Celebrating our 85th summer of Respect, Identity, Inclusion, and Community in Los Angeles! Come celebrate with us!
For over 80 years, Camp Bob Waldorf has been a hidden gem in the Los Angeles area that has focused on enriching the lives of underserved communities within the Greater L.A. area. Our non-profit residential summer camp equips children and youth with the tools and support system needed to thrive from elementary school to college and beyond. Join our team and help us make that difference.
Located in the Verdugo Mountains, just 20 mins from Downtown Los Angeles, Camp Bob Waldorf is located in a unique and prime location for anyone interested in a mixture of camp and city life.
About Camp Bob Waldorf
At our core, Camp Bob Waldorf (CBW) promotes and executes the notion that summer camp experience is a transformative experience that needs to be easily accessible to all children and youth regardless of their background or income level. For over 85 years, our camp has welcomed disproportionately underserved communities in the greater Los Angeles area to grow and learn about themselves in a safe and welcoming space. This year we will be operating 5 summer sessions (9-12 days per session) aimed at pushing forward equity and magical memories.
CBW is split up into 2 different programmatic camp sessions. The first, is our non-sectarian (not having to do with religion) session. This type of session is the most common and is an 8-day session with a training day included. The second type of session is our Jewish Cultural Session (JCS). CBW operates one Jewish Cultural session per summer and it is 12 days long. During our JC Session, we focus a little more on Jewish Cultural values and teachings. During JCS, we celebrate Shabbat, and learn a little more about Jewish culture through food, music, and dance. Regardless of session, all our camp programs focus on the Jewish value of "Tikkun Olam" or Heal the World. Individuals that want to work at CBW do not have to be Jewish to apply. A very small percentage of our summer staff is Jewish.
Some of the programs that we offer in the summer include (but are not limited to), archery, high ropes course, swimming, cooking, dancing, arts & crafts, music, backpacking, horses, animal care, and more!
Applications are now open for our 2023 Summer season at Camp Bob Waldorf!
The Employee Experience
Anyone that has the ability to be a summer camp counselor, for even a summer, is going to experience a life changing journey full of learning and growing. Add on to this the opportunity to work at Camp Bob Waldorf (CBW), and that experience grows into a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Camp Bob Waldorf has a lot to offer to a prospective counselor, but the real selling point at CBW is the community we build every summer, la comunidad. From the campers, to staff, to the families that we serve, CBW has a sense of community that is unmatched. Community, at camp, is divided into two main groups: the campers that attend our summer camp and the counselors that create meaningful interactions throughout the summer. Our staff is made up of diverse individuals that come from all over the world. In a typical summer, you can expect to work alongside people from Israel, Brasil, the UK, Australia, Mexico, and people from all over the United States. Simultaneously, our campers are made up of multi-cultural idenities. However, it is the diversity and uniqueness of our staff that allows us to grow in inclusivity and acceptance of other people's backgrounds.
While at CBW, our counselors uphold our four core pillars of Respect, Inclusion, Identity, and Community in everything that we do. These four pillars, and our intentionality behind every camper's experience, is one of the many reasons why so many counselors choose to return year after year.
Many counselors describe their experience at CBW as 'the best summer of their life', and that has a lot to do with how counselors live, work, eat, learn, and play with their fellow camp counselors and campers. One of returning counselors had this to say about the camp:
"I think about everyone all the time and the friendships that I have developed in my time working/being with all of you. I am forever thankful knowing that you are all my best companions."
-Sam (second year counselor)
Being a camp counselor is not all fun and games. Camp counselors need to be flexible and prepared for anything. Your first priority should always be the safety of your campers. Your own personal example influences campers not just by what you say, but also by what you do. This also means that we want you to care and take care of your mental health. We must allow ourselves to feel and not be okay. Setting that example for fellow staff members and campers. We want our counselors to be "role models."
Ideal Candidate
You'll have a wonderful summer at Camp Bob Waldorf if you have an outgoing personality, a good sense of humor, strong teaching skills, good leadership ability, and experience in supervising and instructing children. It is also essential that counselors be strong role models for our campers. And because we're working with kids, we have strict policies in many areas including alcohol, smoking, curfew, etc.
While it is preferable that our staff members have some experience working with children, this is not a prerequisite. The capacity to provide warm, mature guidance is most important. This is your chance to let your creative energy flow!
Inclusion at Camp Bob Waldorf
We live by our four core pillars of respect, identity, inclusion, and community. We’re passionate about creating an inclusive camp community that celebrates, supports, and thrives on diversity: in race, color, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, disability and mental health, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, national origin, family status, veteran and military status, and any other category people use to define themselves or others. All are welcome and encouraged to apply!
Room and Board
As a cabin counselor or program counselor, you will live in the cabins, eat meals, and go to activities with your cabin group. We typically have a 3-1 or 4-1 (age dependent) camper to counselor ratio within cabins with up to 12 campers each.
At Camp Bob Waldorf, your summer salary starts at $3200 and can go up based on your experience and the number of sessions you work. If any certifications are required we will pay for those, as well as for your time. You will not be charged for anything. Staff shirts are given, both room & board is provided, laundry is provided.
All bunks have bathrooms and showers are within walking distance. There is a shower house in the middle of boys camp and some cabins have their own bathrooms attached to them.
Employee Perks
Our staff are essential in promoting a safe, energetic, and nurturing camp environment. These are a few of the ways we try to ensure that we are taking care of our awesome staff members.
- Opportunity to make life-long friendships and instant development of life skills in a safe, nurturing environment
- Access to staff lounge with comfy couches and snacks that are replinshed once per session
- Flexible schedule (only important dates to reserve is staff training from June 10th-15th)
- Our pay is highly competitive, and meals, plus room and board are covered
- Specialty trainings paid for and we will pay you for your time during the trainings too
- Reliable high-speed internet access available throughout most of the camp
- One day off during each session, 1.5 days off after each session, 1 night off during each session, 1 hour off everyday (12 total days off)
- Spend the entire summer engaging in camp activities. Trying new activities that you may have never experienced before. Spend the summer feeding your inner child.
Getting Here and Getting Around
You are welcomed and encouraged to bring your own car to camp! Most of our staff are local to the L.A. are and drive or carpool to camp, while others fly into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). We provide a shuttle from LAX for anyone flying in from out of town. Parking is available at camp for anyone that would like to bring a car.
Being 20 mins away from Downtown L.A. means that you can get around easily with a car. However, if you chose not to bring a vehicle or don't have access to one, not to worry, public transportation, Ubers/Lyfts, and carpools are easily accessible from camp. We also plan staff outings and trips during our intersessions.
Camp is also located 30 mins (walking distance) from Trader Joes and Montrose village with a wide selection of shops, farmers markets, food, and snacks. We are very lucky to be around so many fascinating places.
For Fun
Depending on the state of world, and how COVID is fluctuating, there are a vast amounts of activities to partake in near camp. Here are some highlights of things to do around the L.A. area:
Hiking Trials in our own backyard (Santa Monica Mtns., Angeles Forest, Malibu Mtns.)
Dodger Stadium, & L.A. Zoo (20 mins away)
Universal Studios (25 mins away)
Griffith Observatory, Crypto.com Center, Hollywood Sign, & Sofi Stadium (30 mins away)
SoCal Beaches (Santa Monica, Malibu, Venice, Manhattan) (40 mins away)
Disneyland (45 mins away)
Joshua Tree National Park (2.5 hours away)
Shopping at Glendale Galleria (short bus trip) and Montrose Village (walking distance)
How to Apply
Apply directly in our camp website found here or contact Davina Valenzuela, our Program Coordinator, at davina@campbobwaldorf.org or call 818.658.7158. We look forward to seeing your application come through!