We are hiring 1 Summer Camp Coordinator and 1 Camp Leader for our upcoming 2024 Nature and Science Summer Day Camps!
Our summer nature and science camps creatively engage participants from 5 to 9 years-old in fun hands-on learning, including arts, crafts, games, mud-digs, beach seines and other science-based activities related to nature, our local estuary, watersheds and ecosystems, conservation and restoration, and citizen science. Games and activities are mostly outdoors, including on the beach, along our estuary interpretive trail and up on our wildlife viewing tower. Indoors we have aquariums and an observation tank with marine and intertidal creatures, microscopes, telescopes. and interactive displays. We have camp curriculum materials and resources, and there’s also lots of room for our summer camp leader team to get creative. Respect for local Indigenous care for the land and wisdom is also foundational.
Science & Nature-Summer Camp Coordinator
Hours: 35 hours/week
Work Term: June 24th 2024, to August 28th 2024.
Compensation: $20/hr.
The Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre is an educational interpretive Centre in the Cowichan Estuary, a 400-hectare estuarine ecosystem. We offer hands-on nature- based programming for schools, youth and the public, plus summer science camps.
Job Description:
The role of the Summer Camp Coordinator is a hands-on, energy intensive position focused on co-leading science and nature-based camp activities and play. The Summer Camp Coordinator will be responsible for preparing camp programs, schedules, activities and learning outcomes. They will be mentored and trained by Nature Centre staff, volunteers and local naturalists in understanding the estuarine environment in which they will be working. The Summer Camp Coordinator may assist in the delivery of programs to school groups visiting the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre. The Summer Camp Coordinator and Leader will be the team delivering the summer science and nature camps for groups up to 12 children. Children attending the camps range in age from 5-9.
Duties
- Develop and plan age- appropriate science and nature-based curriculum.
- Supervise and facilitate summer science camps to groups of children and youth each week, including preparation and clean up.
- Take responsibility for the welfare and learning of students, including reviewing campers’ medical forms and releases prior to each week’s camp, setting behavior limits and ensuring safe and appropriate camper behavior as needed.
- Deliver community education and awareness programs, such as nature walks and school programs.
- Help prepare publicity and promotional materials for camps.
- Organize and maintain camp supplies.
- Train, mentor, and coordinate youth volunteers for the Nature Centre.
- Perform other general office duties including answer phone, email and in-office inquiries.
- Be available for some weekends and evenings as required.
Qualifications:
- Accountable, enthusiastic, adaptable, and self-starting.
- Passion for working with children and youth.
- A love of the outdoors, play and hands on activities.
- Experience working with children and youth, managing behaviors and creating safe spaces to foster learning.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team within a non-profit organization.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills; comfortable interacting with the public.
- Willing to ask for help and accept feedback.
- Computer skills in a Microsoft Office suite, social media and website maintenance an asset.
- Preferably studying or demonstrated interest in one of the following fields: Education, Child and Youth Care or associated degrees; Biology, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Environmental sciences or associated degrees.
Science & Nature-Summer Camp Leader
Hours: 35 hours/week
Work Term: June 24th 2024, to August 28th 2024.
Compensation: $18.00/hr.
The Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre is an educational interpretive Centre in the Cowichan Estuary, a 400-hectare estuarine ecosystem. We offer hands-on nature- based programming for schools, youth, and the public, plus summer science camps.
Job Description:
The role of the Summer Camp Leader is a hands-on, energy intensive position focused on co-leading science and nature-based camp activities and play. The Summer Camp Leader will assist the Summer Camp Coordinator in final preparations for the summer science & nature camp programs including program activities, learning outcomes, and schedules. They will be mentored and trained by Nature Centre staff, volunteers, and local naturalists in understanding the estuarine environment in which they will be working.
Lead by the Camp Coordinator, the Camp Leader will be delivering the summer science and nature camps for groups up to 12 children. Children attending the camps range in age from 5-9.
Duties
- Assist the summer camp coordinator in developing and planning curriculum, including inquiry science-based activities, arts, games, and crafts.
- Co-lead summer science camps to groups of children and youth each week, including preparation and clean up.
- Take responsibility for the welfare and learning of students, including reviewing campers’ medical forms and releases prior to each week’s camp, setting behavior limits, and ensuring safe and appropriate camper behavior as needed.
- Organize and maintain camp supplies.
Qualifications:
- Accountable, enthusiastic, adaptable, and self-starting.
- Passion for working with children and youth.
- A love of the outdoors, play and hands on activities.
- Experience working with children and youth, managing behaviors, and creating safe spaces to foster learning.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team within a non-profit organization.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills; comfortable interacting with the public.
- Willing to ask for help and accept feedback.
- Computer skills in a Microsoft Office suite, social media, and website maintenance an asset.
- Preferably studying or demonstrated interest in one of the following fields: Education, Child and Youth Care or associated degrees; Biology, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Environmental sciences, or associated degrees.
How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume by May 1st via email, mail or in person to:
Alison Adamson
Coordinator
Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre
Box 5 Cowichan Bay Rd
Cowichan Bay, BC V0R 1N0
Email: admin@cowichanestuary.ca
IMPORTANT NOTE: Positions are contingent on Canada Summer Jobs funding. This may affect employment contracts.
We look forward to hearing from you and the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre thanks all applicants for your interest.
Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Job interviews may be conducted online via Zoom.
Calling all nature explorers Ages 5-9! Our popular five-day July & August Summer Day Camps are open for registration. Campers will learn about the birds, plants and animals of the Cowichan Estuary by exploring the estuary’s clam beds, mudflates, beaches & eelgrass meadows.We’ll explore tide pools, do hands-on experiments and crafts, play games and learn about our watersheds and estuary and their important role as an ecosystem and salmon habitat. Campers will get to know our Coho Salmon Fry in our fresh water aquarium and the many other creatures in our salt water aquarium. We’re small-group-oriented & our camps of up to 12 children offer a safe, fun, hands-on learning for 5 to 9 year-olds. 
Meet our 2022 Volunteers of the Year! We are grateful to all of our volunteer nature interpreters who welcome visitors to the Nature Centre, and we especially want to recognize this amazing team of five – Dorothy Marshall, Kathy Coster, Gail Mitchell, Judy Wilson (all pictured here), and Jane Douglas – who all came, and continue to come, to share their knowledge and welcoming smiles with Nature Centre visitors week after week, sunshine, rain or snow, throughout 2022. and now into the new year. We couldn’t have done it without them!
Join us October 3rd at 3pm outside on the lawn under the tent at the Nature Centre for an Indigenous Plant Talk & Book signing, with authors Quw’utsun Elder Luschiim Arvid Charlie and local ethnobotanist Nancy Turner, and a chance to purchase a signed copy of their gorgeous new book “Luschiim’s Plants”.
Eric and Dorothy moved to Cowichan Bay in August 1996. Visiting the floating Marine Ecology Station in Cowichan Bay was early on Eric’s list. As Eric told it, Marine Biologist Bill Austen greeted him and said, “Great to have you as a volunteer – I’m would like to go to a sponge conference in Australia and you can look after the Station while I’m away!” Eric became Treasurer for the Station and when the Station moved to Sidney in 2001, he went with Bill in his boat as it was towed there. He stayed on as Treasurer for a couple of years as the old Board handed over the running of the station to a new one.
