Woodshop Counselor

Overview

The Boys’ Club of New York (BCNY) operates a premier sleep-away camp experience designed for 10 to 17-year-old boys and young men to grow through adventure, community, and skill building. Since 1876, BCNY has created environments where young people develop confidence, resilience, teamwork, and leadership, grounded in our core values of Care, Courage, Curiosity, and Community.

At Harriman Basecamp, members engage in structured programs that promote healthy minds and bodies, expand their talents, and encourage positive peer relationships. Guided by evidence-based youth development practices and our commitment to the 4 Cs, BCNY’s Basecamp programs aim to set a high standard for outdoor education and character development. To strengthen this mission, we continue to build a dedicated team of camp professionals who can deepen and broaden our impact each season.

Job Summary

The Woodshop Counselor is a hands-on, youth-centered counselor role responsible for leading safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate woodworking programming for campers. This role serves as the primary facilitator of the woodshop activity area, blending structured instruction, skill progression, and project-based learning to help campers build confidence, craftsmanship, and pride in their work.

Woodshop programming at Harriman Basecamp emphasizes progressive skill development across the session. Campers are introduced to core woodworking skills and tool safety, then supported in applying those skills through increasingly complex functional builds and skill samplers. Projects are designed to encourage planning, precision, problem-solving, and follow-through, with campers completing work they may take home or contribute to camp use.

Beyond the woodshop, Woodshop Counselors are fully immersed in camp life. They actively support cabin routines, meals, community moments, and camp-wide programming. Working under the supervision of the Activity Counselor Division Leader and as part of the Activity Counselor team, Woodshop Counselors collaborate closely with Cabin Counselors, Division Leaders, and camp leadership to ensure consistent supervision, positive youth development, and smooth daily operations.

Mandatory attendance at full pre-camp staff training (June 22 – July
3) is required to ensure readiness in behavior management, camper supervision, safety protocols, and camp culture alignment.

Woodshop Programming & Skill Development

• Plan and lead structured, age-appropriate woodworking programming aligned with camp schedules, themes, and camper interests (e.g., birdhouses, small stools, camp signage, basic joinery practice, measuring and layout exercises, sanding and finishing techniques).
• Introduce campers to foundational woodworking skills, including measuring, marking, cutting, assembly, sanding, and finishing, with clear instruction and demonstrations.
• Support campers in progressing from basic skill practice to completing functional builds that reflect craftsmanship, accuracy, and personal investment.
• Design projects that emphasize planning, patience, problem-solving, and pride in completion rather than speed or perfection.
• Support campers in completing projects they may take home or install/use at camp, reinforcing responsibility, care for materials, and follow-through.
• Encourage a culture of craftsmanship, respect for tools, and shared responsibility within the woodshop space.

Safety, Supervision & Area Management

• Enforce all woodshop safety rules, tool protocols, and workspace expectations consistently and calmly.
• Supervise the safe use of hand tools and approved power tools with clear instruction, close oversight, and age-appropriate limits.
• Conduct daily safety checks of tools, materials, and work spaces to ensure a clean, organized, and hazard-free environment.
• Model and reinforce proper setup, cleanup, storage, and care of tools and materials.
• Actively supervise campers within the woodshop area and address minor behavioral concerns directly.
• Escalate ongoing, patterned, or higher-level behavioral concerns to Cabin Counselors and the Activity Counselor Division Leader as needed.

Camp-Wide Engagement, Cabin Support,…