Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (GSSWT) is headquartered in San Antonio, TX and serves more than 14,000 Girl Scouts (girls and adults) across twenty-one counties in southwest Texas. Girl Scouts is the world’s preeminent leadership development organization for girls, building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts take the lead in bettering their communities and the world. Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (GSSWTX) serves more than 10,000 girls and nearly 4,000 adult volunteers in a 21-county jurisdiction. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) is a collection of activities and experiences where girls earn badges, sell cookies, go on exciting trips, explore the outdoors, and participate in or lead take-action projects that make a difference. The GSLE empowers girls to discover their own world as they develop a strong sense of self and strengthen values, connect with others in a global community as girls form caring relationships, promote cooperation and embrace diversity, and take action in the world as girls identify and solve problems they care about. 

We are currently looking for individuals to fill the following Summer Camp position at Camp La Jita. La Jita, meaning “precious possession”, was aptly chosen as the name for our resident camp on the beautiful Sabinal River near Utopia, Texas. Camp La Jita rests on 236 acres of Texas Hill Country land, one hour and twenty minutes west of San Antonio. 

Adventure Course Specialist (Reports to Adventure Course Director)

Position Purpose: To organize and administer activities at the ropes course, consistent with Girl Scout standards and the Association for Challenge Course Technology standards and integrate ropes course activities with unit plans and other specialized camp events.

Essential Job Functions:

• Facilitates games and initiatives along with high ropes activities/elements.
• Assists with developing and leading team building sessions/activities with unit staff and campers.
• Enforces ropes course safety measures for every person in camp.
• Teaches staff and campers the skills necessary for a fun and secure experience including personal and group health and safety, care and use of equipment, emergency procedures, etc.
• Helps supervise all activities connected with the ropes course to ensure safety of participants, including but not limited to, executing safe and effective programming, using good judgment when making independent decisions and instructing participants in the proper use of all course elements and equipment.
• Works as a team with Adventure Course Director in planning, facilitating, operating, and evaluating the course.
• Reports accidents to the nurse or Camp Director promptly.
• Responsible for care and use of the adventure course, gear, hardware, and other equipment and supplies; requisitions necessary equipment and supplies before and during camp; requests necessary repairs or maintenance work.
• Keeps and performs daily course assessments along with recording of the rope logs.
• Participates in general camp program outside his/her own field.
• Performs a daily pre-use inspection of the environment, element, and equipment, along with continuous monitoring and post-use inspections.
• Responsible for opening and closing procedures during operations.
• Documents equipment usage reporting any issues to the camp director/course director.
• Participates in staff meetings.
• Assists in opening and closing of camp as related to ropes course activities.
• Participates in all camp activities.
• Acts as host/hostess for camp visitors and parents.
• Follows and adheres to National and Council policies, procedures, and plans.
• Operates according to ACCT standards and local operational procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Requirements:

• Must be at least 21 years of age or older.
• Valid driver’s license and successful completion of a criminal background check.
• Reliable transportation required.
• Must be able to obtain or become certified in First Aid/CPR by the American Red Cross.
• Prior ropes course experience preferred (level 1 certification is a plus!)
• Able to put together a day-long sequence of activities related to group goals/needs.
• Experience in supervising others – peers and children.
• Previous experience in residential camping preferred.
• Ability to communicate and work with participating groups (all ages and skill levels) and provide necessary instruction to campers and staff.
• Ability to observe camper and staff behavior, assess its appropriateness, enforce appropriate safety regulations and emergency procedures, and apply appropriate behavior-management techniques.
• Must attend mandatory staff training session June 3 – 7, 2024 and additional training week for ropes course May 28 - June 1,2024. Passing a written and practical exam may be necessary, depending on certification level. 
• Must be available to stay at camp June 9 – July 26, 2024, from 10:00 am Sunday morning until 6:00 pm the following Friday evening. Staff may stay on camp property over the weekend if necessary. (Camp will not be in session June 30 – July 6, 2024.)

Equipment Used: Rockwall and Static Team Course – element and equipment.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability and willingness to work at heights.
• Physical and technical ability to learn knots and belaying.
• Physical ability to respond appropriately to situations requiring first aid. 
• Must be able to assist campers in an emergency (fire, evacuation, illness, or injury) and possess strength and endurance required to maintain constant supervision of campers.
• Some physical requirements of the position could include endurance: prolonged standing and sitting, some bending, stooping, climbing, and stretching.
• Requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity to manipulate program equipment and activities.
• Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare and communicate appropriate camper and staff activities/programs.
• Ability to walk long distances.
• Visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards related to the activity. T
• The employee must regularly lift and or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

• Willingness to live in a camp setting and work irregular hours delivering camp programs.
• Work daily with exposure to the sun and heat.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all inclusive and does not constitute a contract.

Location: Utopia, Texas 78884

Compensation: $600 per week (plus meals and housing included)

EOE