YMCA provides me with extra experience!
What I wish was different
I did not enjoy how sporadic things were. All of the activities were very poorly planned and assistants had trouble teaching when they just learned about the activity 5 minutes prior.
Advice
If you have the opportunity to be a camp counselor or assistant with students at the YMCA, do it! These children are spending they summer here and need good role models in their life.
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Summer Camp Leader
May - August 2018 • San Jose, CA
What I liked
Working with children in an environment that allowed them to be themselves and have fun was extremely rewarding. My fellow leaders and directors were always on top of everything when it came to ensuring the children were safe and having a great time. I really appreciated the structure of the working environment as it was consistent and lead to minimal stress.
What I wish was different
I wish that leaders had a little bit more say over what we do with our campers during the day.
Advice
I feel that this is a great first job for anybody looking to work with kids, because you get the support of other leaders while still maintaining freedom and the ability to working independently. I made wonderful memories with the campers and there were even times where it didn't feel like work. If you're considering a fulfilling summer job Y camp is the way to go.
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Camp Counselor
June - August 2019 • Augusta, MI
What I liked
It was an awesome job. Cool staff, change kids lives, have fun in the sun.
What I wish was different
The food!
Advice
Act intentionally to get to know deeply these kids. It is trans formative!
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Youth Leader
May - August 2018 • Valparaíso, Valparaíso Region
What I liked
I loved interacting with the Chilean teenagers and forming relationships with people who had very different backgrounds. I also enjoyed practicing my Spanish abilities and being challenged every day.
What I wish was different
I wish I had taken advantage of the diverse classes offered at the YMCA and gotten more involved earlier in the experience.
Advice
I would tell future interns to go with no expectations and an open mind, and to get fully involved in the YMCA activities as early as possible.
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Health and Well-Being Coach
May - August 2019 • Gig Harbor, WA
What I liked
The flexible schedule
What I wish was different
I wish that I had a little more responsibility in my job.
Advice
Don't worry too much when first starting. You learn as you go.
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Sports Coordiantor
June 2019 • Toledo, OH
What I liked
I like learning about the different aspects that go into being a coordiantor such as budget and scheduling. It gives me skills for the future in my career.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Pool Lifeguard
May 2019 • Boise, ID
What I liked
My coworkers are wonderful!
What I wish was different
Staffing is always an issue. I wish more people were interested in becoming lifeguards.
Advice
Learn to say “no.” I’ve been asked to cover a lot of shifts due to the low staffing problem.
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Life guard
May - August 2018 • Monroe, WA
What I liked
Family friendly
What I wish was different
Better schedualing
Advice
Enjoy it
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Maintenance operator
May 2019 • Fredericksburg, VA
What I liked
I enjoyed spending my days outside at the waterpark everyday and dealing with challenges everyday as well.
What I wish was different
My supervisor was a rude woman that I wish I had a different one.
Advice
No matter the situation, there is always a positive to pull out of it and one thing shouldn’t ruin your day
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Camp Counselor
June - August 2019 • Lincoln, RI
What I liked
Being able to work with kids
What I wish was different
The organization of the day to day activities
Advice
Have a good attitude about it and you’ll enjoy it
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Camp Counselor
June - August 2019 • Brooklyn Heights, NY
What I liked
I loved the experience of working with kids, also my fellow camp counselors were great as well. The Y was only around an hour from my home, and transportation was easy.
What I wish was different
Some of the field trips were very unorganized and pretty chaotic.
Advice
It's draining to work with kids all day, make sure to get lots of sleep, and bring snacks.
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Camp Counselor
June - August 2019 • El Cajon, CA
What I liked
Loved the experience of working with children in an outdoor setting. It gave me great insight into careers I might enjoy as I learned I lived working with kids.
What I wish was different
I don’t wish for any of my experiences to have changed. I loved every part of this summer job.
Advice
Take initiative. Don’t be afraid to make some decisions in times of need.
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Lifeguard
October 2018 • Eugene, OR
What I liked
The flexible hours and amazing people.
What I wish was different
I wish the pay was lightly higher, or bi-monthly
Advice
Being certified was a difficult process, but worth it.
