What if I were to tell you that there is a magical place where you can get paid to play and channel your inner child? This is an opportunity to break free from the world of boring day jobs. Trust me, the grass is greener on the other side and I’m handing you an open invitation to come see for yourself! Join us, as a summer camp counselor(辅导员)!

Duties

Typically, your campers’ ages will range between 7 and 17 years old. Your role would be to lead and supervise children in both recreational and educational activities within a residential area. Your duties include providing children with emotional support in things like newly introduced skill sets, conflicts with other campers, and potential separation anxiety from home. Your main objective would be to guarantee that every participant is safe.

Salary

A summer camp counselor’s hourly pay is on average around $10. The weekly average pay is $417. Starting level pay is about $336 a week. Senior level pay is roughly $567 a week.

If you have no related experience then you will start as an assistant for at least 4 weeks and get a quarter of the starting salary.

Qualifications

You have to be 18 or older and have graduated from high school. It is encouraged but not required to have certifications in lifeguarding. Training in first aid is ideal. It is also preferred that you have had exposure to some sort of childcare in the past.

Your days as a camp counselor will be very rewarding!

Come to the Sanctuary, Australia and gain the satisfaction that comes from working in a great environment with an amazing team. Work along with the staff and other volunteers from all walks of life to take care of Australia’s native wildlife in their natural habitat.

The Sanctuary is quite popular with many of the local schools, and is recognized as an Advanced Ecotourism Attraction, winning lots of tourism awards. This volunteer project is looking for people who enjoy wildlife and want to work in an amazing environment. The work is rewarding but can be physically demanding and by no means an “easy holiday option”.

Typical day

You will join in the volunteer training program where training will be done in various activities. Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

● Preparing food and treats for our animals

● Assisting the staff with their duties, such as weighing our animals and doing health checks

● Helping our visitors get the most out of their time at the Sanctuary

● Assisting the staff with tour groups

● Other specialised activities, such as preparing educational materials, gardening, construction and visitor assistance

Free-time activities

On days off, you can go to nearby museums and parks. Lots of activities such as diving, water sports, boat tours, helicopter tours and more are also available. These, however, will be paid by yourselves.

Requirements

● Age

18 years and above

● Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level).

● Nationality

Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

● Working hours

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 — 16:00.

In 2016, I lost my long-term job. The company simply went through serious changes, and my position was no longer needed. They were great to me when I worked there, and they gave me a small severance package (辞退补偿). I was 55 at the time. I was more than a bit anxiety-ridden, as I wasn’t in a position to retire, and I was concerned about the prospects of being rehired at this age. The good news is that I was a saver, had no debt (债务) and always lived simply. My husband’s job carried the benefits.

I woke up every morning at 4 am to consider how best to use my resources, and ended up starting a small business. Once I started, I made mistakes and messed things up, but kept educating myself more and more. There were tough times that were not easy to get through, but I managed to keep going.

After about 18 months, it was working! Everything fell into place, and the train finally started going down the track! Now, I wake up each day and think, “I own a small business!” My husband even took early retirement to partner with me.

While we are not making $1 million, we have crossed over into six digits (数位) over the past few years. We run our business out of a home office. And I offer a service based on my knowledge from my previous job that I lost.

Now several times a month, friends and former workmates reach out to us to ask how they can also get started like what we do. Though we’re busy, we take the time to talk with them sometimes. I know they really need help.

Nowadays it’s easy to lose our jobs. Luckily, we’ve gained work experience, which can be really helpful if we want to start our own business. So don’t be too frustrated if you lose your job. It might be a new opportunity for you.