If you enjoy working with youth and have a love for travel and the outdoors, then here is a list of 24 summer programs where you can apply to be a Trip Leader during the summer. Each program offers job positions working with youth between the ages of 12-19. Almost all have a heavy focus on the outdoors and offer multiple trips that take place across the USA and abroad. Housing and food are covered, but pay and other benefits differ between companies/programs. Always do your research before you apply.
Note: Each link will take you to the program's hiring page. If the page does not exist this may mean they are not currently hiring and to check back later.
1. Bold Earth
Placement Location(s): USA (CA, CO, HI, Pacific Northwest, & Southwest Regions), Europe (Alps, Iceland, Croatia, & Montenegro), Africa (South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, & Kilimanjaro area), Asia (Thailand), and Latin America (Costa Rica, Ecuador, & Galapagos), and Oceania (Fiji).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, a college graduate or currently in college, experience working with youth, a clean driving record with no more than 4 points in the past 3 years, and the ability to obtain a WFR certification.
Interview Process: Three interviews, three reference checks, a motor vehicle record check, and a complete background check.
Placement Location(s): USA (CO, NC, PA, CA, NY, MN, OR, ME, MA, & Chesapeake Bay area)
International options available.
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, an ability to obtain a WFR certification, and have high & low ropes facilitation experience. Other requirement depend on the school/location applied for.
Interview Process: Between 1-3 interviews depending on location you are applying to.
Note: Each Outward Bound school is responsible for hiring their own team. Thus, the interview and application process will vary depending on the location you apply to. For international job openings, click here.
Placement Location(s): Over 48 countries available.
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, experience working with youth ages 12-19, experience living or working in one of their offered destinations, fully vaccinated against Covid-19, preference given to staff that can commit to two summers.
Interview Process: Three interviews and two reference checks.
Note: This program aims to place leaders in locations they have already visited and are comfortable with/in. They also have less of an outdoor focus and more of a destination focus.
4. Broadreach
Placement Location(s): Caribbean (St. Martin, St Lucia, The Leewards, Curacao, Bonaire, Bahamas), Asia (Bali & Komodo), Oceania (Fiji), South America (Galapagos), and Other (Red Sea).
Employee Requirements: Travel experience, fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and an ability to obtain a WFR certification.
Interview Process: Two interviews and reference checks.
Note: The majority of programs need leaders who have scuba/sailing/marine life experience. However, there are land based programs for those who are not scuba/sailing qualified.
Placement Location(s): USA (HI, AK, CO, UT, CA, & WY), Asia (Bali, Sumatra, Vietnam, Thailand, & Cambodia), Oceania (Australia & Fiji), Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, & Morocco) South America (Equator, Galapagos, & Peru), Central America (Costa Rica & Belize), and Europe (Spain).
Employee Requirements: Age 21+, ability to obtain a WFR certification, a college graduate or currently in college, experience working with youth, a current driver’s license, a clean driving record, and fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Interview Process: Two interviews, a background check, and 2-3 reference checks.
Notes: They offer gap year programs in various locations as well.
6. Go Beyond
Placement Location(s): Europe (British Virgin Islands & Iceland), Oceania (Australia), Central America (Costa Rica), South America (Equator & Galapagos), and Asia (China & Sri Lank).
*Past locations include India & Peru.
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+ (age 19+ for a staff in training position), and trained in First Aid and CPR.
Interview Process: They ask for 3 references in the initial application, but the overall interview process is unknown.
Note: This program is run by The Global Expeditions Group.
7. Action Quest
Placement Location(s): British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Australia.
Employee Requirements: Ages 18+ and trained in First Aid and/or CPR. Other requirements depend on the specific position you apply for.
Interview Process: At least one interview, three reference checks, a background check, and a medical history check.
Note: This program is run by The Global Expeditions Group. Their programs need leaders who have scuba/sailing/marine life experience.
8. Backroads
Placement Location(s): Over 40 countries around the world.
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, have a valid drivers license, a clean driving record, and ability to hike 10 miles or cycle 30 miles per day. To work in their Europe locations you must be able to drive a manual transmission.
Interview Process: A video interview, a one-on-one interview, and an in-person (or virtual) group hiring event.
Note: Their trips are not just for kids and teens, they offer programs for all age groups.
Placement Location(s): USA (AK, HI, & UT), Asia (Bali, India, Sumatra, & Thailand), Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, & Guatemala), Caribbean (Dominican Republic), South America (Galapagos & Peru), Africa (Ghana, Morocco, & South Africa), Europe (Greece & Spain), and
Oceania (Fiji).
Employee Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, two years experience working with middle schoolers and teens, international travel experience (for non-US programs), Covid-19 vaccination, medical insurance (for US programs), and a CPR and First Aid certification. Some programs will require a WFR or Lifeguard certification.
Interview Process: 2-3 interviews, two reference checks, and a background check .
Placement Location(s): Central America (Costa Rica), Caribbean (Puerto Rico), South America (Ecuador, Galapagos, & Peru), Asia (Nepal), Europe (France & Spain), USA (Pacific Northwest Region) and Oceania (Fiji).
Employee Requirements: Ages 23+, vaccinated against Covid-19, experience working with youth, experience traveling/working/living in the countries you are applying for, ability to obtain a WFR certification, and volunteer experience.
Interview Process: Unknown
Note: This program aims to place leaders in locations they have visited and are comfortable with/in. All of their programs have a strong focus on volunteering and have a range of 20-80 hours of community service per trip.
Placement Location(s): Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, Bhutan, & China), Central America (Guatemala), South America (Peru & Bolivia), Europe (British Columbia), Africa (Senegal & Morocco) and the USA (CO & Lake Superior area).
Employee Requirements: Experience in the regions where programs are located, have language skills relevant to program location(s), a WFR certification, and experience working with youth.
Interview Process: 1-2 interviews, other parts of the process are unknown.
Note: They mention that they do not expect every candidate to meet their general requirements, so if you are lacking one or two it may still be worth applying.
Placement Location(s): Over 31 countries.
Employee Requirements: Experience living/traveling/working in the country of the program location(s), a bachelors degree or work experience in a field related to the program theme, a CPR and First Aid certificate, ability to drive a manual transmission (for some programs), and be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Interview Process: A background check is required but other parts of the process are unknown.
Note: This program aims to place leaders in locations they have visited and are comfortable with/in. This company offers more than just youth summer programs.
Placement Location(s): Oceania (Australia), Central America (Belize & Cost Rica), South America (Ecuador & Galapagos), Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, & Scotland), Asia (Japan) and the USA (NY, TX, and Washington D.C.).
Employee Requirements: A bachelor’s degree or work experience in a field related to the program(s) theme. Language proficiency of the program destination, experience living/traveling in the program location(s), experience working with high schoolers, ability to obtain a First Aid and CPR certification.
Interview Process: A background check is required but other parts of the process are unknown.
Note: This program is in collaboration with Putney Student Travel (above) but is specific to high school students. They aim to place leaders in locations they have visited and are comfortable with/in.
Placement Location(s): USA (AK, HI, CA, and the East Coast), Central America (Costa Rica), South America (Ecuador & Galapagos), Asia (Thailand & Vietnam), Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji), Canada, Africa (South Africa) and Europe (Austria, Croatia, Check Republic, England, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, & Switzerland).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, experience working with teens, a CPR and First Aid certification, fully vaccinated against Covid-19, travel experience, and summer camp experience.
Interview Process: Interview and reference(s) check.
15. Rustic Pathways
Placement Location(s): Europe (France, Croatia, & Italy), Asia (South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, & Nepal), USA (AK, HI, LA, & CO), Central America (Costa Rica & Dominican Republic), South America (Peru & Ecuador), Africa (Morocco, Tanzania & Ghana), Oceania (Australia & Fiji).
Employee Requirements: Ages 22+, a bachelors degree or equivalent work experience, and two years of relevant experience in service-learning, tourism, outdoor leadership, youth mentorship, customer service, or experiential education. At least two years of experience working with youth, and 6 months of experience living and/or working in an international, multicultural, or cross-cultural environment. Vaccinated against Covid-19 and First Aid and CPR certified.
Interview Process: At least two interviews.
16. Global Routes
Placement Location(s): USA (HI), Asia (Nepal, Thailand, & Cambodia), Central America (Costa Rica), Oceania (New Zealand & Fiji), South America (Ecuador), Europe (Italy & Greece) and Africa (Tanzania).
Employee Requirements: Ages 24+, CPR and First AID certified, and have travel experience. Some programs require a lifeguard certification.
Interview Process: Unknown
Placement Location(s): Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji), Central America (Costa Rica), South America (Ecuador & Galapagos), USA (HI) and Asia (Thailand).
Employee Requirements: Ages 25-33, vaccinated against Covid-19, travel experience in the countries you want to be placed in, and experience leading multi-day trips. Other requirements needed will be based off the trip you are looking to lead.
Interview Process: At least one interview and 2-3 reference checks.
Notes: They offer gap year programs in various locations as well.
Placement Location(s): Africa (Tanzania), Asia (Thailand & Vietnam), Canada, the USA (AK, HI, UT, FL, ME, CO), South America (Ecuador & the Galapagos), Central America (Belize & Costa Rica) and Europe (Iceland, Mediterranean, Spain, Norway, & Greece).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, experience working with youth ages 12-19, a valid drivers license, WFR certified, and knowledge of service learning and/or outdoor skills.
Interview Process: At least one interview.
Placement Location(s): USA (WY, NY, CA, OR, NC, HI, CO, MA, AK, UT, WA), Europe (Switzerland & Spain), and Central America (Costa Rica).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, excellent driving record, WFR certified, Lifeguard certified, experience leading or teaching youth, and a college degree or in the process of completing college.
Interview Process: At least two interviews and reference checks.
Notes: They also offer camp counselor work at their base camps and have gap year programs in the USA.
20. Visions
Placement Location(s): Europe (British Virgin Islands), Caribbean (Dominican Republic), USA (MT), and South America (Peru).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, experience working with teenagers, and have medical training (WFR, EMT, ect...). Preference is given to those who have experience in skills they utilize on service projects, such as farming.
Interview Process: At least one interview and a possible language test.
21. Rein Teen Tours
Placement Location(s): Across the USA, Central America (Costa Rica), South America (Ecuador, Galapagos, & the Amazon), Asia (Thailand & Cambodia).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, CPR/First Aid certified, non-smoker, and COVID-19 vaccinated.
Interview Process: Unknown.
22. Overland
Placement Location(s): USA (New England, WY, CA, CO, AK, WA, MT), Europe (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, France, & Spain) and Africa (Tanzania).
Employee Requirements: CPR/AED and WFA certified, valid driver license, clean driving record, clean police and CORI check, and the ability to carry 40lbs of gear.
Interview Process: Three written references, at least one interview, and possibly a group interview.
Notes: Almost all of their programs are hiking focused.
23. The Experiment
Placement Location(s): Europe (France, Germany, Italy, & Spain), South America (Ecuador), Africa (Ghana), Asia (Japan & South Korea), and the Middle East (Jordan).
Employee Requirements: Ages 21+, experience studying/working/living internationally, experience with high school students, and CPR/First Aid certified. A bachelors degree is preferred but not required.
Interview Process: Unknown.
24. ACT (Active Travel Camps)
Placement Location(s): This company offers one set program that takes you around the French Alps.
Note: There is no "employee" page that I could find. They tend to hire through Indeed.
Conclusion
All of the companies on the list above offer trip leader positions that you can apply to for the summer. Each of these jobs are a lot like being a summer camp counselor with a focus on outdoor environments and cultures around the world. Hopefully you found one that works for you. If so, then good luck on the interview process and I hope you have an amazing summer!
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