AMERICAN CAMP EXCHANGES

• Day Camps host campers during the day, and then campers return to their homes each night.

• Overnight Camps host campers for extended periods, with campers sleeping over at the camp.

• Some camps may operate both day camp programs and overnight camp programs.

• General Camp Counselors are enthusiastic, creative, hardworking, role models with a wide variety of skills - a guru in the cabin, on the field, at the waterfront, or anywhere at camp! General camp counselors are responsible for leading campers and ensuring safety both in the cabin and at activity areas throughout camp.

• Specialist Camp Counselors are experts in activities like arts & crafts, archery, climbing, swimming, nature, and more with the skills to share their expertise and passion. Specialist camp counselors are responsible for designing lessons, instructing campers, and maintaining a safe environment.

• Faith-based Camp Counselors are fun, engaging, leader who enjoy making faith a part of everyday life. Faith-based camp counselors are responsible for leading campers and ensuring safety at both in the cabin and at activity areas throughout camp.

• Special Needs Camp Counselors are superheroes in plain clothes with the power to adapt activities, games, and everyday life skills for various levels of ability. They are responsible for creating an inclusive environment, assisting campers with personal care (ex: feeding meals), and ensuring safety for campers with disabilities both in the cabin and at activity areas throughout camp.

• Lifeguard Camp Counselors are skilled and attentive people who enjoy spending summer days in the sun and sand. Must love swimming! Lifeguards undergo certification and are responsible for ensuring camper safety and responding to emergencies at water-related activities.

• Support Staff Participants are team-players who enjoy working in operational roles to ensure overall success. Support staff work in roles such as cooking meals in the kitchen or maintaining cleanliness standards at the camp. Support staff participants will be sponsored on the Summer Work & Travel visa.

The LifeTRAVELED ACE program includes:

• a paid summer camp job, arranged accommodation, for up to 4 months secured prior to arrival

• DS-2019 paperwork processing required for the J-1 Visa. LifeTRAVELED is a designated J1 Visa Sponsor by the U.S. State Department for the Camp Counselor and Summer Work & Travel programs.

• participant pre-arrival and post-arrival information to prepare for the program.

• a 24/7 emergency assistance telephone number: 1.888.992.3872

• health/travel insurance that exceeds Department of State requirements.

• a coordinator to assist you throughout the entire program.

• up to 30 days allowed for travel at the end of the program.

If the host camp is minimum wage exempt, the monetary compensation is considered a stipend. If the host camp pays hourly, the monetary compensation is considered is considered a wage. If the host camp is minimum wage exempt, the exchange visitor will receive a minimum stipend of $2,200 for a nine-week contract. For fewer weeks, the host camp can pro-rate the stipend. For each additional week, the host camp must pay a minimum of $244 per week. The final stipend will be negotiated with the exchange visitor directly, however, may not be below those terms. If the host camp pays hourly, the exchange visitor will receive at minimum a wage that meets local, state, and federal requirements.

If the host camp is minimum wage exempt, the camp will provide exchange visitors with appropriate accommodation and three meals per day as part of the compensation package. If the host camp pays an hourly wage, the camp will arrange appropriate accommodation, but the financial responsibility may be placed on the exchange visitor if the weekly wages minus the weekly housing and meals equals at least $244 per week. Should the result be less than $244 per week, the camp will offer a housing and/or meal stipend. 

To be eligible for the LifeTRAVELED ACE program (Camp Counselor), you must:

• be at least 18 years old.

• be a bona fide student, teacher, youth worker, or person with a specialized skill. Specialized skill is defined as at least six-months experience in a structured setting.

• be able to function in an English-speaking work environment.

• undergo an interview conducted by a LifeTRAVELED coordinator and/or a partner organization either in person or virtually (for example, Skype).

• have a pre-arranged job (either by LifeTRAVELED or yourself) and a minimum of $1,000 (US dollars) available to support yourself upon arrival in the USA.

• be able to prove that you will return home at the end of the program by showing ties to your home country.

To be eligible for the LifeTRAVELED ACE program (Support Staff), you must:

• be 18-28 years old.

• be registered as a full-time student at an accredited university or other state recognized institution of post-secondary education. The degree/diploma course on which you are registered must be at least 2 years in duration. You must have completed at least one semester of study. Students on post-graduate courses which are less than two years can also be accepted (e.g. masters courses). "Gap year" students or high school graduates are not eligible.

• be able to function in an English-speaking work environment.

• undergo an interview conducted by a LifeTRAVELED staff member and/or a partner organization either in person or virtually (for example, Skype).

• have a pre-arranged job (either by LifeTRAVELED or yourself) and a minimum of $1,000 (US dollars) available to support yourself upon arrival in the USA.

• be able to prove that you will return home at the end of the program by showing ties to your home country.

A first-time participant is defined as someone who did not participate in a LifeTRAVELED ACE program the previous year and needs assistance with a camp job offer.

A returnee participant is defined as a someone who is returning to the same camp as the previous year, was sponsored by LifeTRAVELED the previous year, and is applying before January 1 of the program start year.

A direct participant is defined as a someone who sources their own camp job offer independently from LifeTRAVELED.

• $195 non-refundable LifeTRAVELED registration fee - paid by the exchange visitor exclusively at the time of registration for the program.

• $1,450 LifeTRAVELED ACE program fee - paid by the camp which includes exchange visitor medical insurance for the exchange visitor’s original program dates.

• SEVIS Fee – paid directly to the US Department of Homeland Security directly by the exchange visitor.

• US Embassy Interview Fees – paid directly to the US Embassy by the exchange visitor.

• $195 non-refundable LifeTRAVELED registration fee - paid by the exchange visitor exclusively at the time of registration for the program.

• $475 LifeTRAVELED ACE program fee - paid by the camp which includes medical insurance for the exchange visitor’s original program dates.

• SEVIS Fee – paid directly to the US Department of Homeland Security directly by the exchange visitor.

• US Embassy Interview Fees – paid directly to the US Embassy by the exchange visitor.

• $250 non-refundable LifeTRAVELED registration fee - paid by the exchange visitor exclusively at the time of registration for the program.

• $1,450 LifeTRAVELED ACE program fee - paid by the camp which includes medical insurance for the exchange visitor’s original program dates.

• SEVIS Fee – paid directly to the US Department of Homeland Security directly by the exchange visitor.

• US Embassy Interview Fees – paid directly to the US Embassy by the exchange visitor.

• $250 non-refundable LifeTRAVELED registration fee - paid by exchange visitor exclusively at the time of registration for the program.

• $1,100 LifeTRAVELED ACE program fee - paid by the camp which includes medical insurance for the exchange visitor’s original program dates.

• SEVIS Fee – paid directly to the US Department of Homeland Security directly by the exchange visitor.

• US Embassy Interview Fees – paid directly to the US Embassy by the exchange visitor.