Please enter your name, email and zip code below to sign up!
Please enter your name, email and zip code below to sign up!
Work at Camp! Share Jesus, have fun, get paid! This is a great opportunity to spend the summer making a difference in a child's life and to make a difference in your own life as well. We provide staff opportunities to see Arizona - The Grand Canyon, Sedona, and more. It will be a great summer for everyone! Click here to apply.
Scroll down to see what positions we hire and FAQs.
For more than 100 years, The Salvation Army has recognized the value of camping. It has witnessed the difference it can make in people's lives. For an underprivileged child who's only known city concrete, the blare of car horns and whirl of mass transit, it opens a whole new world. For a single mother it represents a cherished respite and bonding time with her other children.
2024 Summer Camp Dates:
Program Staff Orientation May 29-June 1
All Staff Orientation June 3-7
Leadership Development Camp July 1-3
Camp Staff Debrief July 27
Summer Ministry Team Positions
Counselor Staff:
In this position, your primary focus is to build relationships with kids. You are responsible for the
campers in your cabin and will set the pace for each day. As a counselor, you will sleep, eat and attend
all activities with your cabin. You will also lead Bible lessons and small groups during the day and
encourage the spiritual development of each camper in your cabin. To do this job, we prefer that you
are at least 17 years of age, enjoy and have experience working with children and can effectively provide
an environment for children that is physically and emotionally safe and spiritually challenging.
Camp Ponderosa Ranch hires 14 Male Counselors and 12 Female Counselors.
Jr. Counselor Staff (age 16)
Counselor Staff (age 18+)
Activities Staff:
The Activity Staff are specialists in an area where they will spend their time leading groups of campers
through an activity. Their responsibilities include setting up the activity for each group, facilitating the
experience, debriefing the camper group and cleaning/maintaining all equipment. Your role in this
position will be vital to accomplishing the integration aspect of our mission - where we strive to combine
faith and fun and provide a safe, innovative, and memorable experience for campers.
Camp Ponderosa Ranch is looking to fill the following position:
Support Staff Positions:
The Specialty Staff ministers to both campers and staff by supporting the camp in a variety of functions.
Their roles include food service, office support, health services, and maintenance. Many of these
specialty roles require experience in the specialty area as well as flexibility and a desire to pour into
children and teens. Camp Ponderosa Ranch is looking to fill the following positions:
Leadership Staff:
The Leadership Staff is constantly putting the mission and vision of Camp Ponderosa Ranch in front of
other staff. In these positions, your direct interaction with campers is more limited than in other
positions. Your main responsibility is to provide leadership for the summer camp program. You are
responsible for the health of the staff as well as the campers. Your duties will include assisting in daily
Bible study, conducting camp theme activities, and some administrative tasks.
Camp Ponderosa Ranch is looking to fill the following positions:
Summer Program Director (age 21+)
Oversight and planning of the entire summer camp program and its daily activities. Includes
management/mentoring of staff, conducting regular staff meetings, and execution of overall camp
programming.
Christian Education Director (age 18+)
Directly responsible for guiding the spiritual emphasis of the camping program. Includes planning and
executing daily chapel programs, evening campfire devotions, resources camper cabin devotions, and
mentoring of staff. In addition, the will track seeker information for reporting back to Corps/churches for follow-up.
Arts Enrichment Director
Girls Village Coordinator (age 21+)
Leadership, supervision, and management of the Female Counseling Staff and the Girls Village. They also
provide spiritual mentoring and to female staff. Previous Counseling experience helpful.
Boys Village Coordinator (age 21+)
Leadership, supervision, and management of the Male Counseling Staff and the Guys Village. They also
provide spiritual mentoring and to male staff. Previous Counseling experience helpful.
Wilderness Camp Staff:
The Wilderness Camp staff will offer children aged 13-16 a full-time outdoor camping experience. Prior
Outdoor Education training is required (including First Aid certification). Function as main camp
counselors when Wilderness Camp is not in session.
Revised 12/12/2022
Camp Ponderosa Ranch (CPR) Summer Ministry Team Applicant FAQs
Who makes a good reference?
Someone who knows you well but is not a peer or a family member. We ask for three references, two
of them personal and one pastoral or spiritual reference. Not all references need to be familiar with
your spiritual commitment. For example, many references are teachers who may not be Christians,
that is OK.
What positions are available?
We have around 60 different positions available during the summer. These positions are currently
divided into four areas. They include counselor staff, activities staff, support staff, wilderness staff, and
leadership staff. (see Summer Ministry Team Positions).
What are the dates for orientation, summer, terms, etc.?
Staff Training: June 1st through June 9th
Last Day of Camp: July 22nd
See above for full list of camp dates
Do I have to come to orientation week?
Training is extremely important for equipping you to be effective in your position at Camp Ponderosa
Ranch during the summer. It is a time when you will learn more about us as an organization and how to
be successful in your roles. Bottom line: training is a phenomenal time and you do not want to miss it! If
you have a once-in-a-lifetime immediate family event during training (i.e. a sibling is graduating or
getting married), exceptions may be made.
Am I old enough to work at Camp Ponderosa Ranch?
Staff members will be at least 14 years old to apply for our Kitchen.
Do I have to work the whole summer?
Summer at Camp Ponderosa Ranch consists of 48 days. This includes training week, days off, and camp
final day. We believe it to be extremely important that you serve each of those days. Any days missed
(other than scheduled off days) will result in an adjustment in pay.
Do we get time off? Days? Weeks? Hours?
Summer staff will get a scheduled daily break each day during the week. Summer staff will also get an
average of 1.5 days off each week. This is usually a Friday afternoon and Saturday in between camper
groups. Note: There is one session that runs from Monday-Saturday.
How much do I get paid?
Pay ranges anywhere from $1400 to $2800 (or based on qualifications for Specialty/Leadership Staff
positions) for the whole 7-week camping period depending upon your position. Summer staff also
receives room and board in addition to their weekly salaries.
Revised 3/17/2020