How do I apply?
Visit the Employment page to download a Camp and Wilderness Trips staff application.

What are the dates of the camp program?
The employment period is for nine weeks in the summer; 2008 Dates:
Pre-Camp Training: Tuesday June 17 - Monday June 23
Session I: Tuesday June 24 - Friday July 18
Session II: Sunday July 20 - Monday August 11
Staff may leave on Wednesday August 13

What certifications do I need?
All of our in-camp staff are required to be certified in basic first aid and CPR at the minimum. Courses are available at Chewonki before pre-camp training begins, but we strongly encourage counselors to take these courses locally before the start of the summer. Lifeguard training, small craft safety, and wilderness first aid are other useful and sought-after certifications.

Wilderness trip leaders are required to be trained as lifeguards and Wilderness First Responders, as well as possess current CPR training. Many of the Chewonki trip leaders are also registered Maine Guides.

Check back this spring for 2008 training clinic dates.

What age are staff?
Cabin counselors must be at least seventeen years old. Wilderness Trip Leaders are required to be at least twenty-one years old. Outside of the cabin, we have a wide age range of staff working in the kitchen, on maintenance, in the health center, teaching camp activities, and in the office.

Where will I be living?
Male cabin counselors live in cabins or yurts with a group of 6-10 boys and a co-counselor. These cabins have no electricity or running water. Bathroom and shower facilities are located a stone's throw away.

Non-cabin staff live in yurts, small cabins, or dorm-style housing in our year-round buildings. Non-cabin staff are usually grouped by age and gender, with four to six staff members sharing a living space and occupying single or double accomdation rooms. We also have limited family housing available.

Wilderness trip leaders live in yurts with 4-6 other trip leaders before, after, and between sessions. Yurt accomodations are not equipped with electrcity or running water; there are communal social spaces and restrooms located centrally on campus.

Will I have time off?
Yes! We all need time off in the summer to stay well-rested and healthy amidst a very busy schedule. Each week in-camp staff have a night off, which starts at dinner, and a 24-hour day off. There are a variety of fun and interesting things to do in Mid-Coast Maine in the summer: play a round of mini-golf in Boothbay, pack a lunch and take a hike in the nearby Camden Hills, or have a taste of fresh Maine lobster at Wiscasset's world-famous Red's Eats. If you use your time off well, you will return to camp feeling refreshed and recharged.

Wilderness trip leaders will have time off between sessions.

We expect all staff to behave in a responsible and professional manner while on time off; though you may not be on campus, you are still a representative of the Chewonki Foundation.

What is the daily schedule?
Click here to learn about a typical day at Camp Chewonki.

Do women work at the camp?
Though Camp Chewonki for Boys is a single-gender camp, women make up a large percentage of our non-cabin staff. Many are former Maine Coast Semester students or wilderness trippers, and teach camp activities, work in the office, health center, kitchen, and down at the waterfront. There are also employment opportunities for women as wilderness trip leaders and at our brand-new Camp Chewonki for Girls.

What is the salary?
Compensation is based upon a scale of age and experience. Benefits include room and board and laundry facilities.

Are tobacco products allowed on campus?
Chewonki has a non-smoking/tobacco free campus; this includes all staff and participants while on campus or on scheduled trips.

How do I keep in touch at the end of the summer?
Each staff member will have a check-out meeting at the end of the summer with the appropriate program director to debrief and discuss plans for the next summer. A great way to keep in touch during the year is to attend a Camp Gathering and Reunion in your area, or participate in the annual Staff Winter Retreat at Chewonki in January.

• If you are interested in returning to work at camp next summer, contact Camp Director Garth Altenburg at galtenburg@cherwonki.org. If you are interested in employment opportunities at Camp Chewonki for Girls, conact Genell Vashro at gvashro@chewonki.org.
  
  
• If you are interested in leading Chewonki wilderness trips next summer (21+), contact Wilderness Trips Director Greg Shute at gshute@chewonki.org.
  
  
• If you would like to stay in touch with coworkers from the summer during the school year, contact Kate Fox at kfox@chewonki.org for staff contact information.
  
  
• If you are a Chewonki alum, drop Dick Thomas, Director of Alumni Relations, a line and let him know what you are up to at dthomas@chewonki.org.
  
  Remember, you can always call us at (207) 882-7323 with any other questions.