Camp America?

Cactus_Jack

Has anyone here done Camp America whilst being a student? I'm not too interested in working in the childrens camp but I believe they also do a work adventures scheme, where I could just work in a regular place.

To keep this on moneysaving topic, I saw in the NUS post that there is a campamerica discount; what is this discount? In fact what do I have to pay to do the work adventures?

I graduate this year so would I be eligible to go? I guess i wouldn't be a student anymore whilst I'm there..

Indeed is it worth doing this through Camp America? Or could I just apply for a job in the US and work there for a few months? I guess I can't due to visa rules..

I hope to hear from someone who has done it or knows about, sorry about all the questions but its rather time consuming & difficult finding all the facts in one place

Edit: OK I've found a bit more out and sent for a resort America and Camp America brochure. It's not sounding so great at the minute though. It says the jobs working with the kids will involve being with them everyday for the 9 weeks. I don't want that and i have no skills to teach them anyway lol. The resort jobs also seem to be limited but are much suited to me. E.g. working in a hotel. https://www.campamerica.co.uk is useful for info

Amba_Gambla

There should be no problem going via CA the year after you graduate.
I spent three fantastic summers on a summer camp whilst at uni, including one the summer after I graduated, and plan to go back and do another sometime!

You don;t have to be a student- especially for the work america programme. The problem is though that you relaly need to go thru one of these companies to get a visa sponsor (someone who says that you have a job and will vouch for you -ie: won't run off and dissappear in deepest darkest america etc) - but the problem is that they take a decent chunk (their fees).

Your best bet is to use one of these companies, but shop around - BUNAC do similar things (https://www.bunac.co.uk) and I think CCUSA (https://www.ccusa.co.uk) do.. have a shearch, and good luck!

AG

student100

Last summer I worked on a camp in the USA on BUNAC's KAMP programme (Kitchen And Maintainence Program). http://www.bunac.org.uk/uk/kamp

I was working as support staff on camp which meant I wasn't living with the kids (as the counsellors were) - I was working in a snack bar thing they had open to the kids in the evening and also helping out in the housekeeping department. On the whole I had a fantastic time (although there were inevitably a couple of low points). I got paid a bit over $1200 from camp (plus they pay for the flight through BUNAC and provide accommodation and food) although after I covered the cost of application (about £65), US Visa (another £65), insurance (about £120 I think) and also two weeks travelling to Boston, Washington DC and New York after camp (which was fantastic and well worth it), and a bit of shopping in NYC, I don't think I made a profit from the summer. However it was a fantastic experience and I learnt a lot and in effect got to spend 12 weeks in the USA for free.

HOWEVER, I know that for the KAMP support staff programme (and the equivalent programmes run by CCUSA and Camp America) you do have to be returning to full time education after the summer away (this is a requirement of the J1 exchange visa for these programmes), so if you graduate this year you wouldn't be eligible unless you're doing further studies in the UK afterwards.
This requirement doesn't exist for the camp counsellor programmes though, but you have to live with the kids and have that sort of personality and experience working with kids etc. (Also cousellors only got paid about $800 although they may also get tips from the kids' parents.)

If you want to know anything else just ask.


Oh, and I just looked, and for BUNAC's Work America programme and CCUSA's equivalent you must also be returning to full time education after the summer. It's a visa requirement unfortunately.