The Perfect Job – Working with Kids, Being Outdoors and Making a Difference
Fresh air. Open spaces. Miles of blue sky above you. You won’t find them in a corporate cubicle, but you will find them working with kids as an Outdoor Youth Counselor at an Eckerd outdoor or wilderness therapeutic program.
If you like working with kids and the outdoors, then the Youth Counselor position may be the perfect career opportunity for you! Here, you’ll make more than just a paycheck – you’ll make a real difference in the lives of youth at risk. Helping kids change their lives is a life-changing experience for you, too.
Make More Than a Living – Make a Difference
Our Outdoor Youth Counselors work with gender-specific groups of about 10 to12 kids, ages 10 to 18, in a rustic camp setting. It is a full-time, year-round, residential position. As an Outdoor Youth Counselor, you’ll typically spend four or five days working with your group of kids, and then enjoy two or three full days and nights off while another Outdoor Youth Counselor takes charge. Occasionally, however, you may embark on a canoe trip or backpacking adventure that involves longer durations of active involvement.
The Requirements
Candidates should be at least 21 years of age, physically fit, and enjoy working with kids and outdoor activities. A college degree and previous volunteer or paid work with children is preferred, but not required. Position pays a starting salary of $23,600/year plus free room and board. Our most successful Outdoor Youth Counselors:
- Enjoy being outdoors
- Are excited by challenges
- Have a positive attitude and are non-confrontational
- Have a sense of adventure and desire for continual learning
- Desire to really make a difference in life
In short, we’re looking to hire people with the right attitude. And then we provide all the training and support for you to be successful.
The Benefits
The chance to make a real difference in kids’ lives is the reason most Outdoor Youth Counselors join Eckerd. But that’s not the only benefit. Because Outdoor Youth Counselors are provided with room and board, it’s a great way to save for graduate school or travel or to pay off student loans or credit card bills.
Our outstanding benefits package includes:
- Paid training
- Free room and board
- Time-off housing
- Medical/dental insurance after two months
- Fully paid life insurance
- Retirement plan after one year
- Paid vacation and holidays
- Lots of room for advancement
- Growth opportunities personally and professionally
Just as important, our Outdoor Youth Counselors develop leadership, problem solving and organizational skills that enhance long-term career prospects and that they’ll use for life. The rewards of working as an Outdoor Youth Counselor truly do last a lifetime.
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View a Day in the Life
From sunrise to sunset, see what a typical day in the life of an Eckerd Youth Counselor is like. 6:30 am – A New Day I wake up and make my bed, straighten up and sweep out the tent. I … read more
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Counselor Testimonials
Want to know what it’s like to work at Eckerd? Listen to what other Outdoor Youth Counselors have to say: Renee “I want the opportunity to work with people – that’s the one thing I’ve always wanted in a job. … read more
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Read FAQs
Most likely, everything you want to know about our Outdoor Youth Counselor positions is in this section.
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Youth Counselor Video
If you like working with kids and the outdoors, then the Youth Counselor position may be the perfect career opportunity for you! Here, you can make more than a living… you can make a difference.
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See a Typical Program
What’s the next best thing to seeing an Eckerd outdoor therapeutic facility firsthand? Take our “virtual tour”! The Virtual Tour uses Java, which allows a 360-degree panorama to be displayed and manipulated in a window. Instructions: To rotate the image, … read more
