Adventure Camps are on the rise due to the increase in popularity of extreme sports. Nearly every extreme sport, or outdoor adventure activity can be experienced in a camp like atmosphere and more and more teens and adults are taking advantage of the accessibility of these extreme activities.

Adventure camps are the perfect outlet for the extreme sport aficionado or person with a specialized skill. These lucky individuals get to couple their love of adventure with work, sharing the skills they've acquired with eager individuals all the while doing something they love. Looking for diving jobs, then there might be a camp ready to hire you.

Types of Adventure Camps

Adventure camps come in all shapes and sizes. Some are overnight camps lasting a few days or even weeks, while others are day camps where students come and go. Camps can students a taste of adventure in every flavor while other Adventure Camps are specialized and focus on one activity. Camps of this kind are incredibly numerous and exist for almost every adventure activity you can imagine: sailing, horseback riding, kayaking, rafting, backpacking, bike touring, snowboarding, skiing, wakeboarding, water skiing, surfing and even scuba diving.

For sake of conversation, applicants interested in working an adventure camp job should consider them in two different categories: specialized and general. Specialized camps are like the ones mentioned above. They are perfect for a person with one acquired skill. For example if you grew up on a sailboat, you might be the perfect candidate for an instructor at a sailing camp or camp at sea. If you have experience white water rafting, being a rafting guide for a summer adventure camp would be an excellent fit. Generalized Adventure Camps combine elements of many adventure sports. These tend to group around specific areas, but include a variety of sports. For example, a water sport adventure camp will include swimming, wakeboarding or waterskiing and perhaps rafting or kayaking. Other generalized adventure camps combine zip lines, with horse riding, white water rafting, climbing and hiking.

With such a large number and variation in adventure camps, anyone with a specialized adventure skill or interest in counseling can probably have success in finding work at an adventure camp.

Camp Counselor Job Requirements

Requirements for Adventure Camp counselors have many things in common with regular summer camps and many things different.

For example any camp counselor must love teaching and sharing their knowledge. They are often around children and so they must be able to exercise patience and keep a close eye on their assigned group. Anyone with a background in childcare or experience teaching is a good candidate for a counselor. What is different for an Adventure Camp position is the type of skill the camp is looking for. Some camps are willing to train, but only those individuals with extensive proven knowledge and experience in an adventure sport will be considered. Just because you have experience in an extreme sport doesn't automatically make you a camp counselor. Adventure Camps surround activities that are generally more dangerous than others. Summer Camp Counselors need to be cautious and understand the safety requirements of their sport. They need to be able to read the skill level of their group and are responsible for the safety of the people they are teaching. Even in comfortable environments, accidents can happen and counselors need to be sure all the proper safety measures are taken with their group.

Other Adventure Camp Jobs

Working an adventure camp job isn't necessarily for extreme-sport junkies only. There are jobs at adventure camps that are similar to those at other camps, including: cooks, cleaning staff, nurses and administrative workers in some cases. If your desire to be in an outdoor, adventure camp atmosphere is what most drives you, consider looking at jobs other than a camp counselor.

Getting Hired

Because there are Adventure Camps located in so many different areas it is best to research camps near where you live or in areas where you would like to work. Research the activities they offer and apply to those where you have experience or knowledge. Some adventure camp counselor positions can be competitive, and understandably so, it's an amazing job! So, apply early and apply often.

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