Easter Seals Camp Horizon Program Staff

All of our staff members at Easter Seals Camp Horizon are carefully chosen for their skills, energy, knowledge, and enthusiasm for working with children and adults with special needs in the great outdoors! In addition to our senior program staff, we have 36 staff members that work directly with campers on a daily basis. Except for six junior counsellors, our staff members are at least 18 years of age and most are either currently attending or are graduates of university and college programs. All program staff are required to hold current Standard First Aid, CPR-C and undergo a Criminal Reference Check prior to employment. All of our staff members who are full time Alberta residents are also required to complete an Intervention Record Check (formerly Child Welfare Record Check).

When the staff team arrives at camp, they undergo 10 days of intensive preparation that includes training on delivering programs, behaviour management, working with different abilities and special needs, emergency procedures, personal care, risk management, and much more.

In addition to the aforementioned training, instructors in program areas have skill specific qualifications.

Team Leaders have extensive experience working with youth and/or special needs populations.

Challenge course facilitators have level I facilitator certification, and we always have a level II facilitator on site.

Lifeguards have National Lifeguard Society certification.

Rafting guides have completed raft school training, which includes wilderness first aid, swift water rescue technician, and river navigation certifications.

Leadership trainers have advanced wilderness first aid certification in addition to extensive experience leading backcountry trips.

We know that the people working with your camper are the most important part of ensuring that they have a fun and healthy camp experience. If you have any questions about who will be working with your child, please don’t hesitate to contact us as we would be more than happy to answer any further questions you may have.

Julie Martin - Coordinator, Programs
Julie helps to coordinate all of the summer camps and mandate focused programs throughout the year. She ensures every camper has a positive experience by managing the day-to-day aspects of camp programs, and supporting and supervising our Team Leaders, Counsellors, Junior Counsellors, and Volunteers. She is very excited to meet and interact with all of our campers and share her enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors.

Julie joined Easter Seals Camp Horizon in the spring of 2010, after an incredibly positive experience volunteering for Christmas Camp 2009 while working with a youth volunteer and service program. She graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Science in Geography and minor in Leisure and Tourism; this provided her the opportunity to attend overseas field schools in SE Asia and Central America. Her interests include many outdoor activities, from hiking and biking in the summer to skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, as well as travelling and languages.