FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - STAFF

• Gain practical experience working with children and youth in a fun, safe, welcoming and educational environment
• Acquire leadership and mentorship skills 
• Attend Professional and Personal Development Workshops
• Experience developing and implementing age appropriate and creative lesson plans
• Practice problem solving and critical thinking 
• Receive feedback and guidance from our Programming team 

Yes! You must have, or be willing to obtain your Standard First Aid and CPR-C prior to the first day of camps. If successfully hired, we will provide you with further instructions on how to register and complete your course.

Yes you do! We require all staff to submit a completed Criminal Record Check to us. If successfully hired, we will provide you with specific instructions on how to complete a Criminal Record Check. 

For all new successfully hired staff, we recommend that you complete your Criminal Record Check as soon as possible!

Returning staff will be required to fill in a Crimial Record Affidavit form or will have to submit a new Criminal Record Check if the one on file is older than 3 years. 

Yes, there is pay parking available for staff in the West Visitor Parkade. Please visit SFU Parking to view permit and daily pass options. 

SFU Camps is not responsible for covering parking fees and citations. 

Dates have not been finalized for 2026 hiring season but below is the timeline from the 2025 season for reference. Dates are anticipated to change slightly for 2026 so please continue to check the Opportunities page for specific deadlines. 

*Application deadlines are contingent to change

Absolutely! We are more than happy to provide you with any form of reference that you need. Please read below for additional information on requesting a reference. 

Please note: the reference will be completed by the current Head Programmer of Human Resources, based on the evaluations and notes in your file.

Criteria for Receiving a Letter of Reference:

• The letter must be requested a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. 
• Staff must be in good standing with SFU Camps*

*References for staff more than 5 years post employment with SFU Camps will be accepted on a case-by-case basis, due to time lapsed interfering with validity of reference.

Please send an email to admin_camps@sfu.ca with the subject line "Reference Letter - Your Name".

In the body of the email, please provide:

• Your full name

• Year(s) you worked and Total # of hours if known

• Purpose of the letter (e.g. scholarship, job application, university application)

• Name of scholarship, employer, university, etc.

• Copy of scholarship requirements, job posting, application or program requirements, etc.

• Date of when you need the letter / reference

• Where to send or submit the letter (e.g. email address, mailing address) or how we may be contacted to provide the reference (e.g. email, phone, online)

Optional 

• 2-3 examples of skills used and/or experiences gained while with SFU Camps (e.g. problem solving interpersonal conflicts by managing camper conflict)
• 1-2 examples of how you applied your Camps experience to other aspects of your professional life

We do not accept new staff applications for Spring Break Camps. All Spring staff are recruited from existing Camps staff from previous years. 

Applications are expected to open end of February 2026. Please check our Employment Opportunities page in mid-January for specific dates and job postings.

This year we have a two step application process for Head Instructor and Instructor applicants.

1. Complete online application form, found on our Employment Opportunities for the position you are interested
2. Submit resume via online form that you will be redirected to after submitting Part 1

Applications will not be evaluated until resume is received. 

No you do not, there will be a field on the application where you can rank your top 5 camp preferences and provide additional camp considerations.

TIP: Candidates that select a higher number of camp preferences will have their application reviewed for all preferences listed and thus boost their application. 

No, that is not necessary. If you would like to be in contention for both positions, please start by applying for the Head Instructor role. We will review that application and dependent on how you perform in the interview stage we will take into consideration both roles and positions. 

You must be at least 16 years of age by June 16th, 2026. 

We only hire full-time applicants for both our Head Instructor and Instructor positions. Returning staff may apply for an On-Call placement if unable to commit to full-time staff position. Please email Alexa at admin_camps@sfu.ca for more information about the On-Call application and position.

Applicants who are available for the full-time shifts are given preference in the application process but we understand that things can come up during the summer and staff may need time off for whatever reason. Time-off requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and specific procedures for requesting time off will be provided upon job offer to successful applicants. 

Due to the large amount of applications we receive, we are unable to extend our application deadline for individual applicants. 

2025 Format

Head Instructor and Instructor interviews will be a virtual process this year. All applicants will be undergo an initial phone screening and successful candidates will proceed to a video call interview. 

The phone screening for both positions will be approximately 20 minutes and consist of general interview questions. The video call interview will be approximately 45 minutes and consist of general interview questions, scenarios, and other opportunities to demonstrate what you can bring to our team. Applicants will receive further instructions on how to prepare for the video call interview upon interview offer. 

2026 Format

We are hopefully holding in-person group interviews for the 2026 hiring season. More details on this will be included in the job posting and candidates will receive further instructions upon interview offer. 

During the interview the administrative team will be looking at varying qualities depending on the position and specific camp you are applying for. In general, some main qualities we look for in a staff member are: passion, adaptability, communication, mentorship, and general professionalism. Head Instructor applicants should also demonstrate strong teaching and decision making skills. 

We want to make sure that we can trust you to work closely with campers, parents, and staff. Please remember to avoid the use of inappropriate language and make sure to wear appropriate clothing!

Staff from Summer 2025 do not need to complete the full staff application again but will be required to attend group interviews alongside new applicants so we can be sure to be hiring the best people for our open positions. Alexa will send  a modified application form and more interview deatils out to the Summer 2025 staff mailing list in February 2026. 

If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to us!

Yes, there is mandatory staff training for all staff. This year, there will be required in-person training in June.

If selected, you will be contacted with specific dates closer to the Summer. 

Yes! All new and returning staff members are required to attend our mandatory training sessions.

We can accommodate partial day absences on a case-by-case basis. 

Staff training is intended to prepare you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence that you need for a successful and fun summer with us. Content will be delivered in various formats, such as in-person group discussions, presentations, and scenarios. 

Topics in previous years have included:

• Conflict Resolution workshops
• Receiving and providing feedback 
• Leading Rec time 
• Accessibility and inclusive classrooms
• Adapting lesson plans