Staff

At Cairn we have come to realise that there is one real key to our success – our people.

We work hard, up to a year in advance, to find staff members and volunteers who will be kind, caring, safety-conscious, faithful and exciting as they work with campers with a wide range of needs and experiences.

By the time campers arrive, staff members have spent up to 14 days in training. We train our staff to deal with every possible situation that could arise at camp. As Directors, we try to bring in people to make our staff better, well-rounded members of our community.

As a staff we are also working to make our camp as inclusive as possible. We have enjoyed a long relationship with R.E.A.C.H. for the Rainbow, a non-profit organization that sponsors children with special needs to attend summer camp. It has been our pleasure to be with Project Rainbow since its beginning in the late 1980s.

We hope you enjoy the benefits of our combined 583 years of camping experience.

The staff members of Cairn are an incredible group of people who relish living in a Christian community, who practice putting other people first and who love to teach others.

If you are interested in working in the Cairn Programmes, we would be very please to receive your application. Please note you must be at least turning 17 years old in 2010 to be qualified.

Having trouble deciding if it is worth working at camp? Check out this letter we received from Gillian “T-Ba” Payne, a former Cairn Outdoor Ed. Director, Leader in Training Director and Glen Mhor Programme Director.

You can download the Staff Application and Reference Forms which you can print, fill out and mail or fax back to us. These files are in PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it here for free. Please note that you will have to make two extra copies of the Reference Form in order to hand in a complete application. If you are unable to download this form, please contact us to make other arrangements to receive an application.

If you have recently been offered a job you are required to print off the Employee Commitment Form and fax it back to Cairn within 7 days of your offer (705.767.2232).

All non-counselling (Resource, etc.) staff applications are due January 15, 2010.
Counselling applications are due February 5, 2010.

For those looking to get a head start on training, the 2008 Cairn Staff Manual is here.

The Staff for the Summer Include (please click on the Job Title to see a Job Description):

Summer Resource Staff (counselling experience and a minimum age of 18 will be an asset toward acceptance in these positions):
Iona Programme Director	Glen Mhor Programme Director	Iona Waterfront Director
LIT Director	LIT Director
Waterfront Director	Watercraft Director/Canoe Instructor	Watercraft
Arts & Crafts Director	Music & Drama Director	Dance Director
Outtripper	Outtripper	Administrator
Creation’s Quest Director	Adventure Programmers	Head Counsellor
Integration Coordinator
Kitchen:
Kitchen Manager	Assistant Cook	Kitchen Staff
Support Staff:
Nurse	Head Maintenance	Child Care Giver
Maintenance Assistant	Painter
Counsellors
Spring Staff: (May – June)
Outdoor Centre Director (May 14 – June 22)	Outdoor Centre Staff (May 22 to June 22)	Spring Staff (May 1 to 21)

Our Graduate Programme

All of us who have worked at camp while trying to get enough money to afford to go away to school know what a struggle this is every year.

We have an idea – the Graduate Programme. After your last year of university or college, before you go and get a “real” job (if you know Topaz you KNOW that she thinks camp is a real job), why not come back to camp for one more summer? Our theory is that you will put everything you have into the summer because it is likely going to be your last. We also think that it will be the summer that you get the most out of.

Yes, You Can Afford A Summer Job at Camp

Camp Tamakwa Director David Bale’s “Yes, You Can Afford A Summer Job At Camp” is an excellent resource for staff members trying to make a decision about coming back to camp. (It’s worth having your parents read it, too!)

What the Ontario Camping Association Has to Say About Working at Camp

Have you ever thought about working at summer camp, but weren’t sure if it was the right job for you?

Well, guess what? It is! Working at summer camp offers benefits you won’t get at any other job. As a camp staff member you will develop useful, life-long skills in:

• Leadership
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Childcare
• Conflict Management
• Problem Solving
• Responsibility
• Supervision
• Documentation
• Customer Service
• Safety Awareness
• Risk Management
• Professionalism
• Social Interaction
• Programming and Activity Planning

From the OCA Website.