Day Camp Leadership Specialist

Fresh Roots • Vancouver • 1d ago

Application Deadline: February 1, 2026. Group interview February 7, 2026 in Vancouver. The Position Do you have experience working at summer camp and want to take your skills to the next level by mentoring youth to be leaders? Does the idea of passing on your camp knowledge to the next generation of leaders excite you? If so, the Leadership Program Specialist role at Camp Fresh Roots might be for you!

The Leadership Program Specialist works alongside the Director of Experiential Learning Programs to plan and run the Leadership Experience (LEX) and Counsellor-in-Training/SOYL Apprentice (CIT) programs for youth ages 12-18, providing them with opportunities to build their skills and experience in leadership, facilitation, and working with kids. The LEX program is for youth ages 12-15 who have attended Camp Fresh Roots in the past and are looking to develop their leadership skills and be role models for campers, while the CIT program is for alumni of Fresh Roots’ SOYL program who want to gain experience working with children. This position will also perform a variety of administrative tasks and provide support to Camp Program Staff and the Camp Directors throughout the summer. Key Details Location: David Thompson Secondary School (South Vancouver) and Millside Centre (Coquitlam). This position will work primarily in Vancouver but must be willing to work a few days in Coquitlam. Dates: Contract Position, June 11-September 4, 2026. August 4 will be a paid vacation day. Hours: Full-time, Average 37.5 hrs/week. Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:15-5:30 Compensation: $19.00-19.50/hr, plus 4% additional pay in lieu of vacation, paid sick leave, 30% discount at Fresh Roots markets, and access to culled produce. On-the-job training and professional development workshops will be provided Note: Position is funding-dependent, which may alter final employment contracts. This is a Canada Summer Jobs position. Applicants must be between ages 15-30 and have Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee Status. Responsibilities Leadership Experience (LEX) With the Director of Experiential Learning Programs, plan and facilitate the LEX training week, including: Team building activities Leadership and skills workshops Daily reflections LEX “graduation”/program completion celebration Create LEX volunteer schedules for volunteers and staff Supervise LEX volunteers Support staff in working appropriately with LEX volunteers Communicate with LEX families via email, phone, or in person Keep program records Counsellor in Training & SOYL Apprentice Programs (CIT) Recruit current SOYL youth to join CIT With the camp admin team, conduct CIT training Create CIT schedules that ensure CITs see a full range of camp activities. Check in with CITs daily Create and facilitate CIT evaluations Keep program records General Camp Support Mentor newer staff during training and the first two weeks of camp Actively participate in staff trainings Lead and demonstrate camp activities Role model leading a camp group Lead planning of all-camp activities with LEX and/or CITs Support camp staff, including covering absences and breaks, and helping in the kitchen when needed With camp admin team, plan end-of-camp celebration

Qualifications Fresh Roots recognizes that applicants from oppressed groups, including folks who are Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour (BIPOC) may be hesitant to apply for positions where they don’t perfectly meet the listed qualifications. If you are excited about the job description, believe you could learn to perform the responsibilities, and can meet the essential qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Essential Qualifications Minimum two years of post-secondary education or work experience Experience working with and supervising youth Passion for youth leadership, farm, outdoor, and/or environmental education Outgoing, energetic, and unafraid to be silly Physically able to work outdoors in all weather conditions for up to 9 hours a day Ability to adapt to changing conditions and make quick decisions Current FoodSafe and First Aid, including Child and Infant CPR, will be required before position starts; funding for this training may be available Must pass a criminal record check to be able to work with children and vulnerable populations Due to funding, must meet Canada Summer Jobs Requirements: Between 15 and 30 years old A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee status Eligible to work in Canada Preferred Qualifications Previous experience at a day camp or overnight camp, especially in an administrative or program specialist role Previous experience working with youth ages 12-18 Education and/or experience in teaching, youth work, gardening, cooking, ecology, theatre, or related fields Experience working with neurodivergent kids and kids with learning differences Comfortable working with web-based technology, including Google Docs & Sheets, and willing to learn new systems Ability to speak multiple languages is a plus. Languages frequently spoken in our communities include Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Punjabi, Farsi, French, and Ukrainian.

About Camp Fresh Roots Camp Fresh Roots offers joyful, risk-aware day camp programming led by well-trained, caring staff on Fresh Roots schoolyard farms and food lands in South Vancouver and Coquitlam. We welcome approximately 300 campers each summer from a wide variety of backgrounds and abilities, and we offer sliding scale registration to make our camps as accessible as possible. Staff receive 40 hours of training, including in-depth training on health and safety, camp programming, and diversity and inclusion. Learn more about the camp at freshroots.ca/camp.

About Fresh Roots Fresh Roots envisions resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems which support human growth and connection. We cultivate educational farms and place-based programs where youth develop healthy relationships with food, land and community through growing and sharing food that nourishes themselves, their communities and the planet! Our core values are at the heart of everything we do at Fresh Roots. They are joy, community, inclusivity, empowerment and lifelong learning.

How to Apply Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. Submit a resume, a short cover letter OR video introduction, and the name, phone number, and email address for 3 references. At least one reference should be able to speak to your experience with kids and one should speak to your cooking experience. Your cover letter or video should Introduce yourself Share why you want this position and what makes you uniquely qualified Share what you hope to gain from the position if hired

Videos should be no more than 3 minutes, and must be shared via a link in the “website, blog, or portfolio” line. Cover letters should be no more than 500 words and must be uploaded as a document. Please note that we are not judging videos based on your video editing skills, and neither videos nor cover letters are preferred. Choose the option that best lets you shine.

A group interview will be held on Saturday, February 7 in Vancouver with short follow-up calls the week of February 9. Virtual interviews may be offered for those unable to attend the group interview.

We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.