Ask almost anyone who’s worked at a summer camp and they’ll tell you the same thing: you show up thinking it’s “just a summer job” and you leave with stories, confidence and skills you didn’t know you were capable of yet.
That’s why the YMCA of Greater Cleveland is hiring summer camp counselors right now. Yes, you’ll spend your days outside. Yes, there will be singing, games and sunscreen. But what surprises most first-time counselors is how quickly they grow into real leadership.
Because camp is a live-action lesson in people skills.
On any given day, a counselor might be helping a shy child join a group, calming a disagreement over rules, encouraging a kid who’s convinced they can’t do it or getting a team to work together when they’d rather do their own thing. Those moments are where leadership happens. You learn how to speak clearly, stay patient, be fair and stay steady when things get loud or messy. (They will. It’s camp.)
At the Y, we’re intentional about creating a fun, safe and enriching environment for every child. Counselors are a big reason we can do that. They set the tone. They model kindness. They help campers feel like they belong. And along the way, they build the kind of communication and teamwork skills that follow them into college, careers and relationships long after summer ends.
Tish Bowling, our Senior Vice President of Youth Development, sees it every year: young adults who start the summer unsure of themselves and finish it stronger, more confident and proud of what they’ve accomplished. Not because they were born leaders, but because camp gave them a place to practice leadership every single day.
And there’s research behind that “camp changes you” feeling.
A 2021 study in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership found that summer camp staff showed growth over the course of a summer in key workplace skills like leadership, teamwork and resilience, with supportive staff culture playing an important role.
That’s the heart of what we aim to provide at the YMCA: a culture where counselors are trained, supported and encouraged, and where the work is meaningful. When you’re responsible for a group of kids, you learn quickly that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing up prepared, caring about others and learning as you go.
YMCA day camps are offered throughout Greater Cleveland, in city neighborhoods and surrounding communities, giving counselors a chance to serve close to home while building friendships and professional connections of their own. It’s also a résumé builder in the truest sense: you leave with real experience, real references and real evidence that you can handle responsibility.
If you’re 18 or older and looking for a summer that’s active, purpose-filled and genuinely memorable, this could be it. Come for the job. Leave with the kind of growth you’ll be glad you earned.
Interested? Apply through the YMCA of Greater Cleveland careers page (search “YMCA of Greater Cleveland careers”). Camp counselor positions start at $14 an hour.