By Liam Macleod
At the end of summer 2018 we sent out a survey to all of our staff members, one of the questions we asked was this… ‘Please share anything about your experience at IHC that you would like a future staff member to know.’
Staff weren’t required to fill it out, most of them did.
I went through the responses and realized that there is something so powerful and strong about the IHC camp experience that no other summer job could offer.
Here’s some snippets of the responses we received.
IHC is a community above all else. It encourages camaraderie and is a place where people can be themselves. There will be times when it gets tough and the work is very demanding, but for the right person it is a place where a lot of personal growth and emotional learning can take place.
Pete C.— Music Director
I think that any future staff members that are applying don’t realize how lucky they are. The experience at camp is something you can’t tell people back home because they won’t understand. For a shy teenager like myself going into camp for the first time, I was worried it would hold me back, but I couldn’t have been anymore wrong. Camp has improved me as a person, way more then I could have ever imagined, especially for my confidence levels as that was something I struggled with, but now that is a thing of the past and that is all down to camp IHC.
Connor W. — Cabin Specialist
Camp IHC was the best thing that I have ever been involved in, if you allow yourself to get lost in the beauty and craziness it can completely change your life.
James M. — Lifeguard
I am so grateful for the opportunity I got this year to work at IHC, it has given me confidence I didn’t know I had, it was a shot in the dark applying for a summer camp but it turns out it’s been one of the best decisions of my life and that is largely down to IHC. I don’t think I could have had any kind of experience that would come close to IHC at any other camp.
Lloyd O’D. — Cabin Specialist
Do it. You’ve got to. If you’re even thinking about doing it, dive head first. It’s true what they told us during orientation: everything you put into this place, you’ll get back ten-fold. It will be the most rewarding, transforming, amazing experience you’ll give yourself, no matter how cheesy that sounds. It will also give you the gift of the deepest friendships you can imagine, self-confidence you never knew, and a different view on the world as a whole. It’s hard work, and it’s not for everyone, but if you’ve made it far enough to consider it, then it’s probably for you. Challenge yourself and be rewarded.
Malia D. — CS
You will find a second home.
Caitlin C. — Nanny
IHC creates a family environment and quickly becomes your home away from home. My time here can be compared to nothing.
Niamh O’D.— Group Leader
My experience at IHC was honestly amazing, I made so many friends that I know and friends for life, working in such a beautiful place was such a bonus and the kids were absolutely amazing! I think about camp everyday and I was so heartbroken when I had to leave
Elaine Y. — Swim
Camp IHC is a great place to work, it’s a place where I had the opportunity to acquire new experiences. You are able to create great bonds with both the staff and kids that you work with gaining memories that will stay with you for a long time. Going into camp I wasn’t sure what to expect, however the whole environment is so welcoming and feels like a home away from home.
Charlotte M. — Gymnastics
Imagine how good you think your summer will be then times it by a 1000. If you come to camp with the right attitude, enjoy every minute and roll with the challenges you’ll walk away with the one of your best experiences of your life. The people you meet and the relationships you build are ones that last forever. When you arrive your told ‘Welcome Home’ and when you leave you finally understand why.
Bethan R. — Gymnastics
This is the best place. I’d advise everyone to do a summer at Camp IHC because the place is a paradise, you make friends for life and you build relationships with the kids that are so much stronger than you can ever imagine and improve you as an individual. It’s just a crazy experience that you can’t afford to miss.
Sam F. — Landsports
Pack lightly.
Bobby T.— Soccer/Athletics
Camp IHC is a no judgement zone and a safe environment. This helped me come out my shell and allowed me to gain the confidence I needed to be a better version of myself and my experience helped me not care what other people thought of me and it allowed me to stay true to myself. Camp impacts you a lot in a positive way through the relationships you make with campers and staff but it also impacts yourself even if you may not notice it a lot. Since coming home from camp I have noticed a big difference in myself as in how I’ve matured and how I’m much more confident than I was before camp, in the way I socialize with others and present myself.
Lauren H.— Swim
My experience at IHC was truly the experience of a lifetime. I had such an incredible time every single second the 2018 summer season. I really enjoyed being 1000 miles away from home and starting a brand new life for the summer. The fellow camp counselors/directors I met during my camp experience are people I will never forget. They are truly friends of a lifetime. However, the best part about my summer camp experience was THE KIDS. These kids left such a great impact on me. Even as eight year olds, they helped me grow as a person so much this summer. Im so glad I met every single one of those kids, and I am so glad I was able to leave an impact on their life as their camp counselor this past summer.
Erica P. — Boating
IHC is a place where you’re guaranteed to have the best time of your life and meet friends that will be there for you for the rest of your life
Beth H. — Tribe West
