Staff FAQ's

Sitting on a 72+ acre campus of dense forests and a 6.5 acre lake, Camp Ho Mita Koda is located in the heart of Geauga County, with easy access to several larger cities. Beachwood is 25 minutes away and has pretty much everything you will need from town: banks, food, restaurants, ice cream shops, etc. Cleveland is about 45 minutes away and has a great walkable downtown, tons of restaurants, and awesome art and music scenes.

All staff will participate in mandatory pre-season training. Topics will include youth development strategies, risk management, learning age group characteristics, team building, facilitation skills, leadership techniques, diabetes management & education, and much more! Of course, staff training is also about bonding and having FUN, and becoming oriented to one of our incredible camp locations you’ll call home for the summer. Throughout the summer, team development continues through regular meetings to discuss areas for program improvement and strategies to ensure campers grow and have the most intentional learning experience at camp as possible. Accommodations and food are provided for you during training.

At camp, we value hard work. There is nothing like earning a good old fashioned paycheck, and what we pay does not even begin to compensate the seeds you are sowing into young lives. Our pay is competitive in the camping industry, something we are proud of, but no amount of money can equate to what you do for these deserving campers during the summer! Our wages are determined by qualifications, years of service, and your role. In addition to your pay and travel allowance (if applicable), staff are provided with meals, lodging and health services. Staff are paid semi-monthly (twice/month) during the season via direct deposit. Deposits are available 2-3 days after the end of the pay period.  Pay dates will be published on the staff dashboard before the start of the season.

*Weekly rates are pro-rated to a daily rate if days at camp are less than the full session (7-days) or if time off is taken during a scheduled week.
*Pre-season staff training is paid at a weekly training rate equivalent to 50% of the contracted weekly rate.

Check out our Compensation page for more information on salaries and additions to pay for specific positions.

Specific positions must maintain relevant certifications for the job, such as lifeguarding for Aquatics staff or a facilitators certification for Challenge Course supervisors. While not a requirement, CHMK strongly encourages all staff and volunteers to maintain a CPR/AED and First Aid certification or higher that is valid through the end of the season they are working. 

We want staff to be at their best all the time, so time is allotted to relax and recharge. Scheduled time off varies from week to week and usually amounts to daily time off,  short night off, long night off, and a day off between each session.

Lodging for the summer season is provided as part of your employment compensation. Instructor staff will live with the camper groups inside rustic, yet modern, cabins. If you are a support staff (kitchen, office, medical, facilities), staff housing does exist at each location. However, the availability is limited and we will do our best to accommodate the needs of our staff. Support staff may be asked to live with campers rather than in staff-only housing. If you have special accommodation needs, please mention them during your hiring process. Cabin storage is limited and the beds are basic and comfortable. Private staff showers are available. Onsite laundry facilities are available for all staff.

Meals are a part of your compensation and they are delicious! Our chefs bring versatile skills and menus to camp and are trained to accommodate a majority of dietary restrictions or preferences. Please be sure to let your Camp Director know of any dietary needs prior to staff training to ensure they are prepared.

Our campers come from throughout the country, with a majority from Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Many of our campers are referred to camp by their Endocrinologist or treatment hospital. We average 320 campers per season. 

Not a problem! While we primarily serve campers with Type 1 Diabetes, we are looking for staff who have a passion and willingness to learn about, lead by example, and help manage diabetes for our campers.  We seek staff with warm personalities, positive attitudes, strong work ethics, good character and a sincere desire to live and work with children. If you have those qualities, and you’re willing to live by our values, then you’ll be a perfect fit for Camp Ho Mita Koda. We’ll train you in everything else you need to know during Staff Orientation.

Yes, we have WIFI available to staff on their time off, and many staff bring laptops to stay connected with the non-camp world. Cell service is a little patchy at camp. You’ll definitely want your cell phone for trips into town, and we have landline phones available to you if you really need them.

Your two most important jobs at camp are keeping campers safe and serving as a positive role model. As such, tobacco, alcohol and drugs are absolutely forbidden at camp. Any staff member possessing or using any of these substances at camp will be terminated from their position. If you’re in the habit of using any of these substances on a daily/regular basis, summer camp is not a good fit for you.

The majority of our campers have spent several summers at Camp Ho Mita Koda, and it’s their favorite place in the world. All campers have Type 1 Diabetes and view Camp Ho Mita Koda as their “home away from home”. Most of them come from pretty ordinary backgrounds and exhibit behaviors typical of their ages. They’re looking to have a great time at camp, and they’ll idolize you because of your age and position on staff. 

Yes, staff have used their work at camp as part of internships in the past, and we’re happy to help you in any way we can. If you have questions about making an internship work at camp, please contact us at info@camphomitakoda.org or 440-739-4095.

Before the arrival of campers, we host a mandatory staff orientation for both new and returning staff, which is designed to teach you everything you need to know to be successful in your role. The most important part of orientation is creating a sense of community and teamwork within the staff team, and our goal is for you to emerge with 30 new friends who you know you can count on. You’ll also learn youth development strategies, facilitation skills, and leadership techniques. Plus, you’ll learn all the hands-on skills needed to lead a cabin and facilitate camp activities, along with all the policies and procedures we use to keep everyone safe. Even when orientation is over and your campers arrive, you’ll have veteran staff by your side to help with anything that comes up.