Program Description

Beyond Akeela is an overnight program that supports and develops the social-emotional, organizational, and independent living skills of neurodivergent teens preparing to transition to college. Most Beyond Akeela teens have ASD Level 1, ADHD, or a similar social communication disorder. Set on a college campus, Beyond Akeela teens gain experience with dorm living, navigating a college campus, and managing their daily schedule with coaching and mentorship from an experienced group of young professionals.

Daily activities include community service opportunities, traditional camp activities, dedicated exercise time, workshops on relevant college/career topics, and exciting day trips. All the while, they’ll be cooking for each other, doing their own laundry, managing budgets, developing meaningful peer connections, and reflecting on their readiness for college.

Job Description

The Beyond Akeela Head Advisor plays an essential role in the life and social skill development of teenagers who have completed their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school. They are the leader of a team that is responsible for the safety and well-being of a cohort of 15 teens / session over the course of the program.

Key Responsibilities:

Staff Development & Support

• Develop and facilitate orientation sessions for staff training week.
  Offer constructive praise and guidance to staff members, in both formal and informal settings.
• Provide coaching and strategies to staff members navigating challenging situations with campers and fellow staff members.

Camper Social-Emotional Development

• Review camper application materials prior to staff orientation and develop familiarity with camper community.
• Counsel campers experiencing challenging social-emotional situations and provide strategies for success at camp.
• De-escalate and mediate conflicts arising between campers.

Parent Partnership

• Develop a strong working relationship with our camp parents and provide outstanding customer service.
• Oversee Head Advisors communication with camper families, including general update phone calls on a weekly basis to all camper parents throughout the session.
• Communication with camper families in cases of significant and/or emergency situations at camp.

Program Planning & Implementation

• Work with Beyond Akeela Director to plan and implement meaningful workshops that touch on topics relevant to teens preparing for college, such as healthy relationships, nutrition, time management, and more.
• Provide leadership on various day trips with campers and staff.

Qualifications

Qualified candidates should meet all or most of the following criteria:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study.
• Several years of professional experience working with children with learning differences, ASD, or other social communication disorders.
• Familiarity working with teens experiencing mild mental health challenges.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Great organization, multitasking and time management skills.
• Comfortable working long hours, including late evenings, and being on feet for the majority of the day.
• Experience with parent communication of camper/student progress in a professional setting.
• Experience supervising staff and/or group leadership in a professional setting.

Compensation / Benefits

• Meals and housing fully covered for duration of term. All staff members live on site for their term at camp.
• Negotiable salary, based on level of experience and qualifications.
• Travel stipend for assistance getting to/from camp.
• Unparalleled hands-on experience with students on autism spectrum disorder in residential setting.
• Membership with American Camp Association, including discounts at outfitters like Chaco, Keen, and others.
• An opportunity to grow your professional/personal network of like-minded professionals working in related fields.

Interested candidates should send their resume and any questions to Kevin Trimble, director of Beyond Akeela, at kevin@campakeela.com