Camp Counselor

Note that this position works remotely during the prep period, and resides on site during the in-person training and program periods. Sites are located in Ithaca, New York OR College Park, Maryland. Telluride will pay for the cost of travel to and from training and program sites.

Role Overview

Summer Seminar Factotums are residential counselors, administrative coordinators, and mentors who facilitate the Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS), a free, five-week educational experience for high school students. Factotums work together with other site staff to supervise TASSers, ensure their health and safety, and help them form an inclusive, intentional community. Factotums assist with facilitation of transformative justice and behavior support, teach self-governance, and help students implement these practices in their community. In addition to ensuring a safe and respectful atmosphere, Factotums provide logistical support to help student committees plan activities. Factotums are also responsible for managing the summer program budget, creating the day-to-day program schedule, and planning additional activities for the students as needed. Factotums also liaise with the Camp Director, health staff, Teaching Assistants, Faculty, and other site staff to coordinate logistics, including field trips and events planning. After the end of the program, Factotums write a detailed program report and student evaluations.

• Position Type: Temporary / Non-Exempt during preparation period; Exempt (Administrative) during in-person training and program period

• Work Schedule: This is an intensive position that may require work up to seven days per week during the program period, including evening and weekend hours.

  • Prep period (March 24, 2025 - June 8, 2025):

    • Total of 80 hours for orientation, virtual training, and program planning, as scheduled with supervisor.

    • Occasional evening and weekend hours required

  • In-Person Training & Site Setup (June 9, 2025 - June 21, 2025)

    • Full-time during this period - estimated 40-45 hours/week over 5 days per week. 

  • Program period (June 22, 2025 - August 3, 2025): 

    • During the program, this is an intensive position that may require work up to seven days per week, including evening and weekend hours. 

    • Typically estimated at 45 hours per week over 6 days per week. Additional hours may be required for field trips and other critical events. 

    • Factotums are expected to stay on site until August 3 (one week after the students depart) to complete reports and assist with breakdown. 

    • Evening and weekend hours required.

    • During the program, Factotums take off one planned day per week by arrangement with their Camp Director.

  • Work Location: Ithaca, NY or College Park, MD

  • Travel Requirements: Factotums are expected to travel for in-person factotum training from June 9 - June 15, 2025. In addition, they reside on-site at the program location for 7 weeks from June 16 - August 3, 2025

  • Position Duration: March 24 - August 3, 2025

  • Benefits Eligibility: Not benefits eligible. Sick leave provided.

  • Compensation:

    • $28.20/hour (hourly) during prep period

    • $1,128/week (salary) during in-person training and program period

    • Telluride will pay for travel to and from training and the program site.

About TASS: TASS is an intellectually rigorous humanities seminar intended to transform how students understand and participate in the world, housed in a thoughtful group-living environment where students explore the principles of democratic community-building. TASS offers seminars in both Critical Black Studies (focused on a broad variety of topics touching on the history, culture, and experiences of people of African descent) and Anti-Oppressive Studies (focused on the use of power, race, and oppression as frameworks to explore topics in the humanities and social sciences). TASSers leave the program with a greater capacity for critical thinking, democratic self-governance, and community-building. More information can be found at tass.tellurideassociation.org. 

Key Relationships: Factotums are supervised by a Camp Director and collaborate closely with other factotums, faculty, teaching assistants, health staff, and other site staff.

Qualifications

If you believe you would excel in this role despite not meeting every qualification, we welcome

your application. Please explain in your cover letter what and how you would contribute.

Required Qualifications

• Experience working with Black students and/or populations (required for TASS-CBS; preferred for TASS-AOS). Experience working with students of color, working class students, LGBTQIA+ students, and/or other students of marginalized backgrounds and diverse educational preparation.

• Awareness of and ability to reflect productively on power and privilege.

• Excellent communication skills: demonstrates skillful verbal and written communication for diverse audiences; maintains composure in high-stress situations; demonstrates emotional intelligence, listening skills, and compassion.

• Excellent judgment: makes timely decisions; exhibits sound judgment; ensures compliance and safety standards are met; explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; demonstrates integrity. 

• Ability to engage with conflicts constructively in an individual and community context.

• Ability to manage high-stress environments.

• High level of organization, attention to detail, and flexibility.

• Proficiency in Google Drive, Zoom, and Microsoft Office.

• Able to commit to the factotum position; no other commitments planned for the program period.

• Ability to meet travel requirements of the position.

• Ability to meet acceptable background check standards.

• Ability to work flexible hours which include evenings and/or weekends.

• All Telluride residential summer seminar employees are required to have and provide proof of an FDA-or WHO-authorized or approved COVID-19 primary immunization and other required immunizations or have obtained an approved disability/medical or religious exemption.

• Factotums are required to be a minimum of 18 years of age as they are supervising minors. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership, teaching, or mentoring experience in residential or cooperative education, summer programs, camps, secondary education, undergraduate education, and/or other academic or residential youth program settings.

• Experience with Telluride Association programs.

• Experience with anti-racism work and practice and/or transformative justice, preferably within the context of an educational setting. 

• Experience in skillfully mediating conflict.

• Interest in and commitment to the Association’s mission; an eagerness to practice democratic skills (facilitation and deliberation) and values.

• First-aid training.

Responsibilities

Attend Training and Carry Out Policies - 5%

• Complete mandatory online trainings during the prep period (approximately 32 hours total). This includes orientation as well as training on transformative justice, mandated reporting, health and safety, non-harassment, program administration, and other topics.

• Attend mandatory in-person training. Dates: June 9, 2024 - June 15, 2024

• Read and abide by Telluride policies and procedures. Contact supervisor promptly with any questions or concerns.

Program Preparation and Wrap-Up - 15%

• Review program budget, previous summer’s reports, and TASSer information.

• With Camp Director and co-factotums, plan TASS events and activities:

  • Recruit and schedule guest lecturers for “Academic Affairs” (AcAffs) before the start of the programs. AcAffs should be scheduled once per week, as in-person (not virtual) events that feature local academics, artists, and community presenters.

  • Recruit and schedule required training presenters before the start of the summer program.

  • With Camp Director, plan non-academic field trips and events prior to the start of the summer program, including university admissions session and campus tour.

  • In coordination with seminar staff, plan logistics for academic field trips prior to the start of the summer program. 

  • Coordinate with health staff to make plans for TASSer health needs.

• Communicate with TASSers prior to program start:

  • With co-factotums, sendorientation materials and rooming survey for the TASSers.

  • Work with administrative staff and TASSers to arrange ground transportation for arrivals.

• Participate in a site orientation meeting with your site staff.

• Set up the program site, including cleaning and furniture setup, from June 16-June 21, 2025.

• Wind down the program site, including cleaning and furniture reset, book and equipment returns, and other closing tasks, through August 3, 2025.

• Submit a financial report, general program report, individual reports for each TASS student, and Factotum Training Committee’s post-program survey no later than August 3, 2025 following the program. 

Program Administration - 25%

• Reside at the residence where TASS participants are housed from June 16-August 3, 2025.

• Administer the TASS, represent the interests of Telluride Association, enforce TASS policies, and ensure the welfare of the students entrusted to your care, in accordance with the policies set forth in the TASS Factotum Handbook.

• Assist in recruiting TASS students for other Telluride programs and host institutions.

• Ensure that TASSers complete program evaluations prior to the end of the program.

• Maintain regular contact with Camp Director and Telluride Association staff (e.g., scheduling weekly check-ins, coordinating liaison visits to the program, taking the lead on crisis communications).

• Track summer program budgets, retain receipts for all expenditures, and maintain contact with the Financial Manager throughout the program for support. Turn in receipts to the Camp Director prior to leaving at the end of the program.

• Attend weekly all-staff meetings led by the Camp Director. Share timely information about student needs and planned events with the Camp Director and other site staff.

• Work closely with the Camp Director and health staff to ensure safety, manage risk, and respond to emergency situations.

• Assist with supervising TASSer self-administration of medications, as directed by Health Director.

Community Facilitation - 55%

• Ensure that students understand and abide by program policies.

• Ensure a respectful and inclusive atmosphere for participants of all genders, races, sexualities, abilities, class backgrounds, and other identities.

• Supervise students in all daily activities, and schedule activities as needed (for instance, kitchen clean-ups, community service, informal excursions, or other activities determined by the factotum team). 

• Schedule and facilitate a public speaking (PubSpeak) program. Deliver a 20-minute PubSpeak in the first week.

• Facilitate students’ use of democratic self-governance by organizing and facilitating town hall-style community meetings and providing supervision as they plan their activities.

• With co-factotum, meet with students individually by the end of Week 3 to discuss their experience of the program so far.

• Be available to address student issues at any time. Respond appropriately to student social, emotional, behavioral, health,safety issues, and conflicts.  Assist with facilitation of behavior support and Transformative Justice (TJ), including:

  • Uphold TJ practices and community agreements, carry out daily/weekly check-ins, mentor TASSers, facilitate small-group meetings and conflict resolution, facilitate community workshops, and document behavior issues. 

  • Assist the Camp Director with behavior support meetings, community accountability meetings, behavior contracts, and dismissals. 

Other Responsibilities

• Enact Telluride Association’s commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in all activities and duties.

• Support Telluride Association to maintain a safe working environment. Act proactively to prevent accidents and injuries and communicate hazards to supervisors when identified. 

• Abide by the policies and guidelines of the Telluride Association and all local, state, and federal laws. Failure to do so may result in suspension or termination of employment. Relevant Telluride policies include:

• Safety Plan and Policy on Working with Minors: Ensure the safety and well-being of minor program participants. See policy for specifics.

• Confidentiality: All TASS students’ application materials, evaluations, and similar documents must be kept confidential. Faculty should not disclose any of this information without explicit authorization from the TASS Committee.

• Non-harassment: The Telluride Association does not tolerate sexual or other unlawful forms of harassment. Please see the Non-Harassment Policy.

• Non-discrimination: The Telluride Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical disability, or any other protected category.

• Support the general activities of Telluride Association and carry out other duties as assigned.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Essential physical requirements: Position requires use of computer, phone, and office equipment. Position requires travel and evening/weekend work. Position requires frequent accompaniment of students, including accompanying students on walking trips around campus and during field trips.

• Visual: normal concentration

• Hazards: limited exposure

Telluride Association is committed to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in our programs and our workplace. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities. Telluride Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Telluride Association participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Learn more here.

If you need an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please contact telluride@tellurideassociation.org.