STAFF PERSONNEL

STAFF PERSONNEL

We are so excited to welcome you as a member of our Unicorn Crew this summer! As part of this community, we want you to have a clear understanding of whose who and where you can access support to make your time with us a success. In this section, you will be introduced to some of the team and details about your time with BT!

There is not quiz for this section. Use this as a resource for your understanding of camp!

LEADERSHIP AT A GLANCE

First and foremost, we want to be clear that our community space is co-created. Although we are the folks that y’all will go to for high-level questions and solutions, we want you to know that your involvement in decision making and helping our space evolve and grow is crucial to our success as a team. We want to empower you to use your voice and feel ownership in decision making, while of course keeping camp safe for our youth. Our leadership team believes in servant leadership, which means you will likely see us actively involved in camp. In that same breath, we also mange a lot of things that are happening outside of the in-person camp space. We hope you will provide our team the same grace and flexibility we strive to provide y’all. Our hope is that giving you a bit more insight into each of our roles will help you to know what we might be doing in and outside of camp and who to go to for questions and support. Please note that many of our roles overlap (we are a growing non-profit) so if we don’t have the answer, we will direct you to the appropriate person!

 

Jessica Weissbuch (she/her) - Executive Director of INDirect Services

Jessica is one of our non-profit’s co-founders and executive directors. She handles high-level development and fundraising, year-round indirect services, and relationships with partner organizations. At camp, Jessica will assist with high level decision making and welcoming special guests. Due to the nature of Jessica’s work at Brave Trails, you will see less of Jess around camp as she is doing a lot of our off site management.

List of areas Jessica oversees:

  • High-Level Decision Making

  • Camper Inclusion

  • Fundraising

  • Relationships with Partners & Special Guests

COBY PFAFF (he/him) - Operations Director

Coby is Brave Trails’ Operations Director, overseeing the logistics and functions of our non-profit. Coby is a part time staff member which means he not only dedicates his summers to Brave Trails, he is also managing a team outside of camp. At camp, Coby will assist in all parent communication, emergency procedures, site logistics, and more. Due to the nature of Coby’s work at Brave Trails, you will see less of Coby around camp from time to time as he does a lot of various computer tasks and calling of parents.

List of areas Coby oversees:

  • Site Communication

  • Medical

  • Parent Communication & Logistics

  • Staff Payroll

Jake Young (They/He) - Communications director

Jake is Brave Trails’ year-round Communications Director, overseeing the staffing and marketing of our non-profit. Outside of camp, Jake works to build Brave Trails brand and voice. With the support of our Summer Camp Team, Jake will be a point of contact for the Social Media team, as well as our photographers and videographers.

List of areas Jake oversees:

  • Staff Support

  • Photography & Videography

  • Culture & Morale

  • Social Media

Max filippoff (he/Him) - Associate strategy Director

Max is Brave Trails’ year-round Associate Director of Strategy, overseeing camp operations, accreditation, and onboarding. Outside of camp, Max works with the ACA and our facility & business partners to create a safe camp environment for our youth, parents, and staff. At camp, Max oversees the Medical Team and overall training of our staff. Max will have one on one check ins with the Medical Team, Social Media Team, and Photography Team throughout the session and be your go to person for support in making your time with us a success!

List of areas Max oversees:

  • Staff Onboarding

  • Staff Training

  • Facility Partnership

  • Camp Operations

Sophia Hastings (She/They) - Summer Camp Director

Sophia is Brave Trails’ year-round Summer Camp Director, overseeing our year-round programming (family camp, brave spaces, reunions, etc) and camp culture. Sophia will be leading the whole team to create a safe, innovative experience for our youth. At camp, Sophia oversees the Associate Director team, as well as our Mental Health team. Sophia also is responsible for high-level camp decisions and scheduling.

List of areas Sophia oversees:

  • Associate Directors

  • Mental Health Team

  • Head Counselors

  • Community Restoration Specialists

Taylor Mu’min (She/They) - Associate Director of community

Taylor is Brave Trails’ year-round Associate Director of Community, overseeing our year-round outreach efforts and community engagement. Taylor will be working with our leadership team to find, select, and interview the camp staff, and be their go-to at camp. In the summer, Taylor oversees camp programming and the breaks & assignment schedules.

List of areas Taylor oversees:

  • Programs

  • Breaks & Assignments

  • Programs/Admin Assistants

  • Workshops

 

HUMAN RESOURCES

Payroll + Stipend Details

We have both paid seasonal employees and volunteers that will be working on our team throughout the summer. All staff members will receive room and board throughout their duration on staff (including staff training). All staff members are valued on our team and we appreciate your willingness to dedicate your time to connect LGBTQ+ youth to their people, place, and passion. It’s important that y’all know exactly who to talk to and where you can find vital information regarding your position on staff!

Jake Young - Hiring Manager | Coby Pfaff - Payroll Management

  • We will be providing all single session volunteers financial assistance. The purpose of these funds are to help defray the costs of transportation, meals, and lodging accrued in order for you to attend this volunteer opportunity. You will receive the full amount of the stipend on the final day of camp. View your offer letter to see your stipend information.

  • Paid staff will receive their pay via direct deposit through our payrolling system, SurePay. All paid staff will receive an invitation to the Ease system in early May to onboard and set up their employee account. Staff working one session will receive a one-time payment at the end of their session. Staff joining us all summer will receive bi-monthly payments.

    If you have any questions regarding payrolling, please reach out to coby@bravetrails.org

  • Your employment with Brave Trails is employment at-will. Employment at-will may be terminated with or without cause and with or without notice at any time at the will of either you or Brave Trails. Terms and conditions of employment with Brave Trails may be modified at the sole discretion of the Brave Trails Leadership Team with or without cause and with or without notice. No implied contract concerning any employment-related decision or term or condition of employment can be established by any other statement, conduct, policy, or practice.

Operations

  • The Staff Board is located in the Unicorn Lounge. Here you will find your break schedule, daily workshop & program assignments, & the anchor schedule. This is an important resource for y’all to use to keep organized and on top of what’s going on around camp. It will be your job to know your schedule and plan accordingly. Jake & Charmy will always have a copy of these materials on hand if needed. All changes to assignments and breaks should go through Staffing Director.

  • Each lunch period, half of the cabin counselors and one member of each support team will have a meeting with the staffing director and head counselor. You will switch off daily with your co-counselor. In this meeting, we will go over any announcements about scheduling & notes from the directors, we will all have a chance to give a quick 30 second check-in, and then go over camper updates. The staff meeting really focuses on filling each other in on things going on around camp or with your campers.

  • Every day, you will receive a 1 on 1 check in from the Head Counselors during in-cabin chill. This will be an intentional time for you to let us know how you are doing and what things we can do to better serve you and your campers. Do not feel like you need to wait until these check-ins to reach out to us if you need additional support, we want to help you thrive in this space!

  • Daily Break

    Every staff member will get an 1 hour and 25 min break each day.

    • You are responsible for knowing when your breaks are! Check the staff board to view you breaks throughout the session!

    • It’s important that your break is used to re-energize. We ask staff to avoid working (both on camp items and outside of camp), visit program areas, etc. The point is to get away, rest, and rejuvenate. Working on your breaks WILL lead to burnout.

    Meal Period Break

    You will have every other breakfast off.

    • You will go back and forth with your co-counselor and take this break on the day you do not attend the staff meeting. When it’s your turn for the breakfast break, you can grab your breakfast and eat in your cabin or in the staff meeting room.

    Mid-Session Break

    All session staff will get a 6-Hour break time-off block during the middle of camp.

    All core staff will receive a 12-hour break time-off block during the middle of camp.

    Core Staff Break

    Core staff will receive a 48 hour break between sessions. You may stay on property during this time, meals will be on your own.

    Off Campus Policies

    As of right now, we will be allowing staff to go off site during their break. Please sign the sign out form if you are going offsite. You must wear a mask inside all stores and wash your hands upon return to campus. Please ensure you are back at least 15 mins before the next program.

    When you go off campus, you are the face of BT! Remember, all staff agree to a dry summer, which means no drinking, drugs, or of course illegal activity while on your break. Should come back rested and rejuvenated.

  • We are very much not a workplace that rewards folks who over work. Over working and not having accurate breaks when needed results to burn out and poor morale all around. We have built a large team on purpose, so that when folks need extra time they can have it without fear of others having to take on a huge workload. The most important tool for our staff to have and use is open communication. Take advantage of the support that has been built for you to succeed and communicate your needs throughout your journey with us. Just like we aren’t looking for the “perfect” camper, we are not looking for the “perfect” staff member. What we are looking for is a staff member that is honest and vocalizes their needs and feelings. We want to see you succeed at camp so lets work together to create a space where we all feel held and supported through our joy, sadness, liberation, self-expression, community building, etc. Grace and flexibility should be felt community-wide!

  • The following grievance procedures should be followed for both operational problems and interpersonal difficulties. Operational problems include, but are not limited to, situations related to administrative procedures, interpretation of policy, and scheduling of breaks.

    The Camp Directors and summer camp staff are expected to treat each other with respect and follow policies and procedures. In case of a grievance, staff are first expected to speak directly to the individual(s) whom the grievance concerns, if it is safe to do so.

    Unless they are part of the grievance, the Head Counselor should be informed of the situation and collaborate to provide mediation. If we fail to meet a resolution, the aggrieved staff may appeal to the Camp Director.

    Camp Brave Trails requires the aggrieved staff(s) to make written documentation (record) of the situation via Incident Reports. We have a griefences box in the Unicorn Lounge that you can safely place these concerns in.

    Decisions of the Camp Director shall be final and binding. If staff have a grievance with the Camp Director or do not agree with a grievance decision of the Camp Director, they may bring grievances to another Director.

  • We hope you never will, but if you must leave the site beyond your break time for any reason, you must communicate this request in person directly to the Staffing Director (Jake) and receive approval before leaving. Requests to leave the site must be made at least 24 hours prior to the absence, when at all possible. Every reasonable effort to meet the needs of staff requesting absences will be made, but approval cannot be guaranteed.

    If you are feeling sick or hurt and need a rest, talk to a director or the inclusion/med team. Please do not leave without notifying us. Our program can’t run without you!