Frequently Asked Questions

We have a variety of jobs here at Roughing It, all that have different age requirements. We have paid positions with age requirements starting at just 18! For most of our positions, we prefer that staff is 19 years old and has completed their first year of college (or an equivalent). If you are still in high school and looking for an experience at Roughing It, we have a spot for you too! If you are entering 9th or 10th grade, take a look at our CILT program. If you are entering 11th or 12th grade, take a look at the Junior Counselor program.

If you are looking for a great environment to work with campers, while also gaining loads of professional skills along the way, then camp is a great place for you. If you are looking to have a fun summer focused on bettering the lives of young campers, then camp is the place for you! If you have a passion for outdoor activities, and want to spread that joy with campers and other staff alike, then camp is a good fit for you! If you’re still not sure if camp is the right place for you, check out this list of top ten reasons why you should work at Roughing It this summer.

Camp dates change every year. For current camp season dates and required staff training dates, click here.

Since Roughing It is a day camp, both campers and staff return to their homes every night. Staff members will need to provide their own housing for the summer. There are many options in the area for close housing if you are in need, you can get some more info on housing here.

Roughing it is located at the Lafayette Reservoir in Lafayette, CA. We also have a few off site locations, for special program areas. Our swim program is located at the Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo High School in Lafayette, and we have a private Ride site in Moraga. We also have our summer offices and training center located at Temple Isiah, also in Lafayette.

Staff members will need to provide their own transportation to and from camp. The location of the Lafayette Reservoir is close to public transportation, however some of our sites are not. With this in mind, while having your own means of transportation is not a requirement, it is recommended. You can find out more about transportation at Roughing It here.

Depending on your position, your day can look a little different. Here is a break down of what a typical day looks like for different staff.

1. Typically, group counselors start off their day on a bus, picking up campers. Upon arriving at the Reservoir, you will meet with your camper group, who you will spend the day with. You will be in charge of leading group time throughout the day, as well as taking your campers to different program areas. At the end of the day, you will get back on the bus and take your campers back home. Group counselors typically work from around 7:30am to 4:30pm each day, as well as a staff meeting one day a week until 5:30.
2. Program staff will typically go straight to their sites, either the reservoir, swimming pool, or the ride site in order to prepare for the day before campers arrive. You will lead lessons in your area throughout the day to a mix of camper groups. At the end of the day, you might be working at our extended care program, leading additional lessons. The typical hours for a program staff are around 9am to 5:30pm.
3. Our support staff schedules range a bit more depending on what role you are taking on. Typically these folks work a shorter schedule day to day.

We are an all outdoor camp, and require a dress code which can accommodate all of these active activities. A professional and non- restrictive dress of a gold staff t-shirt, comfortable pants or shorts and closed toed athletic shoes is required. At Roughing It, we want our campers and staff alike to be able to focus on all of the fun activities at camp, rather than what we are wearing. Additionally, all of our staff serve as role models to our campers and we want to promote a traditional sense of camp culture for them. A common question we get a lot is whether or not tattoos and piercing are okay. So long as the jewelry can be removed during camp hours, and the tattoos can be covered either with clothing or a bandage, you should be good to go. If you have more questions on the dress code, you can read our in depth dress code document here, or we encourage you to just flip through some of the pictures on our website to get a sense of what our staff typically wears!

Yes! Please do! We love having staff referrals, as it helps us build up or camp community. Refer-a-Friend here, and you could earn up to $150!

It’s super easy, and all online! To get started, go to our How to Apply. Specific questions about the process? Shoot us an email, we would be happy to help!

Yes! You will need to provide 4 references when you apply, with one being a child reference (someone that has seen you work with kids). These need to be professional references, and those can include previous bosses, teachers, coaches, etc. Friends or peers typically do not fall under that category. If you’re in doubt, feel free to ask, we would love to help!

Definitely! This is the first job for a lot of our staff. We understand that not everyone will have had prior experience, and we are here to help you through the process.

Yes! It is important that all of our staff can commit for the entire summer. The reason for this is primarily because it is vital to the community and culture that we promote at Roughing It for campers to have consistent counselors.

Staff training will begin on Monday, June 11th and run through Saturday, June 16th, and is mandatory for all staff. Staff training is in-person and a vital part of getting prepared for working at our camp.

We will be providing an option for an online training only for students that need to remain on their college campus due to exams. As soon as you are done with exams, you will join us for the rest on the in-person training.

First and foremost, you need to desire to work with and be strong role models for campers! Other requirements include the complete season commitment, meeting the age requirement for the desired position, and strong references. Previous experience working with and leading children is preferred. Here is some more info on staff requirements.

We continue to accept applications until all of our positions are filled. We encourage you to apply early in order to have the highest chance of securing a spot on staff.

We prefer staff to have some experience working with kids. Most of our positions involve working directly with campers, and we like to see that you have some experience with them. This experience can come in a variety of forms though; babysitting, coaching, and leading youth groups are all great examples of ways that you can show experience working with children, even if this is your first job!

We conduct an in-person interview (or skype if you are out of the area due to school). This is a good time for us to get to know more about you and your strengths and qualifications, as well as a great time for you to ask any questions you might have about camp. To find out more about our screening process, look here.

All of our staff is First Aid and CPR certified by the time camp starts. You do not need to have this certification before applying, and we can help you get certified if hired. Some of our staff will also need to obtain a Lifeguard certification. We will let you know if this applies to your position. Positions that typically require a lifeguard certification are our waterfront staff and our swim staff. For more information on certifications, you can look here.

Just give us a call at (925) 283-3795 or an email at jobs@roughingit.com! We are happy to answer any questions that you have about the positions or camp in general.

Yes! We offer internships in business, management, leadership, youth work, and a variety of specialized disciplines. Check out our Internship page for more information.