Quest Guide at Outdoor Adventure and Mythology Summer Day Camp
Title: Quest Guide
Employment Status: Exempt/Seasonal
Company Summary:
Plato Learning operates outdoor mythology-based day camps for kids ages 6-15. We create a world where monsters, myth, and magic transport kids out of the mortal realm into one where they are empowered to develop new skills, take risks, solve problems, and ultimately become Heroes. With seventeen camp programs spanning from NYC to California, Plato Learning uses actors, live-action role-play, and physically and mentally engaging activities to bring myths to life.
Are you ready to join the team and accept our call to adventure?
Job Summary:
We are hiring an energetic leader and adventure role model to serve as Quest Guides at our Philadelphia, PA location. As the Ringleader of Fun, Quest Guides are the enthusiastic, flexible, camper-facing leader for all camp activities. They set the tone for each day at camp. They manage activities for campers of all ages and engagement styles that come to enjoy our brand of physical game, story-based adventures, and energetic outdoor experiences. Additionally, Quest Guides assist Leadership and Counselors with daily operations to keep Camp running smoothly.
Our style of immersive storytelling weaves a mythology-inspired story throughout a camp week, culminating in an action-packed “Quest” adventure. Campers or “Demigods” use critical thinking and problem-solving skills, while interacting with actors playing monsters and heroes in the park.
Job Responsibilities
Plan Story Adaptations (Pre-Season).
- Work with our HQ team to adapt our un-scripted, pre-written stories for the summer and adapt them to your camp.
- Build an immersive, memorable, and exciting active story-engagement experienceAlign with our HQ Story Team to navigate changes while maintaining cohesion and narrative balance.
- Manage the creation and completion of Quest related props, design elements, and costumes with your ensemble.
- Repair (foam) weaponry when necessary.
Engage the Demigod Campers.
- Lead and engage campers in activities that grow to meet their development with an energetictone.
- Understand that every camper is different
- Creates multi-modal programming that will immerse and uplift every kid.
- Encourage campers to take risks, participate, and explore their own personal limits, while celebrating the heroic strengths they already possess.
- Support demigods in meeting their victories and defeats with grace.
Organize the Hero’s Journey.
- Pre-season: Schedule and adapt camp activities for use at camp.
- In-season: Adapt activities to support the week’s adventure storyline and respond to the culture of camp.
- Keep the scheduled activities exciting and running on-time.
Be the “Call to Action” and Ring Leader of Fun.
- Provide the Call to Action–organize and lead large camp-wide activities, like the Olympics, or the Final Battle for 50 demigods.
- Keep campers engaged and safe during large, high-energy activities.
- Lead activities with infectious enthusiasm and a flexible mindset.
Facilitate Magic with the Campers.
- While “Quest” is the main adventure, there are many story moments throughout the week: including scouting missions, small council discussions, oracle visits and recaps.
- Actively listen, improvise, and connect with the Demigods to keep an eye out for magic moments that can be created on the fly. Through your positive attitude and personal conduct, exhibit heroic behaviors for young Demigods to model.
Steward of Mythological Lore.
- Chronicle the demigod’s adventures and act as a mythological resource to both staff and campers.
- Help new Demigods understand their mythological identity and support staff in creating activities that fit the week’s story by connecting them to the right legends.
Build an Ensemble.
- With the help of the Story Team, review performer submissions and cast your ensemble.
- Tell a culturally responsible story with appropriate casting.
- Schedule training and rehearsals using improv and ensemble building techniques to empower performers to make bold, adaptable character choices that center the camper’s experience.
- Manage the ensemble, maintain healthy work relationships and respect each individual's time.
Train Heroes to Lead.
- Help facilitate Counselor training on leading activities with confidence and coming up with new ideas to keep programming running at its highest potential.
- Set the tone for Counselors by modeling enthusiastic engagement in programming while leading it
Steel your Resolve.
- Our Camp is an energetic all-outdoor environment that requires staff and campers to embrace exciting challenges.
- We are looking for courageous individuals excited by the discomfort of adventure, and who do not shy away from responsibility and physical exertion, even during the heat of summer or a rainfall.
- A Quest Guide will spend most of their day on their feet and walk anywhere from 15,000-18,000 steps/day on the job, across changes in elevation and varying terrain.
Rise to the Challenge.
- Resolve conflict and manage camper behavior in a constructive, uplifting, and non-punitive manner that redirects to engagement.
- Prove your efficacy through action: be prepared to handle challenging situations with kindness and readiness to help.
- Whether it is helping support a counselor whose group needs extra help, or helping CITs do a final clean sweep of the grounds, the Leadership Team cares for the campers and their team through service-leadership.
- All Camp Half Blood Leadership team members are ready and willing to cover a camper group when necessary
The Hours.
- Approx 30 hours of remote training from April-May
- Facilitate In-Person Training days prior to program start
- 40-45 hours/week in-person at your camp location for 6 weeks.
- Camp Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm; Monday-Friday (Campers present 8:45-4:10)
What abilities are we looking for?
- Experience working with children ages 7-11 in schools, after school programs or other structured capacities
- Leadership Experience – previous programming experience a plus
- Combines strong initiative, conflict resolution, and communication abilities with a team-player attitude
- Effective organizational and problem-solving skills
- Ability to physically and vocally command an outdoor space with positivity and engaging energy
- Ability to maintain stamina and endurance over the course of the Camp Season
- Full-time availability over the course of the season.
- Excitement about working outdoors with kids in the summer
- Camp experience is a bonus, though not required
Pay: $17.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
