Summer Arts Camp Counselor
FirstWorks is a Providence, Rhode Island-based non-profit arts organization dedicated to enhancing our community’s cultural, educational, and economic vitality by engaging audiences with world-class performing arts and education programs.
We are hiring a Lead Summer Arts Counselor and up to three additional counselors.
Summer Arts Counselors will help to plan, facilitate, and evaluate an in-person Summer Arts Camp enrichment program administered by FirstWorks for the Pawtucket School District. The five-week program features daily activities with camp counselors and experienced artists who will teach team building, meditation, and creative and expressive skills, all concentrated in forms of sound, movement, theatre, and visual art. The program will also take students on excursions to artistic and cultural venues in RI for workshops with creative practitioners in the community including Open Farms (Cumberland), Tomaquag Museum (Exeter), and Goddard Park (Warwick). The theme of this year’s program is storytelling about the past, present and future, using art to convey how we think about food, ancestry, environmental justice, and identity. Students will reflect and connect different artistic styles, social and cultural learning, and expressive practices to create their art, showcased during the camp’s last week.
FirstWorks is looking for individuals with a passion for arts education. Counselors will work at the FirstWorks office in Providence (235 Promenade Street, Suite 130) and the Jenks/JMW Complex for the Performing and Visual Arts Media Center (350 Division Street, Pawtucket, RI).
- Tue-Fri, June 20-23, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm (Orientation, Training, and Planning), plus an additional four hours for the Lead Counselor.
- Mon—Thu, July 5– Aug 4, 8:15 am – 3:15 pm (5 weeks of camp), plus an additional two hours each week for planning on a schedule agreed upon by all counselors.
- Fri, Aug 5. 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (Evaluation and Feedback)
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Participate in orientation and training held before the camp sessions.
- Oversee groups of ten or less middle school-aged students.
- Facilitate and actively engage in conversations, interactions, and art-making with students and artists.
- Provide technical and classroom support for artists during workshops.
- Develop, supervise, and participate in camp-wide programming activities, including but not limited to artist workshops and the final arts showcase.
- Work cooperatively with other Camp Counselors to ensure camper safety, maintain adequate health and hygiene measures, and create a positive environment.
- Build relationships with all campers by showing compassion, empathy, and understanding.
- Chaperone students via bus on all excursions and ensure camper safety at excursion locations.
- Abide by all Pawtucket School District building procedures and protocols.
- Aid and mentor students’ creative work.
- Gather, organize, and distribute materials.
- Provide positive feedback for parents.
- Participate in and document evaluation of individual sessions and overall camp impact.
Additional Duties & Responsibilities of the Lead Counselor:
- Serve as the primary onsite point-of-contact between FirstWorks, all counselors, and school building personnel.
- Be the primary decision maker during day-to-day activities, programmatic changes, and emergencies.
- Manage tasks for up to four high-school-aged (16+) teaching assistants.
- Take roll call at the beginning and end of every activity and a daily lunch count each morning.
Desired Skills/Experience:
- Previous experience working with middle school-aged children is preferred.
- Ability to work and communicate appropriately with a team and middle-school students.
- Ability to adapt and problem-solve.
- Highly energetic and enthusiastic leader.
- Values diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Experience in any artistic medium is strongly preferred.
- Bilingual preferred (English/Spanish/Portuguese)
- CPR/First Aid Certified (preferred, but not required).
- All applicants must be 18 or older and pass a state and federal background check.
Anticipated Salary: This is a fixed-term contract.
- Lead Counselor – $22/hour.
- Additional Counselors: $20/hour.
Anticipated Hire Date: May 26, 2023.
Please submit a resume, three references, and a cover letter that should indicate if you would like to be considered for the Lead Counselor role to admin@firstworks.org
FirstWorks is a fully vaccinated workplace, currently operating in-office and virtually. Employment is contingent upon proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.
FirstWorks is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a diverse workplace. Women, gender nonconforming, persons of color, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.