Camp America or Camp Leaders

[126orbust]

Has anyone's children worked at an American summer camp? DD2 is thinking of going next summer and thinks Camp Leaders looks like a decent place.
Any experiences, good or bad, welcome.

I did Camp America then CCUSA who imo were better. More thorough.
There's also BUNAC. please be aware that there is not once place - they are essentially agencies sending staff out to camps all over the USA.

How old is DD? Does she have any particular skills?

My daughter is actually going to the USA on Wednesday to do this!! I'm terrified but so proud of her.

@Nanny67 so is ds! He hoped to go last year after graduating but covid scuppered those plans.

I'm so excited for him, hope he has the most amazing time.

I did a summer at a camp teaching horse riding when I was 18 (so a while ago!) and found my placement through Camp Leaders who I found great to deal with - many others I met out there also came to my camp via Camp Leaders and Camp America so I’m not sure there’s much between them. Things to consider are the upfront costs they charge, how much assurance they provide with getting the visa sorted, the quality of the insurance offered (inc whether it can cover a period of travelling after the camp season concludes), what training they provide before you go, how easy it is to rearrange flights ect to accommodate any travel plans. Things have probably changed a lot since I did it but I look back very fondly on my summer so think it’s a great way to work and travel in the USA.

Camp America
June -August 2022
New York State
Long hours
Internationals not treated equally to American staff
Children troubled and spiteful to each other and disrespectful to staff.
Food good
Transportation expensive
Human trafficking is evident - my daughter was targeted whilst waiting outside a building for her colleagues, fortunately they came out as the situation was turning nasty.
Never felt safe moving about and disturbed by the number of people on stuff when in towns.
Opt for day camps
consider Canada
US is not safe and the camp camaraderie between internationals and Americans non-existent.
Your DD or DS better have grit because they’ll need it.
There’s safer and happier ways of spending a gap year.

Just to counterbalance comments about US Vs international staff, my DD did camp America and really enjoyed it - was invited over to family meals by one of the Americans, visited another at university (she'd finished a couple of weeks before DD) and is due to meet up with another in Italy this year at some point. She was there 2019 aged 18/19.

She doesn't think she would do it again though because the pay worked out so poorly. Two of her friends did it the same year and while they also enjoyed it they had wildly varying experiences due to different camps - DD was at a YMCA weekly camp one, friend 1 at a Jewish camp that was mainly days and friend 2 at a camp for the super rich (horse riding, 1-2-1 tennis lessons, etc) and some kids were there for several weeks.