Camp Placement Program and Returner Program
First Year Counselors and Returners
Camp USA offers two programs: The Placement Program for new applicants who want to be matched with a camp, and the Returner Program for those returning to the same camp where they worked the previous year.
Please note that InterExchange does not accept first-time applicants directly. Instead, we will refer inquiries for the Camp Placement program to you. Most returning applicants typically apply directly with InterExchange; however, some may choose to use an International Cooperator.
Make sure you are familiar with the policies related to the Returner Program so that you can provide accurate information to your applicants. You are entitled to keep the difference between the fees charged to the participant and the fee charged to you by InterExchange Camp USA. For more details on fees, please refer to Exhibit B, the Fee Schedule included in your individual IC Agreement.
Returning Counselors
InterExchange Camp USA welcomes returning participants. These applicants usually have a solid understanding of the meaning of camp. They integrate quickly and efficiently into the camp environment, and in some cases, they can become effective leaders within the staff. Returning participants have a great deal to offer their camp communities. Returning participants must understand that the commitment is as vital as it was in their first year. InterExchange Camp USA would like to ensure that their experience is as great as, if not better than, the participants’ first summer! If a participant wishes to return to the same camp exclusively, they should do so as a Returning Placement applicant and make arrangements with the original camp. If they would like to participate in the program a second time but wish to attend a new camp, they should do so through the Camp Placement program.
By U.S. Department of State regulations and InterExchange policy:
- All counselors may repeat a second time. The two-year home residency requirement does not apply to this program.
- There are restrictions on the number of returners we can accept for a third year or more.
Important timeline for Returning Participants
Our program is first-come, first-served, so if your applicants submit their paperwork too late, InterExchange may not be able to sponsor their visa due to the limits placed on returning participants. We usually hit our limit for 3rd-year Returners by the end of December. In late summer or early fall, you may want to send an email or contact all of last year’s participants, reminding them that they need to apply immediately if they wish to return to camp. Help them decide whether to come as a second-year Camp Placement or as a Returning Placement, and then invite them to apply using the appropriate online application type. Once you have received a completed application from a returning participant, please submit it to InterExchange so that we can initiate the sponsorship or placement process.
Requirements for Returners
Returner Applicants Must:
- Must prove eligibility for the program as a student, teacher, youth worker, or specialist.
- Be returning to work at the same camp they had worked at before.
- Have a signed contract on camp letterhead from the camp director, which outlines his or her stipend, dates of employment, and position at camp. Please review the contract carefully to confirm that the participant has a confirmed job offer, not just a conditional agreement.
- Complete online pre-departure orientation before arriving.
- Be interviewed by you or an official representative of your organization. You will use the Returner Placement Interview Report Form.
- Check in with InterExchange every 30 days while in the United States.
Returner Application Requirements
InterExchange Camp USA requires the following:
- One completed Returner application and all materials requested therein.
- One reference from a former or current teacher or employer. The reference can not be from the same camp that they are getting sponsorship to work at again.
- One copy of the confirmed placement offer on camp letterhead, signed and dated by the camp director. The contract must outline the participant’s stipend, dates of employment, and position at camp.
- One recent police background check, dated within 12 months of the program start date.
- Copy of passport.
- Proof of eligibility: student documents, additional reference letters, teacher ID, skill certifications, and youth work reference letter.