Nationwide
support has been essential to the success of Scottie's
Place. To increase the number of homeless children
we serve, Scottie's Place needs your continued support
and involvement. Individuals and groups have the opportunity
to provide camperships for homeless children. A two-week
session at Scottie's Place costs $1,300. Weekend programs
cost $100 per day per child.
There
is also the opportunity to assist us in our fundraising
efforts. You can help Scottie's Place by raising money
through your church, youth group, school, neighborhood
or civic group. Fundraising parties, benefit concerts,
box-a-thons, birthday parties and letter-writing campaigns
have all been employed to benefit the camp and the
children we serve.
Scottie's
Place is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
All
donations are tax deductible.
Tax
ID number 31-1672573
Please
send checks to:
Scottie's Place
PO Box 905
Peterstown, WV 24963
304-753-5701
scottiesplace@usa.net
To
make a donation on-line, choose the "make a donation"
button at the top of this page. Your transaction will
be made through PayPal- a secure website.
VOLUNTEER
AT SCOTTIE’S PLACE
The
mission of Scottie's Place is to empower, educate
and enliven homeless children through wilderness adventure.
It is essential that Scottie's Place identify and
hire staff with the ability to function in a wilderness
environment and with the maturity and experience to
address the special needs of homeless children. The
1999 Better Homes Fund states that homeless children
are sick more often, go hungry more often, are distressed
more often and have more pronounced fears than poor
children with homes. "The constant barrage of stressful
and traumatic experiences has a profound effect on
the cognitive and emotional development of homeless
children... Slower development contributes to the
frequent behavioral and emotional problems homeless
children experience as they get older."
A child: staff ratio of 3:1 is necessary to give the
campers the attention they so desperately need as
well as to provide adult supervision in high risk
situations. Counselors live with the youth 24 hours/day
for two week sessions and assist in the creation of
an enriching and empowering experience for the campers
in a family-like environment. Children experience
new challenges and opportunities, discover unknown
talents and resources within themselves. Scottie's
Place strives to impart a new sense of responsibility
in children toward themselves, their community and
the earth. Counselors provide hands-on education in
a supportive, trusting and safe environment with an
emphasis on developing life skills that will remain
with the children long after they have left camp.
Children learn to grow and gather food, use tools,
care for animals, and succeed individually and as
a team. Counselors work with children to encourage
problem solving, goal setting, effective communication
and cooperation. While at Scottie's Place, children
will bake bread, plant trees, build shelters, lead
expeditions. The elemental nature of survival skills
builds inner strength and offers children a new sense
of connectedness to this planet earth, our home.
The
quality of the staff is the most important factor
in determining the success of our programs and their
impact on the children. Scottie's Place hires four
qualified adults to work through the summer sessions
as camp counselors. These adults are the core staff
and provide continuity in the programs through three
months of camp sessions. One college student intern
provides support to the core staff. Scottie's Place
also accepts four college students as volunteers and
three Counselors-in-Training for each session.
Camp
Counselor:
Duties and responsibilities: The primary responsibility
of the Counselor is to mentor the children while ensuring
the health and safety of the campers at all times.
Counselor should promote and encourage fair play,
have sound judgement and act calmly and quickly in
emergencies. Counselor will supervise children in
high risk situations (e.g. canoeing on the New River),
plan and initiate camp programs and provide creative
educational opportunities in an experiential learning
environment. Counselor will assist directors in leading
campers in all daily activities including construction
projects, farm work, animal care, arts and crafts,
swimming, hiking, backpacking expeditions and community
service projects. Counselor will share a "longhouse"
with six campers and ensure appropriate behavior during
overnights. Counselor should be especially attuned
to the personal issues of the children that present
themselves in the longhouse after "lights-out". Counselor
must be able to recognize and respond to opportunities
for discussion and problem solving within the group.
Counselor will assist in meal planning and preparation,
attend daily staff meetings and report to directors
any information or developments pertaining to the
health and safety of the campers or to the efficacy
of the camp programs. Counselor should be willing
to accept other responsibilities as deemed necessary
by the camp director.
Qualifications:
Candidate should be a minimum of 21 years of age with
professional or substantial volunteer experience in
working with special needs populations, especially
high risk and minority youth. Also required: previous
wilderness camping experience with knowledge of camping
skills and water safety. Personal qualities include
maturity, patience, flexibility, sense of humor, love
of outdoors, good problem solving skills, good communication
skills, team building skills, intiative, physical
stamina and a powerful work ethic.
Student
Intern (and Student Volunteer):
Duties and Responsibilities: Student intern is a mentor,
first and foremost. The primary role of the student
intern is to provide guidance, encouragement and model
appropriate behavior to the children who come to Scottie's
Place. Intern will help counselors ensure the health
and safety of campers and make sure campers have an
enjoyable and rewarding experience. Intern will work
with counselors to develop and implement program activities
and provide support to directors and counselors. Intern
will provide a positive role model for children in
all aspects of camp life, from conflict resolution
to meal preparation, from farm chores to community
service projects. Additionally, intern is expected
to assist in the setting up and breaking down of camp
before and after sessions. Tasks between sessions
include building projects, garden work, research and
administrative work.
Qualifications:
College student who is an energetic team player with
experience and interest in special needs populations,
outdoor adventure, education and community service.
Candidate should have the patience, creativity and
flexibility that is required when serving needy children
as well as a strong work ethic.
Counselor-in-Training:
Duties and responsibilities: The purpose of the Counselor-in-Training
Program is to teach leadership, behavior management
and counseling skills to aspiring counselors. CIT
will help facilitate relationships and assist intern
and counselors with the supervision of campers, meal
preparation, camp games and activities.
Qualifications:
Previous camping experience ( especially as a camper
at Scottie's Place), ability to work well with children
of all ages, a strong work ethic, enthusiasm, playfulness,
maturity, commitment and a willingness to accept responsibility.
All
camp staff at Scottie's Place -
counselors, interns and CITs -
should possess the following characteristics:
