Adult Volunteer Application

To be an adult volunteer at Camp fYrefly you must be 25 years or older prior to the beginning of Camp. It is also preferred that you have had previous experience working with youth. Adult Volunteers serve a very special role at Camp fYrefly as intergenerational role models and positive resources for both Youth Leaders and Campers.

We invite our volunteer applicants to reflect on their readiness to be part of the camp environment and the experience of mentoring 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Camp is a space of fun and excitement, of curiosity and introspection. It is also a space for emotional reflection, processing and exploration of identity. Sometimes Adult Volunteers will find themselves in a quiet sharing circle, and other times in a loud and boisterous lodge. It is a rustic natural site, with dorm room style accommodations and bunk beds. Volunteer roles may involve guiding conversations in workshops, or singing around a campfire. You may find yourself supporting a camper through a challenging conversation about family rejection, or a celebration of the new pronoun they chose.

The role of a volunteer is to allow campers to grow and learn in this space, to build community and have their physical, social and emotional needs met. In the past, volunteers have shared with us that they experience both joy and exhaustion during the 4 days of camp. Due to the diverse responsibilities of this role, an ideal candidate will be able to multi-task, prioritize their own needs as well as the needs of others and have the supports and skills available to process their own feelings as they arise at camp. Camp fYrefly volunteers create space for youth voices and opportunities for youth to excel.

With this in mind, your role will involve many important informal mentoring opportunities with the youth at Camp. To support you in this important role, we will provide you with comprehensive pre-camp training opportunities to help develop your leadership, facilitation, supervision, and mentoring skills. This pre-camp training is mandatory.

Also mandatory is completion of Volunteer Waiver, Police/Child Welfare Intervention Record Check forms. As recognition of your commitment, Adult Volunteers will receive a sliding scale honourarium of $0-$300, depending on need.

All volunteers will be available to prepare and assist with Camp, which includes:

• Attending mandatory 12-hour training held over a two-day period 2-4 weeks before camp;
• Attending all of Camp;
• General labour in-person (e.g., set-up, cleaning and maintenance of camp space);
• Contributing to the creation of a safe space at Camp for everyone by supervising campers and ensuring that your pod is respecting camp guidelines, and honouring the camp schedule;
• Being aware of and responsible for your own physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.

Adult Volunteer
Adult Volunteers play a key role at Camp fYrefly. Acting as a resource for both Youth Leaders and campers, they help to enhance the Camp fYrefly experience and serve to open-up spaces for informal education and intergenerational role modeling. Volunteers are there to support and provide guidance at Pod meetings, meals, special events, workshops and free time to build relationships and mentor Youth Leaders and campers. Many Adult Volunteers also choose to run programming and workshops of their own, or lead activities during free-time blocks.

Adult Team Lead
The role of the Adult Volunteer Team Lead will be focussed on mentoring and guiding the Adult Volunteer team, offering help with activities and debriefs, leading meetings and organizing the pre-camp training for Adult Volunteers. Pre-camp duties include liaising with the Camp Coordinator to plan and provide the pre-camp training and providing support to the Adult Volunteer team leading up to camp. Adult Volunteer Team Leads provide approximately 12 hours of work prior to camp and camp training and will be compensated with a $500.00 honourarium. To apply to be the Adult Volunteer Team Lead, please select "Adult Volunteer Team Lead" as a role in your application forms, you will also be asked an additional question about what motivates you to apply for the role of Team Lead. 

Health Team Volunteer
The Health Team at Camp fYrefly supports the medication, first-aid and general health needs of participants at Camp fYrefly. From addressing bug bites to medication management, the team provides care to participants throughout camp. 2-3 medical team members will be in Pod groups, with a Health Team Lead supporting them throughout camp. Medical Team members can come from a variety of backgrounds, including medical doctors, registered nurses, EMRs, paramedics and other health professionals.

Health Team Lead
The role of the Health Team Lead will be to support with health, medical and safety considerations of camp participants before and during camp. Pre-camp duties include helping with the re-stock of medical supplies, organizing the medical binder for medication management and leading volunteers through a Health Team training during camp training. Health Team Leads provide approximately 12 hours of work prior to camp and camp training and will be compensated with a $500.00 honourarium. To apply to be the Health Team Lead, please select "Health Team Lead" as a role in your application forms, you will also be asked an additional question about what motivates you to apply for the role of Team Lead.

Mental Health Team Volunteer
The Mental Health Team at Camp fYrefly supports the mental health and wellbeing of participants at Camp fYrefly. Mental health volunteers are available to help campers navigate challenges they are going through and to direct them to relevant resources in their local community. 5-6 medical team members will be in Pod groups, with a Mental Health Team Lead supporting them throughout camp. Mental Health team members can come from a variety of backgrounds, including social workers, psychologists, counsellors, youth support workers and other mental health professionals.

Mental Health Team Lead
We’re looking for people who have experience in a mental health support role, including social workers, psychologists, counsellors, youth support workers and other mental health professionals. In addition, it’s important our team members have experience with the 2SLGBTQ+ community, in a leadership role, and supporting young people. Working with the Camp Coordinator, the MHT Lead will support the Mental Health Team and develop and execute the Mental Health Support Plan for Camp fyrefly.

A full role description and list of qualifications can be found HERE. 

To apply for the Mental Health Team Lead role (Alberta North; Edmonton area) send the following to fyrefly@ualberta.ca no later than 11:59PM MST, Thursday, February 25, 2021: 

1. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages)
2. Statement of Interest (maximum 500 words) explaining why you’d like to volunteer
3. Names and contact information of two references

You will be asked to answer the following questions in your application. Please complete these questions in advance, and copy and paste your answers into the form:

1. Tell us about yourself and why you want to volunteer at Camp fYrefly? How would this role fit into specific goals you have?
2. Please list any life/volunteer/work experience that applies to this role (consider certifications, training, youth engagement, activism, artistic experience, involvement with groups, etc.).
3. Describe two or three practices that are important when mentoring 2SLGBTQ+ youth who have diverse, intersecting identities at Camp fYrefly.
4. At Camp fYrefly we are committed to working towards social justice as a community of campers and volunteers. How does volunteering at camp fit within your values about social justice?
5. If you volunteered at camp before, please tell us how coming back to camp will help you reach your goals. What skills and support can you offer to new volunteers? If not, please skip this question.

Camp fYrefly is committed to diversity and representation within our camper and volunteer teams. Because these identities are often underrepresented, we especially welcome applications from queer individuals of colour, two-spirit people, indigenous people, people with disabilities, and trans-feminine people.