BFT Aspire Therapeutic Floater – Summer Position
About The Position
Aspire is a program of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners Healthcare Systems that serves more than 200 participants, teens, and young adults with social cognition challenges, including Asperger’s Syndrome, High-Cognitive Autism, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Aspire Summer Camp serves 100 participants aged 5-13 who have the cognitive capacity for solid peer connections but who lack the understanding and skill set to form those connections. The summer program is an immersive experience in which campers are placed into well-matched groups, with participant-to-staff ratios no greater than 3:1. Participants engage in outdoor education activities, such as hiking and fishing, theme-based curriculum, such as art or recreation, and skill building lessons to support in the development of social skills, stress management strategies, and self-awareness. The Therapeutic Floater is a seasonal position working at both our Lower Camp (ages 5-9) or Upper Camp (ages 9-13), both housed at our summer camp location: Aspire Adventure Camp at Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA. The Floater is responsible for helping to manage the therapeutic needs of participants at their designated site in collaboration with their Group Leaders and leadership staff. This includes serving as a resource in a variety of therapeutic models that foster growth in the areas of social pragmatics, stress and anxiety management, and self-awareness. The Floater will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in these skills and provide consultation and training to staff in effective strategies. In addition, this individual will be responsible for maintaining accurate records about camp policies and procedures and ensuring that the assigned site operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. This position is a member of the summer camp leadership team. We invite neurodivergent candidates to apply.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree required, master's degree preferred.
- Have current First Aid/CPR certification, required Training can be accessed through Aspire.
- Prior experience working with neurodivergent children and/or adolescents ☒ Required
- Desire to work in a team environment
- Desire and ability to work in an outdoor setting
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to solve problems collaboratively with staff
- Desire to help participants feel safe, succeed, and have fun
- Ability to demonstrate a calm demeanor with children, caregivers, and staff
Nice To Haves
- Prior leadership experience ☒ Preferred
Responsibilities
- Provide leadership and support to assigned groups, including modeling, guiding, and observing assistant group leaders/group leaders; relationship building with campers; developing and supporting the implementation of support plans for specific campers, providing resources; supporting communication with families and ensuring all supports are aligned with the Aspire philosophy
- Support group leaders in designing developmentally appropriate program plans matched to the social, emotional, and self-awareness needs of the group and specific individuals
- Collaborate regularly with Site Managers to determine the needs of campers and staff; take a leadership role in staff therapeutic trainings and professional development
- Attend all staff meetings, trainings, supervision, and planning sessions as relevant to role, including designated leadership team meetings; these are scheduled during assigned staff hours. Specific leadership meetings may be scheduled beyond 8am-4pm. Staff will be given advance notice of these meetings and will be compensated for their time.
- Maintain the rules of confidentiality and all HIPAA expectations and promote the health and safety of program participants and staff at all times.
- Provide consultation to staff regarding assessment and support of participants’ specific therapeutic needs throughout the camp day; suggest targeted interventions and follow-up to determine effectiveness.
- Communicate with caregivers, families and outside providers around tailored support and individual needs.
- Serve as a resource for a variety of curricula and other tools (books, websites, etc.); facilitate staff access to these resources both proactively and for targeted needs.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Entry Level
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
