2026 Junior Camp Counsellor

Assignment Dates: May 25, 2025 - August 28, 2025 

Position Type: Full Time Contract 

Career Level: Student/Junior – Reports to Summer Art Yard Supervisor  

Join the dynamic team at the Aurora Cultural Centre as a Senior Summer Art Yard Counsellor (SSAYC)! We are actively seeking three (3) dedicated individuals to play a key role in promoting, curriculum building, and delivering our engaging visual arts-based Jr. summer camps tailored for youth aged 4-7.  

What are the benefits of working at the Aurora Cultural Centre?   

• The ultimate summer job! Connect with our local community of young artists, make friends with other like-minded creatives, and spend your summer inspiring those that look up to you as their hero! 
• Mentorship and guidance with leading community arts administrative professionals. 
• Wide skill acquisition and experience in curriculum design, program coordination/delivery, leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork.  
• Extensive staff training and program prep time (including acquisition of High Five ‘Principles of Healthy Child Development’ Certification). 
• Access to state-of-the-art studios, facilities, and galleries. 
• Networking opportunities within the local arts community.   
• Located in York Region’s newest creative arts hub, just off Yonge Street, with easy public transit links, and free parking.   
• End of contract reference   
• Discount offers for Aurora Cultural Centre classes & workshops through end of calendar year. 

Responsibilities 

• Utilize creativity to design the Jr. Art Yard camp curriculum, implement, and lead artistic tailored activities for youth 4-7 yrs old. 
• Ensure the safety all campers, maintain daily sign-in and sign-out procedures, facilitating safe outside activity programming, and first aid protocols are followed consistently. 
• Nurture and encourage camper engagement, inspiring studio energy, and unforgettable camp experiences. 
• Implement creative problem-solving skills to adapt to scheduling changes, engage campers with programming, and tailor to camper interests. 
• Act as the first contact for parents/guardians and an ambassador of the Aurora Cultural Centre community. 
• Complete supply inventory checks and appropriately track supply usage using digital inventory tracking systems. 
• Actively collaborate and coordinate with the Summer Programs Supervisor, Behaviour Management Specialist, Education Manager, and Core Centre staff on summer outreach initiatives and other duties as assigned with professionalism, initiative, and diplomacy. 

Skills and Experience Necessary  

• Experience in instructing, curriculum building, or working with youth 4-8 yrs old (preferably in a visual arts children's camp setting). 
• Reliability and punctuality required to successfully support summer team and deliver programming. 
• Excellent communication skills with other members of the summer team and leadership, receptive to guidance and feedback during learning moments. 
• Highly adaptable and flexible to possible last-minute program adjustments in accordance with Art Yard Supervisor and Behaviour Management Specialist direction. 
• Ability to quickly direct attention and focus of a cohort of up to 24 campers. 
• Observant to emotional needs and interpersonal relationship changes in the classroom, taking mitigating actions and applying corrective action in a timely manner. 
• Awareness of ethical considerations in art education such as inclusivity, cultural appropriation, self-expression, and sustainability. 

Conditions of Employment 

• Monday-Friday daytime hours* (8:30am to 4:30pm) *with the exception of a few weekend outreach engagements identified at the start of the season.   
• Camp programming runs nine (9) weeks of the summer. 
• Camp employment concludes the Friday before Labour Day. 
• Participation in the Aurora Cultural Centre’s exciting public events such as Canada Day and Street Fair Festival. 
• Sitting at desk for extended periods of time during curriculum building phase of contract. 
• Required to work outside in short durations in high heat environments.  
• Light physical activity (lifting up to 50lbs).  
• Must be able to meet set programming deadlines. 
• Loud/high stimulus in camp studio environment. 
• Work involves mental and visual concentration with frequent interruptions. 
• High volume of social and interpersonal interaction required. 
• Projection of voice and direction of attention required. 

Requirements  

• Aged between 16 and 30 years old.  
• Eligible to work in Ontario (must possess a valid social insurance number).  
• Hold a proper residency status, which includes being a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or person with valid refugee status in Canada (as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act).  

As some funding sources require that recipients plan to return to an educational institution in September 2026, please indicate your intentions in your cover letter. 

Not eligible  

• International students  
• Non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status  

Qualifications 

• In-progress or completed post-secondary education in related discipline such as Fine Arts, Animation, Graphic Arts, Arts Administration, etc, and/or equivalent combination and related equivalent experience.  
• Emergency First Aid, CPR-C Certification, (AED training an asset).  
• Vulnerable Sector Check required (reimbursed with receipt).  
• High Five ‘Principles of Healthy Child Development’ Certification required. 
•  Behaviour Management Systems, Safe Management or Non-violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention certification considered an asset. 
• Knowledge of MS Office Suite for program curriculum building, camp materials, inventory tracking etc, considered an asset. 
• Valid driver's license and access to a vehicle considered an asset. 
• Full attendance at pre-camp training/onboarding.  

Please Note: Certifications are not required at time of application but must be obtained prior to job commencement. The Aurora Cultural Centre may offer opportunities for certification. 

We appreciate that not everyone has had the opportunity to cultivate all the skills and experience required to fulfill the responsibilities of this role.  We encourage candidates to apply who see themselves as having a solid base skill set for the position and interested in learning the rest.   

We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, including equity-deserving groups.