Summer Staff

Applications Open!

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Our mission

Covenant Harbor draws people from their routines into opportunities to enjoy creation, recreation, and relationships, so that all may experience God through Jesus Christ. The mission of summer camp programs is to love kids and share Jesus. That's it!  Staff members get to know kids, build relationships with them, roast marshmallows together, listen to their stories, play outside with them, and talk about faith in Jesus with them. What better way to spend the summer? 

Summer Staff Video

Job Details

Schedule and Training

Employment Schedule: 

  • Summer camp begins on June 13 and goes until August 9. Staff training is for about 10 days prior to the first day of camp. 
  • Minimum requirement for employment is five weeks long, and the full summer is nine weeks long. This does not include the required staff training days. 
  • All summer staff are able to request one week off throughout the summer. 
  • Leadership positions and some special positions are required to commit to the full summer. 
  • Other financial opportunities: Once hired, summer staff are eligible to begin paid employment at Covenant Harbor prior to the summer! Contact the Program Team by email for more information. 
  • If you are unsure about the commitment you can make for the summer, please reach out and we can talk with you about different options available. 

Training: 

  • All summer staff will be required to participate in some preliminary training done independently prior to the beginning of summer. 
  • Summer staff will also be required to attend on-site training. 
  • Staff training is required for all staff members. Some exceptions can be made upon request. 
    • Counselors staff training is June 3-12. 
    • Support staff training is June 1-12.
    • Leadership staff training is May 27-June 12. 

Additional Benefits

  • Onsite housing provided.
  • Free meals while camp is in session including meal options during time off. 
  • Work experience may qualify for school credit, community service hours, school internship credits.
  • Spiritual development opportunities.
  • Staffing social activities throughout the summer.
  • 24 hours off in between weeks of camp, typically around noon Saturday until around noon on Sunday. Additional hours off will be provided during the week, Monday through Friday, based on position schedule but includes at least one hour a day of personal time. 
  • Weeks off available upon request. 
  • Strong resume builder.

Pay

Weekly Pay Structure: Initial pay includes training plus the first 5 weeks. For every week beyond 5 weeks, see a weekly pay increase, up to $250 by week 9.

  • Counselors – $220
  • Support – $220
  • Leadership – $255 all Summer

See FAQ below for information on how to increase your compensation!

Other financial opportunities: Once hired, summer staff are eligible to begin paid employment at Covenant Harbor prior to the summer! Contact the Youth Ministry Team by email for more information.

Other Incentives and Grants Available

North Park University Grant:

Prospective and Current North Park University Students are eligible to receive up to $2,000 in a camp grant from North Park for the following academic year after serving at Covenant Harbor for the summer. See more details here!

Need-Based Wage Grant:

Apply for a need-based grant to help supplement your salary if the regular compensation impedes you from working at camp because of financial strain. Funds are limited and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Grant is based on the number of weeks served. Grant applications open November 15, 2022. Grant applications and employment applications are each processed by a separate team. Grant applications are confidential and have no bearing on hiring decisions. You can submit an application here. 

Referral Bonus:

If you refer a new staff member who accepts a job offer from Covenant Harbor and works a minimum of 5 weeks, you will receive a bonus of $300. If that staff member you referred works up to 8 weeks, you will receive a $600 bonus! No limits on referrals! 

Signing Bonus: 

NEW Applicants! If you apply before March 15, 2023, and accept a job offer from Covenant Harbor, you will receive a $315 signing bonus.

Please note that these signing bonuses are an either or opportunity and cannot be stacked.*

*If you applied before January 1, 2023, and accepted a job offer from Covenant Harbor, you will receive your $500 signing bonus.

Full-Summer Commitment Bonus: 

See pay tab. The more weeks you work, the more you get paid per week. Available for counselors and support staff.

Church-Match Bonus:

Some churches provide additional matching funds for young adults who choose to work in camp ministry. Ask your home church about possibilities.

Returning Staff Bonus: 

$50-$300 Returning staff get an additional $10 per week, per year, added to summer salary based on how many previous summer worked at Covenant Harbor. Maximum of $30 per week.

Change Lives:

Priceless! You have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. Campers will remember your love, witness and mentorship decades from now.

*ALL incentives are paid out in the final paycheck unless pre-arranged otherwise.

Your summer could look like this!

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Positions Available

Leadership Staff

Program Leads and Assistants: Coordinate and implement each week’s program while overseeing and managing an assigned counseling team. 

Support Area Leads and Assistants: Ensure the efficiency, safety, and organization of a specific area, including supervising a team of support staff. 

Support Staff

Admin Team: Provide timely and accurate information, services, and support to the Youth Ministry Team and summer leadership staff.

Waterfront Team: Ensure that waterfront swimming areas and boating activities run smoothly, efficiently, and safely.

Activities Team: Ensure that the archery, skate park, and arts and crafts activity areas run smoothly, efficiently, and safely.

Media Team: Support all programs by providing knowledge and skills in AV, photo, and/or worship leading.

Student Nurse: Work with the Health Services Director and weekly onsite RNs to ensure camper and staff health and safety.

Camp Associates: Will work hourly in a variety of roles and interact with different programs to help the campers experience Covenant Harbor. Minimum age is 14 years old.

Counselors

Counseling Team: Be present, supervise, and minister to campers throughout their time at camp, by eating, talking, worshiping, playing, and learning alongside them.

Senior Counselors: In addition to the responsibilities of a counselor, give expertise in a specific age group/program and support other members of the Counseling Team.

Resource Counselors: In addition to the responsibilities of a counselor, provide specialized care and resources so that every child can have a successful experience at camp.

Hiring Process: 

  1. Complete Application and Submit Online  
  2. Wait for a Confirmation Email to be sent from Summer Staff. If you’re under 18, have your parent or guardian fill out a signature form, too. 
  3. Using the link in the confirmation email, schedule your interview with our hiring team. 
  4. Interview with the team. 
  5. Our hiring team will email your references in the meantime. 
  6. Interview with hiring team members.  
  7. Hiring decisions will be made by the team and email sent to you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are you looking for?

Covenant Harbor is looking for individuals age 16 and over, who want to love kids and share Jesus! Staff members should have a committed personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Staff are expected to be hardworking and responsible. Staff should be willing to serve in and outside of the following job description. All staff should contribute and encourage a healthy staff community, willing to work together as a team, and not participate in gossip, exclusion, etc. Staff should set an example for each other and campers that is positive and above reproach and looks for the best in people, situations, and camp.

I'm a Christian, but I don't attend an Evangelical Covenant Church. Can I apply?

Yes! While Covenant Harbor is owned and operated by the Central Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, summer staff come from a variety of denominations. Covenant Harbor focuses on the beliefs that bind Christians together, and seeks summer staff who affirm the following:

  • The Bible is God’s inspired word (2 Timothy 3:16)
  • Only one true and living God exists (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39)
  • Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully God and fully human (John 1:14)
  • Jesus came to earth, died, and rose again for our salvation (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
  • Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9)
  • We are meant to live in relationship with Jesus Christ (John 15:4-5)
  • The Holy Spirit lives with and in believers (John 14:17).

These are the foundations and boundaries of what is to be taught and discussed with summer campers. Covenant Harbor has the gift of serving kids from a variety of different backgrounds, so it is our priority to focus on the things that bind us, not the things that divide.

What's unique about Covenant Harbor?

Covenant Harbor is positioned within a short distance of the metro areas of Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. This means that kids from all sorts of backgrounds are basically in camp’s backyard. They are joyfully invited to come together on the common ground of camp. 

Covenant Harbor sits on over 1,100 feet of frontage on the shores of beautiful Geneva Lake. Tourists flock from all over the place to spend time in the area during the summer, and Covenant Harbor has an all-access pass to enjoy all the best parts of lake life right here at camp. 

In a typical summer, Covenant Harbor serves almost 2,500 kids through four programs that run simultaneously throughout the summer, with ample opportunities for siblings and friends to come to camp together, even if they aren’t the same age. Pier 30 is Covenant Harbor’s largest program, hosting up to 200 overnight campers in 4th-6th grade or 7th-9th grade each week. The Day Camp program welcomes about 80 campers weekly and serves both local and visiting kids entering 1st-6th grades. Kishwauketoe, an intentionally small elementary overnight program, serves around 42 campers each week. Alpha, the high school service and discipleship program, welcomes just under 30 campers for around 10 nights at a time. 

Can I do my internship at camp?

Yes! Covenant Harbor has worked with summer staff over the years from different schools to meet the requirements for their college internships. If you’re interested in this, please contact summerstaff@covenantharbor.org to discuss your options.

What if I cannot work the entire summer?

All positions have the option to take time off. We want to work with you to make working at camp possible. We ask that all staff work a minimum of 5 weeks of camp. Leadership positions are the only position that we require a longer summer commitment.

There are plenty of options to make working at camp accessible to you and your summer schedule. Just reach out and we would be happy to talk through personal options for you!

How old do I have to be?

All staff and volunteers must be at least 16 years old by the time they arrive at camp. Due to Wisconsin labor laws, there are no exceptions.

What's a typical day of working at Covenant Harbor?

While the exact duties and schedule of summer staff members depend on their position, all Covenant Harbor summer staff spend most of their time working hard, being with kids, and making the most of the opportunities that camp affords. Most staff are outside for much of the day, leading activities, facilitating discussions to help campers process Bible lessons, guiding kids as they navigate friendships, and making camp a special experience for campers. There are many silly, fun moments and many sincere moments in each day, and God is present and working in all of them.

Where do I live during the summer?

All summer staff live onsite at Covenant Harbor during the weeks that they are serving, and are housed in shared cabins with other staff of the same gender. Members of the counseling team live in cabins, with campers, the weeks they are working in the overnight programs. Covenant Harbor is located in the beautiful city of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, which has all of the amenities for staff to get what they need throughout the summer.

What do I do to prepare?

You must prepare for camp by nourishing yourself spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Spend time in prayer. Read your Bible. Go to church. Join a small group. Eat healthy foods. Take walks. Get some sleep. Talk to a trusted person. Write in a journal once in a while. Spend time getting into the habits that help you to feel like yourself. 

How could working at camp help me get another job later on?

Working at camp can help prepare you for a career in a variety of fields. Check out this blog post in which a hiring professional shares about the skills he’s looking for that are often fostered at camp, and this document from the American Camping Association that suggests some key ways to represent your camp experience on your resume.

Can I get volunteer hours for serving at camp?

Sure! Covenant Harbor staff would be happy to provide a certification letter for individuals who volunteer at camp.

Am I able to continue my regular counseling/therapy sessions while at camp?

Absolutely! We know that the healthier our staff are, the better experience campers will have. We will work with you to figure out how to maintain your regular sessions. There are key times of the day that would be simpler or more difficult to have a virtual meeting with your counselor or therapist. Be sure to tell a member of our team after signing your employment agreement, so arrangements can be made prior to your arrival.