Early Child Educ Progrms - Inclusion Counselor; Seasonal

Position: Early Child Educ Progrms - Inclusion Counselor (Seasonal)
BASIC FUNCTION:

The Camp Programs Inclusion Counselor (seasonal) contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago ("BZC") by providing the highest level of quality customer service and extraordinary guest experiences with quality programming to participants to further Brookfield Zoo Chicago's mission of inspiring conservation leadership.

This is a seasonal non-union hourly position, grade S009 with a pay rate of $19.85 per hour. For our Benefits Summary Information, follow this link to our Benefits Table or copy and paste the following in your internet browser 5dfac8db-5b35-45d1-8e3c- (please refer to the non-union, seasonal employee section) and/or refer to the benefit details provided below after the job description information.

2026 Summer Camp dates are:
June 8 - August
7. There is no camp the week of July 4th (June 29 - July
3). Camp staff training will take place the week of June 1. The typical scheduled hours for camp staff are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; until 5:00 p.m. for aftercare. Each staff member typically gets assigned one week of aftercare coverage. Further information about camp programs can be found here.

PRIMARY

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

* Responsible for supporting and assisting one or more campers with a disability who are enrolled in Zoo Camp to promote participation in camp activities and independence to the fullest extent possible. Provide direct support to campers who require one-to-one assistance or who require a lower staffing ratio and act as an advocate for the campers receiving support within Zoo Camp.

* Work with Camp Programs Counselors to adapt existing camp activities to individual camper needs and abilities. Implement effective behavior management strategies and document challenging behaviors.

* Organize and prepare all adaptive materials and inclusion resources for campers in their care. Communicate on a daily basis with parents/guardians of campers receiving inclusion support and address any questions, challenges, or concerns.

* Work with the Camp Programs Inclusion Specialist to formulate individualized support plans for campers.
Function as a Camp Programs Counselor when called upon.
Other related duties as assigned.

* Denotes Essential Job Function(s)
POSITION REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS:

High School diploma or (GED) equivalent required.
Must be at least 18 years of age as required by the American Camp Association Guidelines.

Two months paid and/or volunteer/unpaid experience working with groups of children and/or educating the public in a formal or informal educational setting, e.g., camp, park district, Special Recreation Association, day care, student teaching, school, or cultural institution, required.
Two months working with individuals with disabilities required, e.g. paid and/or volunteer/unpaid experience at a facility/organization/program such as special recreation association, social service, special education, fieldwork in a therapy or education program at college level, etc.
Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills required.
Must be an enthusiastic and flexible team player and able to work in a stimulating environment.
English fluency at a professional working proficiency required.
Excellent customer service skills and experience working with guests effectively.
Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.

DESIRABLE/

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

One year of college or two years of equivalent experience preferred, including coursework in special education, therapeutic recreation, rehabilitation, applied behavior analysis, or other directly related field or subjects.
Experience working in inclusive informal, educational, or recreational programs a plus.
Experience in a zoo, aquarium, museum, nature center, or art studio environment a plus.
Working knowledge of behavior management strategies a plus.
Training or certification in Crisis Prevention and Intervention, Safety Care, Handle with Care or other related certification a plus.
Multilingual ability, Spanish and/or American Sign Language fluency a plus.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position, but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform. Must represent Brookfield Zoo Chicago in an appropriate and professional manner to campers, families of enrolled campers and Zoo guests. Willing and able to learn play facilitation skills.

Incumbent must display a positive attitude and be a positive role model to program participants and provide a fun and positive learning environment for program participants including school-aged children. Pre-school camp is for children 4 and 5-years old. School-age camp is for children in grades K-5. Zoo Lab is for middle school children in 6th - 8th grades.…