SUPERHEROES ...get ready!
Camp Twitch & Shout Summer Staff 2018 Information
WELCOME!
PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS ENTIRE FLYER - lots of information!
I am available any time to talk to if you have any questions before Camp. All of my contact information is below.
The most important thing going forward is your commitment to being with us for the week. I do understand that emergencies come up - please let me know asap if there is a change in plans - the sooner the better!
The Teams are set and it's going to be here before you know it! If you have not joined our private Facebook group make sure you do so asap - lots going on there. It's called "2018 Staff Superheroes" and the link is right below. Let me know if you have trouble requesting access.
Thank you so much and Welcome!
Tricia Kardon, Director
FLYING TO & FROM CAMP?
REMINDER:
We are providing free shuttles for the following days from ATL airport...
* Friday July 6th the Shuttle will leave ATL at 3:00pm and head to The Graduate in Athens
(don't forget to sign up for a room in your Volunteer Handbook linked below)
* Friday July 13th the Shuttle will leave with the Campers and head to ATL Airport. We are asking that you plan your flights for after 6pm so that you can help us get our campers on their flights - this would be a tremendous help!
* If you are staying in Athens for Friday night for the Benefit Concert - your transportation back to the Airport will be on your own and we recommend Groome Transportation below. If you have a group traveling together you may want to book it as a group. There is a link in this Flyer below to contact Groome.
* If you haven't done so yet...
SEND YOUR FLIGHT INFORMATION (or copy of your itinerary) TO:
Dani Ortega at dani@camptwitchandshout.org
VOLUNTEER DATES: July 6th - 13th, 2018
Information to help Volunteers plan for the week with us...
SCHEDULE
*There is a free AIRPORT SHUTTLE for those flying to & from ATL and Camp (see below)
FRIDAY JULY 6th:
If you are flying in...We have a free Shuttle that we provide for Counselors traveling to Athens on Friday afternoon July 6th. The Charter Bus will leave Atlanta airport (ATL) at 3:00 pm sharp. This is the only arrangement we can help you with on this day (see below for departures). We recommend that you fly in before 2:00 pm to be able to make it. Athens is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes from ATL airport.
*If you cannot make our shuttle - The other option is for you to arrange a shuttle with Groome Transportation on your own that goes to and from Atlanta airport & Athens every hour - the cost is $39 each way (click link below). If you book it with other volunteers - they might drop you directly at The Graduate. If not, we'll help get you to the hotel from the Groome Athens office.
Friday evening, July 6th is our Volunteer Welcome Barbecue in Athens next to The Graduate Hotel at Lay Park Community Center starting at 6:00 pm.
Friday evening July 6th Hotel reservations will be made by us and paid for by TICS - we will be in touch before Camp to make these arrangements.
SIGN UP NOW IN THE VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK FOR A ROOM!
SATURDAY JULY 7th:
8:00 am Training begins at Lay Park in Athens - this is mandatory.
At 3:00 pm we will head over to Camp Twin Lakes to finish training and we will stay at Camp the rest of the week. If you do not have a car with you in Athens we'll help find you a ride to Camp. No one is to leave the Camp Twin Lakes site during the week of Camp.
FRIDAY JULY 13th (Last day of Camp)
AIRPORT SHUTTLE:
If you are flying out today...you can ride to the airport with the Campers on the Shuttle. There will be an 11:00 am Departure for campers & the volunteers flying on Friday at the end of camp (this is at no cost to you).
PLEASE SCHEDULE YOUR FLIGHT DEPARTURE AFTER 6:00 pm July 13th - we will need your help with the Campers flying home - this will help us tremendously! We have Volunteers stay at the gates with the Campers until they get on their planes. We typically have about 30 Campers flying home between 3-6pm that day and need all the help we can get!
DEPARTURE BY CAR:
Plan on being at Camp until 12:30 pm - Volunteers will be dismissed after everything is cleaned up and CTL gives us the OK to leave.
FRIDAY EVENING IN ATHENS - July 13th:
There will be a Camp Twitch & Shout Benefit concert in Athens at The Foundry featuring Randall Bramblett! Doors open at 6pm - concert starts at 8pm. This event will be free for our volunteers who sign up before April 30th - all other guests will be $20 each.
ANSWER THE POLL IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP before April 30th if you would like to attend the concert on this date.
Once you leave Camp Twitch and Shout you are on your own and we will not be responsible for hotel or Travel arrangements. The Graduate Hotel is now completed booked and there are no rooms available for Friday, July 13th. So here are your options...
* Holiday Inn Express: $79 for this night with breakfast included (about 9 blocks from The Foundry).
706-546-8122 and mention Camp T&S Volunteers.
* Holiday Inn: $89 for this night - breakfast available to purchase (a bit nicer than the Holiday Inn Express) and is located about 6 blocks from The Foundry.
Call 706-549-4433 and mention Camp T&S Volunteers.
* Hilton Garden Inn: $139 for this night. No breakfast available - 2 blocks from The Foundry.
NOTE: If you are traveling back to the airport on Saturday - you will definitely want to arrange the shuttle ahead of time with Groome. Click the link at the end of this Flyer.
Volunteer Commitment Reminder:
Camp Twitch & Shout, a Volunteer MUST...
* ...be a fun, energetic, and positive person who is willing to get a bit messy & silly!
* ...be age 19 or older to be a counselor (and at least 1 year out of High School before the start of camp)
* ...(for our Medical Team) be a licensed RN in Georgia or in one of the qualified Compact States (multi-license) in the USA
* ...complete and pass a background check
* ...complete and pass reference checks
* ...complete a video interview within 2 weeks of applying (before January 15, 2018) - link and information will be in your confirmation email
* ...be physically and emotionally capable of supervising campers and participating in all activities with them the entire week of camp.
* ...be able to commit to being at Camp Twitch & Shout 24/7 starting with training on the Saturday before the campers arrive at 8am, through Friday the last day of camp at noon. There is a welcome barbecue for all Volunteers the Friday evening before training (see dates above).
* ...sleep in the cabins with the campers all week long. Supervision ratio is approximately 2:1 (campers to counselors).
* ...arrange and pay for your own travel to and from camp (unless taking the Camp airport Shuttle). Volunteer food and lodging will be paid for during training and the week of camp. All counselor positions are volunteer.
* ...have an interest in working with children with a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome and the possible associated disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, OCD, social skills struggles (some campers are on the autism spectrum), sensory integration dysfunction, and learning disabilities. While adults from all different fields and expertise are accepted, students and professionals with experience or a focus on education, special education, psychology, nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, health related fields, social work, advocacy, behavior management, recreation therapy, music therapy, art therapy, a service industry, or counseling.
Job Title: Camp Counselor
Reports to: Cabin Leader
Prerequisites: At least 19 years of age, pass a background check, reference checks, and an interview before consideration for this position. Counselors must also be at least 1 year out of high school by the time of camp.
Position Purpose: Camp Twitch and Shout Counselors are the primary caregivers for our Campers. They are responsible for the Campers’ health and safety, communication with their Leadership and Support Teams, as well as inspiring personal growth through the 5 core principles of Camp Twitch and Shout.
5 Core Principles
1. Resilience: Instilling the process of adapting well in the face of adversity in order to “bounce back” from difficult experiences.
· Seeks to learn more about possible struggles and comorbid conditions for those individuals with Tourette syndrome through participation in training, ongoing communication, observation, and active listening.
· To foster resilience by being aware of the possible individual challenges of each camper in their care, and to continually provide encouragement and feedback to positively impact their ability to handle those challenges.
2. Independence: Creates an environment that gives our Campers the opportunity to function independently, with the goal to improve their self-esteem through discovering their gifts and strengths. A counselor will encourage them to adopt and reinforce the routines and strategies that will help them develop self-competence through positive, supportive, and empathetic means.
· To continually guide, supervise, and help organize activities related to the campers living in their cabin in order to foster self-competence in meeting their own personal needs and goals at camp.
· Seeks opportunities for Camper’s personal growth and provides positive encouragement and compassionate support for each unique individual’s needs and goals.
3. Friendship: Assists in the development of friendships with others that are kind, and act as a positive influence in their lives.
· Consistently acts as a positive role model for Campers and Volunteers by actively engaging in the spirit, community, and fellowship of all individuals living in your cabin.
· Understands the importance of peer-to-peer relationships/friendships, and seeks to encourage and develop social skills in order to reach this goal with the support of the Leadership and Support Teams as needed.
4. Individuality: Assists campers to discover and embrace their unique qualities and gifts that distinguish them from others.
1. To embrace and respect the individuality and diversity of each camper in your care.
2. To seek opportunities that increase self-esteem and pride of all individuals by continually acknowledging and reinforcing their unique gifts and strengths.
5. Mindfulness: Mindfulness is achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feeling, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
1. To gain knowledge of mindfulness practices through the training process, and seek guidance from the Leadership and Support Teams during Camp.
2. To incorporate the tools and strategies learned in training to effectively calm and reassure campers when they are having a difficult time, feeling stressed, or struggling with their symptoms of Tourette Syndrome or associated disorders.
Health and Safety:
To ensure the health and safety of all campers at all times.
1. To see that all campers are properly supervised at all times.
2. To report to your Unit Leader any behavior or activity of a counselor, staff member, Camp Twin Lakes staff member, or camper that is concerning, inappropriate, unkind, insensitive, or aggressive in nature.
3. To recognize and communicate any personal issue or need of yourself to your Unit Leader to ensure your emotional and physical health throughout the week.
4. To make sure you are knowledgeable of any medical needs of the Campers in your care, and access the Medical Team as needed for information, resources, and medical care as needed.
5. To ensure timely medication administration.
6. To ensure proper clothing, sunscreen, bug repellent, fluid hydration, and any environmental needs (heat related, etc…) of yourself and the Campers in your care.
7. To take advantage of scheduled breaks and relief when offered to ensure your personal health.
Communication & Policies:
To read and understand all policies & information listed in the Volunteer Manual.
1. To seek the guidance and support of the Leadership and Support Teams as needed in order to gain knowledge and growth in the role of counselor.
2. To communicate effectively with other volunteers and the Leadership team.
3. To always be aware of, and follow the programming schedule for your cabin to ensure timely participation in all the activities provided.
4. To honestly and effectively contribute to all verbal and written evaluations required.
5. To respond in a timely manner to all communication prior to and during camp.
6. To participate fully in training and camp: All volunteers are required to be on site at Camp Twitch and Shout 24/7 from the beginning of training until dismissal on the last day of camp.
7. To participate fully and enthusiastically in all the activities with the campers.
8. To read and agree to all of the policies and information listed in the Volunteer Manual.
9. To make sure that everyone is having a lot of fun!
CAMP TWITCH & SHOUT
Email: tricia@camptwitchandshout.org
Website: www.camptwitchandshout.org
Location: 210 South Broad Street, Winder, GA, United States
Phone: 706-248-9328
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camptwitchandshout/
Twitter: @CampTwitchShout