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Summer Posted January 30, 2025

Mental Health Professional

Camp Laurelwood

Description

About Laurelwood: Camp Laurelwood is an independent Jewish summer camp located in Madison, CT. We serve about 230 campers from Kindergarten through 11th grade in overnight, day camp, and international travel programs. Established in 1937 and rooted in tradition, we have welcomed tens of thousands of campers into our community, served generations of families, built lifelong friendships, and been a center for Jewish ideas, principles, practices, and values. Laurelwood is a place where people have the time of their lives and where we work every day to create transformational experiences for our campers, their families, and the greater community. Learn more here: https://www.camplaurelwood.org/
Our Mission: Camp Laurelwood is an evolving Jewish community where we build the world we aspire to live in by creating opportunities for people to connect, explore, and inspire.
Our Vision: We envision a kinder world supported by generations of goodness and a vibrant Jewish community.

Reports To: Community Care Director

Dates:
● Part-time remote hours throughout the year TBD
● Seasonal summer full-time dates onsite: June 12 – August 15, 2025

Summary:
Under the supervision of the Director of Camper Care and Satisfaction, the Camp Mental Health Professional is the primary professional responsible for the development of successful MESSH (Mental, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Health) support structures and programming for campers and staff. This is a seasonal summer full-time non-exempt position, with part-time hours before summer session begins. This position is supported by the Yedid Nefesh grant from the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
The ideal candidate is interested in being in this role for at least 3 years while our camp participates in the Yedid Nefesh program. This relationship will be reviewed on a yearly basis during that time, with the hope that the relationship can continue beyond the 3 year grant program period.

Before the summer season:

  • Participate in staff interviews as needed; meet periodically with the Camper Care team to prepare for the summer
  • Work with Directors on staff training and developing a plan for ongoing staff learning
  • Work with Directors on updating staff evaluation forms, along with daily check-in forms for tracking wellness
  • Participate in Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Community of Practice as part of our camp’s place in the Yedid Nefesh program, including two or three virtual gatherings and one in-person gathering per year with other Jewish camp mental health professionals

    During the summer season:
    In partnership with the other members of the Camper Care team, serve as a resource to campers and staff throughout the summer with regard to MESSH challenges; create an environment where campers and staff can thrive. For example:

  • Assist counselors, division heads, and head counselors in problem solving cases where campers and staff need special support
  • Facilitate discussions, when needed, between counselors, unit heads, and leadership staff, as a mediator
  • Debrief and provide guidance to campers and staff after crises or traumatic events
  • Design and lead training for staff about camper care and self-care in the two weeks before the summer starts; plan and lead ongoing weekly staff training on areas of mental health at camp
  • Be present at camp on-site for the full duration of camp (housing is provided), weaving yourself into the fabric of the camp community
  • Communicate and manage relationships with parents/caregivers in regards to camper needs.
  • Record notes about mental health interventions and situations, successes and challenges, in our camp database, and submit weekly reports to Foundation for Jewish Camp from June-August as part of our Yedid Nefesh program participation
  • Manage information about camper needs, and communicate those to staff; document communication and plans within Laurelwood’s systems.

Compensation

$6000-7500

Requirements

Qualifications:
● A Graduate or higher level degree in a mental health field; previous experience in a camp, school, or similar setting preferred.
● 3-5 years of post-graduate work experience in a related field
● Experience supporting children, teenagers, and/or adult mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health – in proactive and reactive ways
● An ability to think critically and act swiftly in high stress situations
● Strong ability to function both independently and as part of a team
● Attention to detail in documentation and maintaining records
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills and comfort in communication with children, young adults, and parents
● The inclination to be a caring, empathetic, patient, hardworking, and diligent professional who takes initiative and is creative, enthusiastic, open-minded, and high-energy

How to Apply

Contact ben@camplaurelwood.org

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