Our Staff
Camp Kanata staff members are carefully selected to ensure they enjoy teaching and mentoring young people. Camp staff work outside through all kinds of weather – the chill of fall and the heat of summer. They lead by example, demonstrate strength of character and being a positive role model.
Why Our Staff Love Working at Camp
Camp Kanata staff love working at Camp for all sorts of reasons - spending the summer outside, mentoring youth and making a difference in the lives of children are all good reasons to work at an overnight camp.
Camp Kanata is More Than Just a Summer Job
Our new staff program, Launchpad, focuses on equipping, developing, growing and empowering young adults for future success in the job market. We provide participants with the skills, confidence and resilience to tackle challenges and seize opportunities, preparing them for college, careers and life beyond.
Build Connections
Through program and activity participation, staff develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, time management, and more!
Experience to Direction
After their first summer at Kanata, second-year staff develop deeper interpersonal skills working with campers and other adults, lean into decision-making abilities and build resilience.
Empower and Connect
By the third summer, Kanata staff are connecting with camp alumni, growing into their leadership roles and mentoring younger staff and peers. Connecting with a robust alumni network helps staff build lasting professional relationships.
Memories that Last
Working at Camp is fun! Spend the summer making an impact on kids, developing your leadership skills, building relationships, making friends, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Staff Interest Form
Want to learn more about what it is like being on staff here at Camp Kanata? Fill out the form below to get information and updates about the application!
2026 Summer Positions
2026 Summer applications are opening soon.
Counselors
Camp Nurse
Lifeguards
Staff FAQs
When you commit to working at Camp Kanata, you are committing to working at least seven of the nine weeks of the summer plus our staff training week, June 8-15. If you have a prior commitment during the summer, you will need to submit a time-off request form, and our staffing team will take each situation on a case-by-case basis.
During staff week, Head Counselors will take time to talk to each staff member and ask questions about what age group they are looking to work with. Then, we will have a fun evening program where you will learn who your co-counselors are and what cabin you will be in.
The age groups are as follows:
Camp 1 Spartans and Daisies: 6-10
Camp 2 Rangers and Butterflies: 10-12
Camp 3 Knights and Angels: 12-15
Be aware, when you commit to work at Camp Kanata, you are committing to working with all age groups. While you will be assigned to a specific cabin, you will be interacting with different campers at activities and when you spend weeks in Day Camp.
Camp Kanata is unique in that our staff are counselors in both Overnight and Day Camp! You might be asking yourself, "how does that work?" At the beginning of each week, you will get your weekly assignment as a Day Camp counselor or Overnight Camp counselor. Each counselor spends approximately three weeks in day camp during the summer, and you rotate between weeks with your co-counselors in your cabin.
When it is your week to be in Day Camp, you stay on-site in your cabin, but during the day you will report to Day Camp. It is such a fun opportunity to get to work with a different age group and get to know more campers!
While it definitely strengthens your application to have past childcare experience, you will get all of the training you need during our Staff Week (June 8-15) before campers arrive!
During this week, you will learn everything you need to know to be a cabin counselor and have the opportunity to become certified in different activity areas at Camp. If you are coming in with certain certifications (such as being a lifeguard), you may qualify for a weekly bonus.
Our summer application will be open in early November. After completing our online application, if we believe you could be a good fit, a member of our staffing team will reach out to schedule a quick phone screen. You may then be offered a 30-45 minute in-person or virtual interview to join our staff for the summer. We like to move quickly and hire on a rolling basis, so submit your application today!
Camp Kanata offers a wide range of Extended Season Programming. In both the Fall and the Spring seasons we host various groups out at Camp for retreats, conferences, mini camps and more on the weekends!
If you are interested in working at any of our Y of the Triangle branches, there are also several opportunties like lifeguarding, working in childcare or even membership.
I love being on staff because it allows me to make long lasting memories and connections with campers of all ages. There is no better feeling than seeing a smile on a campers face!
I love being on staff because I think it is the most fun job in the world. It is so rewarding and fulfilling to me, and it makes me feel like I am making a difference in these kids’ lives and giving back and I just love it here.
