Staff FAQ
The most frequently asked questions we receive from prospective Camp staffers
As soon as the Summer Staff Applications are posted on this website.
Please note the position-specific deadlines for the 2024 Summer Season:
Summer and Day Camp Director - TBD
Specialty Positions (Nurse, Head Cook, Head Counselor, Assistant, Aquatics Director, Lifeguard, Armenian School Teacher) - TBD
Counselor & Staff In Training (SIT) - TBD
We will not consider incomplete or late applications. Staff candidates will be interviewed on a rolling basis. All decisions will be made no later than April 15th.
Yes. All staff must attend Staff Training Week which will take place one week prior to the start of Camp. Staff Training Week is aimed at helping you prepare for the variety of experiences you may have with campers and parents throughout the summer, how to navigate difficult situations (i.e. homesickness), anti-bullying training, safety procedures and protocol, as well as involving you in interactive training modules.
The camp nurse securely stores and dispenses all medications, prescription or over-the-counter, for all campers and staff while at camp. You will meet with the nurse upon arrival and provide him/her with all your medications. Your medications (prescription and OTC) must be in their original container labeled with full information, and you must submit a Staff Medication Authorization Form.
Paychecks are issued once each session. Paychecks will be direct deposited into your bank account. Cash needs are minimal, but you may need things occasionally from town so it is advisable to have some cash and/or a credit/debit card. Staff purchases from our Camp Store are deducted from your paycheck.
Speaking Armenian is not a necessity, however encouraged. Knowledge of Armenian culture and history is helpful and preferred. As a staff member, you will also be able utilize the opportunity to strengthen your own Armenian language and knowledge skills.
Yes, AYF Camp Haiastan maintains a wireless encrypted broadband connection for the personal use of staff when they are not on duty. Access to the camp’s broadband connection with your own laptop or Internet device is outlined in the Staff Handbook and discussed during Staff Training Week.
Yes. However, the camp has policies regarding staff owned cars at camp that you must abide by. Note that you must be at least 18 years of age in order to bring a car to camp.
Except for the very youngest cabin group of campers on occasion, cabin counselors have separate quarters adjacent to their campers. Non-counseling staff have separate male and female cabins. In all cases living space is at a premium — only bring your necessities!
If you are hired, we will send you a Staff Handbook, which contains details on what to bring and what not to bring. Camp Haiastan has free washers and dryers easily accessible to you over the course of your stay. You will need to purchase your own laundry supplies. You may arrange for our outside laundry service (wash, dry & fold) through the Camp Store. You can have this service once per week and you may charge the cost of this service to your Camp Store account.
Camp Stories
What better way to spend a summer than giving back to a place we love? I spent my best summers as a camper and on staff at Camp Haiastan.
Ungerouhi Sarine Adishian, NJ