Interested in Summer Employment?
Working as a staff member at Winnebagoe is a fulfilling, fun-filled experience. Here, you have the opportunity to affect the lives of young people in the most positive and profound ways
Being part of the Winnebagoe staff helps foster cooperative behaviour, a form of leadership, and a venue for creative input. Surrounded within the beautiful Lakeland's of Muskoka, the staff can work together and with children to maximize their potential.
If you are interested in working at Camp Winnebagoe, log in to our Staff Portal and fill out and submit a "New Applicant" application.
Our staff is divided into three general groups:
Cabin Counsellors
Cabin Counsellors supervise and mentor groups of children ages 7-16. As role models, their main task is to nurture and maintain the safety and well-being of their campers. And finally, through creativity and enthusiasm, counsellors provide a fun and memorable summer experience for the children in their care.
Activity Staff
Our activities are integral to the development of our campers. Members of the Activity Staff should be a skilled, proficient instructor in one of the fields which we offer at Camp Winnebagoe. On both the land and on the water, Activity Staff spend their days teaching campers of all ages from the basics to the more advanced aspects of their program.
Support Staff
Camp Winnebagoe relies heavily on this team of people. The kitchen, head office, and campground maintenance staff keep the summer operating in a smooth and successful manner. They are the backbone of our facility, and a most valuable component to our staff group.
Staff FAQ
How long is the camp season?
How many counsellors are there per cabin group?
What is the average age of your staff?
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When do you start to hire staff?
Staff Testimonials
Winnebagoe has had an impact on me that will last a lifetime. I met the love of my life there and three of my closest friends that still remain. To me, there is nothing more important in life than friends, and family. Winnebagoe gave me the opportunity to surround me with both of those things. I miss camp every time June rolls around and it will be that way forever. Thank you Winny!
- Jon Geller, Camper- 1997-2003; Counsellor- 2004; Tripping- 2005-2010
I joined Camp Winnebagoe as an international staff member new to camp life, however, from the moment I arrived for my first summer, I was immediately made to feel like part of the Winnebagoe team. The warm and welcoming atmosphere at Winnebagoe encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone to spend my summers constantly having fun and laughing. I have loved spending my summers meeting amazing people and making life-long friendships with people from all over the world. I can’t wait to see what this summer has in store at Winnebagoe.
- Millie Chesson
For me, the two hour bus ride between the city to camp seems like it should be longer, because, while at Winnebagoe, you feel like you are in another world. From the great activities and programs, to the amazing staff, the lasting memories created, and the life-long friendships that I have created, I cannot begin to count the number of reasons that I continue to come back each year. But most of all, it is the atmosphere around all of us and the feelings that we all experience that make Winnebagoe the wonderful, exciting and memorable adventure that it is.
Ryan Kichler (1996 – and still ticking)
"Winnebagoe is consistent in the excellent care and energy which is established by the Lustigs, instilled by the staff and embodied in the camp's heart - its campers. But what makes Winnebagoe special is how - alongside this consistency - each summer has its own unique identity and feel. It is this unique feel - this magical unpredictability - which makes a 1st summer just as special as a 20th"
- Alex Bogach
"The feeling of being part of an infinitely growing legacy has had a lasting impact on me. My years at Winnebagoe fostered friendships that gave me a strong and invaluable sense of belonging. I am privileged to be part of the generations of campers and staff which embodies the importance of friendship, community and family. Generations after generations of legacy and tradition - from both my parents to my siblings and I, to future generations of Winnebagoe campers. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Camp Winnebagoe, for my summers spent there, which fostered life skills, and created bonds of friendship and memories that will last a lifetime".
- Zac Cooper
When I got home from my first two weeks at Winnebagoe in 2005, I refused to get out of the car for several hours, insisting my parents take me back to camp. Ever since, I have spent two months per year in the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.
It’s difficult to describe Winnebagoe because a large part of the experience it offers is created by its feel and atmosphere. At camp, there is never an empty moment. Crazy programs and costumes fill each day; dance parties complete each meal and inside jokes and stories make each night in the cabin something to look forward to. It’s a place where campers can try new activities and always feel comfortable being themselves. Winnebagoe is where you can walk around singing as loud as you can, no matter how terrible your voice is.
Camp has pushed me to do many things that are outside my comfort zone; it is where I learned to sail a boat, pitch a tent, make up a cheer and even make a bed. The skills and creativity I’ve learned at camp have helped me all year-round, whether planning an activity at school, playing on a sports team or even writing my university essay.
But most importantly, camp friendships are unlike any others. A unique part of Winnebagoe is that the cabin-groups remain relatively unchanged from the Inter to CIT stage; this allowed me to make friends who know me better than any others. My camp friends can always predict when I’m about to laugh at something, list the brands of all my cosmetics and tell exactly the moment something is wrong.
My camper summers at Winnebagoe kept me coming back each year, and I am now so thankful to be an inter counsellor and to get to watch campers experience Winnebagoe for the first time.
- Jordyn Smith