In-hospital Program Specialist

**In-Hospital Program Specialist - London**

**ABOUT US**

**Help Bring Back the Joy of Childhood**

Since 1983, Campfire Circle has delivered healing through happiness to thousands of kids with cancer or serious illness and their families across Ontario. Our programs are offered in paediatric hospitals across Ontario, in local communities, and at our medically supported overnight camps, offering year-round experiences that provide life-changing moments of joy, connection, and resilience.

But we’re just getting started. Today, over 40,000 kids in Ontario face serious illness, many without access to the psychosocial support they urgently need. That’s why we have a bold vision: to grow from serving 3,000 campers a year to 10,000. We’re building a passionate, talented team to help make that vision a reality. When you join Campfire Circle, you become an integral part of a dynamic team helping to transform the lives of thousands of kids with serious illness, alongside our dedicated community of volunteers and donors.

Help us give back the joy of childhood to every kid with serious illness who needs it most.

**THE OPPORTUNITY**

Reporting to the Manager, Community & In-Hospital Program, the In-Hospital Program Specialist is accountable for developing safe, fun, and engaging camp-style programs that meet the needs of campers and families. This position works to provide an enriching year-round camp experience directly to children and families through hospital and community programs in Ontario. Campfire Circle provides hospital programming at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and surrounding satellite hospitals, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, and Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre. **This role will be positioned in London working primarily at the London Health Sciences Centre.**

The key accountabilities of the role are:
**1. Programming**

a) Create and facilitate safe, fun, and engaging camp-style programs, both for individuals and groups in hospital waiting areas, play-rooms and bed-side.

b) Support, coach, and lead volunteers in achieving safe, fun, and engaging programs that facilitate friendship and fun.

c) Develop and maintain positive and supportive working relationships with Medical Staff and Child Life.

d) Occasionally support overnight programs and day camps.

e) Adhere to all programming and cleaning procedures while complying with hospital policies and procedures, including confidentiality, and occupational health.

**2. Administration**

a) Complete administrative tasks required in the planning, execution, and follow-up of programs.

b) Document programs, photographs, and camper stories and experiences to contribute to the program resources archive.

c) Track and maintain accurate systems for gift-in-kind donations in collaboration with Development.

d) Support volunteer recruitment, interviews, and training.

**3. Outreach**

a) Reach out to and develop meaningful relationships with campers and their families on behalf of the organization.

b) Promote programs to patients and families in efforts to recruit and support every child eligible to participate in In-Hospital, Community and Overnight Programs.

c) Foster relationships with medical staff and promote Campfire Circle programs.

d) Support medical staff engagement and appreciation events.

e) Occasionally assist with speaking engagements on behalf of Campfire Circle and attend related community outreach events.

**ABOUT YOU**
- Required Criteria: _
- Post-secondary education or equivalent experience.
- Minimum two years of experience as a staff or volunteer in a camp and/or hospital environment or working with children in a recreational setting.
- Experience facilitating group programs for children.
- Experience teaching skill-based activities including but not limited to music, arts and crafts, drama, and magic.
- Comfort working in a hospital setting with seriously ill children.
- Experience working with children with a variety of physical and developmental abilities.
- Clear police reference check and vulnerable sector screening
- Current G2 or G class driver’s license and the ability to be covered by camp’s insurance policy.
- Advantageous Criteria: _
- Experience supporting children with challenging behaviours.
- Demonstrated ability to work with families in crisis and an understanding of how illness impacts the entire family.
- Proficiency and ability to communicate in a second language (i.e. French, Spanish, Arabic, Tamil, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, etc.)
- Overnight or day camp experience.
- Experience working with a volunteer population.
- Lived experience with serious illness, which helps bring understanding to the role

To support our commitment to a safe, caring environment for children with serious illnesses and their families, all staff must attest to having received their childhood vaccinations and confirm a negativ