Why You Should Apply to Be a Special Needs Counselor

I’m Josh. A pure-bred Scouser, a travel junkie, and an advertising specialist with Camp Leaders. Of course, I haven’t always been able to claim the second and third items on that list. Back in January of 2014, I was a fresh-faced 19-year-old who had never traveled more than 50 miles from my home in Liverpool. Of course, all of that was about to change. By the end of that summer, I’d traveled to New Jersey for 9 weeks, grown a beard, and became more confident. I worked with campers with special needs all summer - and it changed my life.

A summer in America is all about taking chances - starting with the moment you begin your application. I’ll let you in on a little secret: it was never my intention to work at a special needs summer camp. I intended to spend one summer in America, to get the experience that everyone always talks about. Getting a job at a special needs camp happened completely by accident - but it’s still one of the best things that ever happened to me. When I applied in 2014, I felt like I was just winging it the entire time. But I decided to take those chances, and a few steps later, I was heading to my first pre-departure event: the 2014 Job Fairs in Manchester. I remember feeling nervous but excited - to be honest, there was a lot more adrenaline than anxiety. I wasn’t really sure which camps to approach, and I was thinking about applying for a general counselor role, as I didn’t feel that I had any special skills or qualifications. I soon found out I had nothing to worry about.

One of the stands at the fair was quite busy, and the sign said they were looking to hire general counselors. I went over to check it out - and then I caught sight of the rest of the sign. It said “hiring general counselors for special needs summer camps”. I won’t lie - I didn’t know the first thing about working with special needs campers. I figured I should just keep looking, as it probably wasn’t for me - but as I went to turn around, a young man around my age introduced himself. I was pretty hesitant at first - but I figured it couldn’t hurt to have a polite conversation with a stranger. After all, I was in a room full of people who didn’t know each other. Little did I know that conversation would change my life.

The man I was speaking to was representing one of the camps at the fair. He’d worked there during the previous summer, and he told me all about his summer experience. I remember him saying how amazing the campers were, and how special camp was to him. After five minutes of talking, he had convinced me to talk to the camp director. I was now at the front of the line, and I stood across from a friendly-looking woman with a big smile on her face. I was surprised at how easily the conversation came. I could tell instantly that she was passionate about her camp - and after we spoke for a while, I found out why. Her sister, who has autism, attended the camp each year - and camp helped her come alive in a brand new way. I was sold. She offered me a job, and I accepted on the spot. As I walked away, she told me: “You won’t just be a number here. You’ll be part of a family - the campers, the families, and the staff”. She was right.

Before I knew it, my one summer in America had turned into four life-changing summers at my special needs summer camp. I had climbed the ranks from general counselor to one of the camp’s directors. It wasn’t just my job title that changed - I also had a completely different perspective on people with disabilities and on life.

When I arrived at camp in 2014, my perceptions of people with disabilities were based on stereotypes of their various diagnoses. However, I quickly learned to see people for themselves and not their labels. The campers' personalities were entirely unique from one camper to the next. I would spend hours doing activities and making memories with my campers. From food fights in the dining hall, to late night sweets and chocolate parties in the cabin, to getting overly competitive in colour wars (of course, my cabin always won). At camp, campers were encouraged to have as much fun as they wanted. They could be loud, or silly, or pour a container of paint and glitter over their counselor’s head. This was their time to have fun - not be told to “be quiet”, or “we’re in a public place, you can’t do that”. Summer camp is designed for everyone to have fun and be the best version of themselves, away from social pressures on how to act. And that does not stop because the camper is diagnosed with a disability.

Because of camp, I started a Special Educational needs degree and graduated with first class honours in 2018. That young man who struck up a conversation with me at the job fair in Manchester became one of my best friends. In 2019, I got engaged to the love of my life - who I met at camp, way back in the summer of 2014. Yeah, it’s a total cliche - but camp was honestly life-changing for me.

So wherever you’re at in your journey - whether you’re a click away from getting started, getting ready to attend a Job Fair, or flying to America for the summer of a lifetime - don’t be afraid to try something new. My little Special Needs summer camp in New Jersey impacted me in ways I could never imagine. If I’m proof of anything, it’s that you don’t need qualifications or specific skills. All you need is the right attitude. Be courageous, go out of your comfort zone, and dare to bring your best each day. If you’re nervous about working at a special needs camp, or whichever type of camp you may end up at, be open to new opportunities. You never know, it might just change your life. It changed mine.