A Uniquely Positive and Challenging Community

Mayhew is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization striving to provide a positive environment for "at-risk" New Hampshire boys, ages 10-12, to challenge themselves in ways they never before thought possible. Mayhew works year-round with the boys in the program, all of whom participate tuition-free.

alt text At our summer facility located on Mayhew Island in beautiful Newfound Lake, New Hampshire, the boys are challenged to help create a positive, supportive, and sustainable community both within their cabin groups and in the greater Island community as a whole.

The goal of each staff member should be primarily to focus on the needs of the boys, promoting each boy's growth by role-modeling positive behavior, calling public attention to each boy's successes, and quietly supporting each boy through his more challenging moments.

Currently Mayhew is seeking to complete our 2008 summer staff, a staff whose charge will be to facilitate the Summer Island Challenge Phase of the Mayhew Program.

We seek, first and foremost, people of strong character who naturally model the sorts of behaviors we hope to promote in the boys of the program. Maturity, patience, a good sense of humor, a commitment to purpose, and a strong ability to work well with others are also extremely important.

Recreation

alt text At Mayhew, we believe that “it’s not so much what we do, but how we do it” that makes Mayhew such a special community. Our goal for each activity, be it work or play, is to do our best while working TOGETHER. Winning a soccer game doesn’t mean a thing if the star player scored all the goals and refused to pass to his teammates. On the other hand, if a group spends an entire work hour struggling unsuccessfully to split one impressively stubborn log, but each boy works harmoniously and supportively with his cabinmates from start to finish, we chalk that activity up as a terrific success.

With this group-minded philosophy in mind, we have a great time each day playing sports, swimming, rowing, hiking, climbing, overcoming obstacles in our adventure program, being creative, and just enjoying our time together on the Island. We also spend time daily working to make the Island a better place: we split wood, row the garbage off the Island, clear brush from the trails, and participate in numerous other ongoing projects. The Island is a great place to live because everyone pitches in and helps make it so.

Room and Board

Housing options: Shared Cabin

Full room and board is provided for the full ten-weeks of the program (June 14-August 19). Life on the Island is a bit rustic—the boy cabins don’t have electricity, we have composting toilets, and the staff shower is outdoors!—but what we lack in luxury, we more than make up for in atmosphere.

Counselors get one day off each week and alternate cabin-duty in the boys’ cabins every other night.

Aside from the very limited time-off, Mayhew is very much a FULL-TIME job. We wake up at 7:30am and we’re pretty much on-duty non-stop until the boys are in bed at 9:30pm. Counselors should come to Mayhew because they’re eager to devote their time and energy to making the Island community as positive and supportive a place as it can be for the boys of the program

Benefits

alt text Beyond the terrific experience of working and living on a beautiful island and a chance to work with some very deserving and appreciative young men, Mayhew offers new summer staff a salary of $2400 with the chance to earn an additional end-of-the-season bonus of $200 for a job well-done. Mayhew also offers great staff camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose that are second to none. Lastly, Mayhew staff members inevitably gain invaluable practical sills in working with children, skills that quite naturally translate into other arenas.

Transportation Info

Staff may bring their own vehicles or they can choose to fly or bus to New Hampshire.

We can pick staff up from New Hampshire’s Manchester Boston Regional Airport (airport code MHT) or Boston’s Logan International Airport (airport code BOS).

The most convenient bus station is in Concord—New Hampshire’s capital city and a 45-minute drive from Mayhew.