10 Qualities of a Great Counselor by
Jacob Williams
(7 Year Counseling Veteran)
Fun
A great counselor is able to have fun, and, more importantly, get their campers to have fun in any situation in which it is appropriate. Great counselors make up games, inside jokes, and have ideas of how to help campers have an incredible camp experience filled with laughter and good memories.
Responsible
A great counselor meets needs and upholds camp values when no one is watching and when no reward is being given. They can be trusted with any task, especially the task if taking care of children and teens. Great counselors are the first to help when a need is expressed or presented.
Spiritual
Great counselors are in tune with the spirit and allow the spirit to lead them. They are great examples of Disciples of Jesus for their campers, and they attempt to be Jesus to their campers by means of service and love.
Adaptable
Great counselors adapt for their campers. They play chess when they want to play football, and they throw the frisbee when they want to sit on the porch. They have deep conversations when they want to sleep, and they serve when they want to rest. They change their desires and needs to fit those of others. They are “all things to all people”.
Graceful
Great counselors give grace to their campers. They have high expectations of their campers, but they are understanding, loving, and encouraging when those expectations are not met. They strive to make their campers envision their best self, without being ashamed of who they are currently or who they have been.
Honest
Great counselors are honest to each other, directors, campers, workers, etc. When you are honest, you acknowledge that others are worthy of hearing the truth and seeing your true self. Great counselors do not hide anything but keep everything in the light.
Humble
Great counselors admit when they are wrong – even to their 8, 9, and 10-year-old campers. They understand that they can make mistakes, and instead of being embarrassed by or ashamed of those mistakes, they talk about them and change because of them.
Caring
A great counselor cares deeply about his/her campers. They think about their campers as people and how those people can be better served and better loved by him/her as their counselor. A great counselor cares about the campers that are hardest to love and sees them as valuable and worthy.
Trusting
Great counselors see their campers as people and treat them as people – with respect. This means trusting them and giving them second chance. A great counselor looks for the best in his/her campers instead of keeping a record of wrongs.
Selfless
A great counselor does not expect any of his/her needs to be met (though it is important to allow yourself to be filled occasionally.) Great counselors are in it for others. Great counselors put the needs of other above their own every time without questioning or grumbling.
Swamp Corps is the generative arm of Swamp Camp Services, Inc., a year-round retreat, conference and overnight camp facility affectionately known as Camp Swamp. Swamp Corps’ overarching purpose is to replicate Camp Swamp’s culture by training host communities how to plan, organize, and direct summer camps for 9 to 18-year-old children, wherever we are invited around the world. Once an invitation is accepted, Swamp Corps will dedicate resources such as experienced campers, competent counselors, and seasoned leadership for three (3) successive years each with increasing level of ownership by the host community. The ultimate goal is to inculcate the camp culture and to see it sustained on a perennial basis by the host community. We are committed to that end.
To learn more about coming to your location contact us. We look forward to planning your next camp experience together.
If you are asking yourself, “How do I know which position to apply for?”, then use the following guidelines to help:
“Truly, these concepts epitomize the heart of camp and the essence of the Camp Swamp culture.”
Safety
Everyone (parents, volunteers, counselors, and campers) has to feel mentally, physically, and emotionally safe in order for the spiritual self to be realized. Set an environment of respect; deal with bullies of all kinds, and create a culture of love. (Imagine an atmosphere where last names weren’t important; thus you were known for who you are and not all the ties to your parents, brother, sister, money, position, etc.) Thus our motto: “Besides your home, the safest place on the planet.”
Diversity
Celebrate differences! Whether you are an athlete, scholar, musician, or domino expert, your color, talents, interests, and quirks are accepted and celebrated…each tremendously adds to the cultural tapestry; then the words of Desmond Tutu come alive, “Isn’t it amazing that we are all made in God’s image, and yet there is so much diversity among his people.”
Food
The food needs to be good. People—especially kids—will remember the food one way or another…and talk about it.
Fun
Everyone needs to have FUN! If it is not fun, no one will want to come back. The cooks, nurses, campers, counselors all need to have a great time. Allow camp to host a wide age range, like 9-18 for summer camp. You will be amazed at the results and live the words of Dr. Seuss, “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”
Investment
Pour all the resources you have into making a perennial camp…one that allows for generations to experience. If you give half your resources, you will get 50% of the results. If you only focus on one year, you may forego the next decade.
Leadership
The rules need to be clear and few with someone who is in charge to enforce them. They must be enforced or everything will spin out of control and no one will have much fun.
Respect
Everyone from the directors to the volunteers to the campers to the head dishwasher has to feel valued; each has the right to feel like somebody. The culture of the camp is to make everyone feel like they are important.
Roles
Everyone needs to know their role, being defined and understood by all parties. If so, then each person will know if he is fulfilling it or not. Each can feel the success of fulfilling it and personal accountability if not.
Spirituality
Have a spiritual camp not a religious camp. There is a huge difference between the two. Trust God to work on the young hearts that are open. If great sermons and convicting preachers always converted people, all of our kids would be disciples. Trust the process and the Spirit.
YHWH
God, Jehovah, has to be made real. We need to forget trying to indoctrinate kids into the church; let God reveal himself through the stars, the people, the Bible, nature, relationships, and through the spiritual culture that is created; the rest will follow.
Camp Swamp has an account with Morgan Stanley (225 South Milledge Avenue, Athens, Georgia 30605)
Per their representative, use the following information to make a transfer:
A $100 non-refundable deposit is required for each camper for each week, which is applied to the total fee.
A camper can switch weeks based on availability, if necessary.
NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED for Family Camp.
For Summer
Camp: Your child must turn 9 before August 31st and 19 after August 31st.
For Retreats: Each retreat is different see details above.
NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED for Family Camp.
For Family Camp: Your child must turn 5 before August 31st.
NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED for retreats.
Please let us know as soon as possible if you decided not to come, so we can open that spot up for someone else.
YES. Click ‘Wait List’ in table below, when registration is full. If there is no ‘Wait List’ link, it means all five (5) spots on the wait list have been filled. Please check back as often as you like to see if a spot has opened up as any cancellation is immediately reflected.
Minimum age is 5 for Father Son and Mother Daughter retreats.
Minimum age is 7 for Daddy Daughter and Mother Son retreats.
Grades 7-12 for H@TS.
Application: One (1) per calendar year
Recommendation Letter: Two (2) per calendar year
Background Check: Once per calendar year
$1,010 Per Week. (Per 2022 prices) Without being subsidized by camp rentals and donations, the true cost of camp would be $1,010 per week just to keep the doors open. We want all people, those with resources and those with very limited resources, to attend and enjoy camp. We share this information with you so that you can see how affordable camp is.
With that being said, if you can afford to pay $1,010, we ask that you do so. In fact, the $435 difference will be credited as a donation and, therefore, act as a tax deduction savings. The subsidy is designed to keep the cost of camp as low as feasible so as many kids as possible can attend. Help out by making your donation today.
If you would like to make a donation to cover the true cost of camp, use the Help a Camper donation button in the footer of this page (Enter True Cost for [Campers Name]’ in the description field) then continue with the normal registration process. Thanks!
Note: many of these camps are likely subsidized by donations and other funding support that is not publicly available; this data is for reference only.
| Camp Name | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Camp Swamp | $525 |
| YMCA Camp Chandler | $650 |
| YWCO Camp for Girls | $695 |
| Camp Winnataska | $790 |
| YMCA Athens Y-Camp | $800 |
| Camp Chattooga | $800 |
| Camp Kanata | $996 |
| UGA Music Camp | $550 |
| YMCA Camp Greenville | $850 |
| Camp Winshape (Chic-fil-a) | $824 |
| Camp Woodmont | $950 |
| Emory Univ. Tech Camps | from $899 |
Camp Swamp has an account with LPL Financial
Per their representative, use the following information to make a transfer:
Receiving Account number at LPL: 2166-2266
Account Title: Camp Swamp Services
Name of Receiving DTC Brokerage Firm:
Wire Instructions:
For Further Credit to Camp Swamp Services
Account Number: 2166-2266
For Allergies:
For Cuts, Wounds & Topical:
For Gastrointestinal:
For Ear, Nose & Throat Remedies:
Eye Remedies:
For Pain:
NOTE: This is a living list and will perioidically be reviewed and updated.