This application is for anyone who is interested in being a paid staff member or a counselor in training for the entire summer. This includes management, positions, service staff, and instructors. Interviews for these positions will be in December. Applicants must be at least 14 years of age or older upon the start of the summer season.
This application is for anyone who is interested in serving in a volunteer capacity for a portion of the summer. This can include those wishing to serve for a week long period as a Volunteer Commissioner OR those wishing to serve for a specific number of days. Former staff wishing to serve or assist for a period of time must also use this application.
“The experience of being on camp staff is indescribable. There are few things I am more in awe of than the strong bonds between camp staff past and present who have all come together to deliver a world class scouting program to over 2000 campers each summer on this property over the past 114 years. Whether you are 14 and joining our CIT program, or 85 and have worked at OSR for decades, there is a place for everyone here at camp.
Working on camp staff is an amazing opportunity for personal growth. There has not been a summer in the 10 seasons I have worked on this property that I have not walked away feeling like I have grown as an individual – from lessons learned in leadership, life skills, independence, teaching, performing, outdoor skills, and more. I have made lifelong friends and have experiences I will never forget. I wouldn’t be who I am today without having worked at camp and watching new generations of camp staff share these experiences is why I still work here today”
All camp staff interviews take place via video conference. Applicants will receive an email with more information on specific interview dates and next steps for the role they have applied for.
A volunteer weekend for any staff, alumn, individuals, troops, and families to attend to begin physical setup for camp. A good weekend to socialize with some coworkers, see the cabins and staff facilities before the summer begins.
The CIT program allows young aspiring staff members to work a rotation of program areas, gain a deeper understanding of OSR and their subcamp of choice, and learn what it means to be on camp staff. This position is the only position open for those that are 14 years of age but 15+ are welcome to apply to be a CIT as well, especially if your summer schedule does not allow you to complete a full summer position. CITs are required to work at least three weeks and are welcome to stay through the full summer.
Have questions about working at Owasippe? Our FAQ covers everything from the hiring process and daily life at camp to resources for new staff and Scouts. Whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time, you’ll find helpful answers and links below.
Questions? Please contact us at PTAC.camping@scouting.org
New to the BSA, OSR, or summer camp staff life? No worries! Read here for an overview.
For all of the details, and FAQ view the camp staff handbook.
Each subcamp has a slightly different schedule, but share the same core routine:
Meals: Staff eat breakfast as a group. At Blackhawk this is with campers in the dining hall, Wolverine will eat in the North Lodge as a staff or in the dining tent with campers, Reneker, High Adventure, and Ad Center staff eat before heading to their 9 am programs. Each subcamp hosts a flag ceremony at breakfast and dinner. Staff assist serving meals to campers and running meal programs with a song or skit. Each subcamp has its own method for rotating staff through these roles. Breakfast period is 7am-9am, 12pm-2pm, and 5pm-7pm. Meals take about 50 minutes and staff have the rest of the period off.
Daily Program: Staff run programs in their areas from 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm. Most of the time this is hour long badges/activities or hour and a half long badges/activities. Instructors are often responsible for running 2 or 3 different badges/activities that are scheduled to rotate throughout the day. This varies by program area and camp, and are organized by the area directors.
Evening Programs: After dinner we host different events from 7pm-9pm. Some nights the event is camp wide (like opening and closing campfires), reservation wide (County Fair), or split into program area specific activities. There are outpost programs that sometimes are overnight or go later than 9pm, like the Wilderness Survival Overnighter, Star Viewing Party, Wrangler Outpost, etc.
Off Time: Staff have one evening off a week, as well as Saturday afternoon through late Sunday morning. More information is available in the Camp Staff Handbook below.
Before camp starts, all staff members will receive regular emails from the reservation leadership team, their camp admin team, and their area directors, all in an effort to get camp staff as familiar as possible with their role and responsibilities before arriving at camp. In addition to email each camp may have their own chats via Discord, Slack, or other methods to communicate.
Instructors will be asked to work on lesson plans for the badges and activities they will be leading, are encouraged to prepare for campfire programs, and may receive other assignments from their program or area directors.
In addition, Area Directors will meet in their subcamp leadership teams and are responsible for ensuring all instructors are prepared for their programs. They also lead the area staff in planning their area's evening programs. This leadership team takes a more active role in general program planning for subcamp activities.Camp management - Camp Directors, Program Directors, and Camp Commissioners - are responsible for the overall success of the camp and meet regularly pre-camp to develop programs, communicate with camp staff, and communicate with the reservation leadership team.
An email will be sent to each applicant with details on the interview process. Applicants will be asked to select a 10 minute time slot to meet on video chat with the admin team of the camps applied to.
Interviews take place in December. If you are not available we can determine an alternate time to meet. Some specific positions or applicants may be reached out prior to general interview dates.
The onboarding process takes place online via Workbright. Click here to login to your account. Here you will access standard workplace training to complete before starting your role. If this onboarding is not complete by your staff arrival day, you will be required to complete any training on the spot before moving into your camp accommodations.
Camp staff are required to complete the annual BSA Medical Form. This form comes in three parts. Part C requires a doctor's signature. This can be completed by your physician or at a quick care facility.
Camp staff are also required to complete the BSA Membership Application annually. Regardless if a camp staff member is already registered in the organization through a troop, an additional application must be submitted for your employment and will only be active for the length of your summer contract. This can be emailed or mailed in. All fees are waived.
Get to know more about the program our camp staff host each summer. View maps, program guides, and more at the Camping Resources Page, explore PTAC’s OSR site at pathwaytoadventure.org/owasippe, and browse photos and images of camp at OwasippeAdventure.com
The Owasippe Staff Association is a group of current and former camp staff who raise money and do physical labor to support OSR’s facilities, program, and the next generation of staff. Donate, attend a work weekend on property, or stop by social activity around Chicago. For more information visit owasippe.com
