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Nature Camp Counselor Intern

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Do you love working with children? Do you love the outdoors, nature, and hiking? Are you passionate about children's books, reading, and writing, and do you want to make learning fun for kids? How about combining your passions into a fun camp counselor opportunity?

 

At Inspire Behavioral Learning, LLC, we are looking for teen camp counselors and college/university student camp counselors to intern for seasonal day camps. Interns learn to work with kids in grades K-5 in Call of the Wild Camps in Oakland, Berkeley, Cupertino, and Vacaville, CA. Our nature camps are for kids to connect with nature, hike, read, write, explore, learn, and play in forests and nature sites of the Bay Area!

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Our ideal nature camp counselor interns are outgoing, friendly, dynamic, creative, fun, energetic, and dependable outdoor lovers who are eager to inspire and gain experience with elementary school aged kids. The #1 preferred quality is eagerness and openness to learn and develop your skill set. Students interested in future careers in education and environmental science are encouraged to apply!

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INTERN SCHEDULE: 

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• Orientation and Training: ​depending on the season, orientation and training are online, followed by onsite or may be entirely onsite. In addition, on-the-job training is provided during the camp sessions.

• Intern Hours in Camp Sessions:​ 

  • 8:25 AM-4:35 PM for school break camps.

  • 8:55 AM-5:05 PM for Saturday camps.

  • A brief team meeting is held the first five minutes and last five minutes of the intern day.

  • Most of the day consists of hands-on experience, learning to teach and engage children in the camps.

  • There is a morning rest break, 30-minute lunch break, and afternoon rest break.

  • One-on-one meetings with the intern trainer are provided for checking in, training, discussion, and support.

  • Half day intern options are no longer available. Call of the Wild Camps are mobile, not sedentary or stationary. Interns learn to guide children on hikes and nature walks and in enrichment activities throughout the parks and forests. Full day intern options are the most practical way for interns to get a full immersion experience in hands-on learning throughout the camp day.

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INTERN ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

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• Actively participate in and complete intern training before camps start and ongoing training during camps

• Develop internship goals, and actively participate in weekly 1:1 training with the camp trainer 

• Punctually and reliably attend scheduled hours, rain or shine

• Safely lead hikes for K-5th graders in small groups up to approximately 6 mi. per day

• Create and facilitate outdoor language arts activities for day campers with nature and wilderness themes, including circle time with story time and singing, literary show-and-tell, skits, nature journaling, mapmaking, creative writing, and authoring and illustrating books

• Create and facilitate hands-on science activities in biology, ecology, zoology, life science, environmental science, outdoor education, environmental stewardship, conservation, preservation, etc.

• For Berkeley and Oakland summer camps, implement activities for the theme weeks Enchanted Forest Art, Enchanted Forest Reading, Enchanted Forest Writing, Enchanted Vegan Nature, and Trailblazers

• Facilitate fun and positive nature education curriculum on vegan topics such as animal rights, speciesism, health, food, clothing, and the environment

• Engage day campers in outdoor activities that blend recreation and education, such as nature-themed field games, hide and seek and chase games, crafting and playing forest "I Spy" games and scavenger hunts

• Create and facilitate nature-themed arts and crafts 

• Engage children with a fun teaching style and high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity

• Supervise children's snack and lunch breaks

• Provide prompting and positive reinforcement to help children learn

• Facilitate emergent curriculum and child-centered, student-centered, experiential, incidental, and play-based teaching and learning opportunities

• Work closely and cooperatively with camp staff, assisting in daily scheduled activities

• Keep work materials neat, organized, and in good working condition

• Follow all health and safety requirements

• Assist day campers in following safety rules and leave no trace principles

• Proactively communicate camp questions and concerns with the camp supervisor

• Follow directions and implement feedback from camp supervisor

• Represent Call of the Wild Camps in a positive manner with campers, parents/guardians, staff, and park visitors

• Perform other intern duties as assigned

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

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Education:

 

• Current enrollment in grade 9-12, enrollment in grade 9 in Fall 2025, or current enrollment in a college/university program in education, biological sciences, environmental science, or closely related field

• Minimum 3.5 current GPA and in good academic standing

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Experience:

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• There is no previous work experience necessary, but you need to be an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast.

• Frequent, regular experience hiking trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles in a day. Trail running on similar terrain and mileage is considered equivalent experience. 

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Skills:

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• Ability to hike trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles per day five days a week (for multiple consecutive weeks in summer)

• Ability to assist teaching kids with a fun and engaging style, high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity

• Kind, caring, compassionate, and patient with learners of all skill levels

• Ability to make biology and language arts fun and interesting for elementary school age children 

• Eagerness and openness to continually learn and develop your skill set

• Ability to break concepts down into simple and easy steps

• Ability to work as part of a team

• Punctuality and reliable attendance

• Demonstrable love of nature and the outdoors

• Enthusiastic about making education relevant to children's lives

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Other Requirements:

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• Access to reliable transportation for getting to and from camp sites, some of which have no bus stop and no cell phone reception. Public transportation is impossible for some sites. See the locations in the Call of the Wild Camps web page. Research the sites and get a clear understanding of your transportation before applying. DO NOT APPLY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.

• For adults (age 18+), pass a DOJ and FBI Live Scan background check after accepting an offer to intern

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

 

• Some experience with elementary school age children (does not need to be formal volunteer work, internships or employment)

• Experience hiking in the parks you apply to intern in, such as Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Joaquin Miller Park, Tilden Regional Park, Rancho San Antonio County Park, and/or Lagoon Valley Park

• You are vegan, as defined by The Vegan Society, and/or you would like to learn the benefits of veganism on animals and the environment. Veganism is not a diet. Click the link to learn what veganism is and how it benefits people, animals, and the environment.

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WHAT YOU GET:

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• Have fun assisting with teaching kids in the outdoors!

• Supportive and friendly environment with coaching and mentorship

• Free intern program to expand your knowledge and job skills with hands-on training 

• Intern experience to enhance college/university applications and build a resume

• Volunteer hours for unpaid internships

• Some colleges and universities offer internship course credit

• Successful interns may be invited to return to intern for future seasonal camps (summer, fall, winter, or spring!)

• Successful interns may be invited to apply for employment upon receiving a high school diploma and turning 18 (Inspire's camp counselor employee position is $20-22/hr DOE)

• Become part of a company that truly cares about the happiness and success of all interns, employees, and students!

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LOCATIONS: Bay Area parks. Check the Call of the Wild Camps page.​

 

LEARN MORE: check the Call of the Wild Camps page to learn more about the camps.​

 

CLASSIFICATION: Internship, seasonal.

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Ready to get started? We look forward to connecting with you!​​