Staff Life
And
Support
Being A Part of the Team
Wondering what it’s like to serve on summer staff at Qwanoes? This page covers benefits and support, training, housing, financial help, and extras like Quixotic — plus how staff build their own Prayer Team for the summer. Our goal is to help you thrive as you serve.
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🙏🏼 Spiritual Blessings
- Be a direct part of changed lives, helping to lead young people to Christ.
- See child-like faith first-hand.
- Experience rich rewards while learning to rely on God’s strength.
- Be stretched spiritually and grow in an awesome Christian environment.
- Experience the love and power of Christ first-hand!
🌳 Time To Refresh
- Have scheduled daily time off.
- Attend our Staff Development Day (a full day of re-grouping, re-charging, and being together after the third summer camp).
- Have a full day off between most camps.
- Have a two-day break three times in the summer to provide extra rest and a chance to be with other staff.
- Re-charge, re-group and party at our special “Midsummer Night” Staff Party.
- Optional: Attend local church services a few times (with transportation provided).
🔗 Solid Training And Support
- Learn new skills and obtain dynamic ministry experience.
- Attend Staff Training which will help prepare you to meet the challenge.
- Work alongside and learn from experienced camp staff.
- Have leadership staff who are watching out for your personal welfare.
- Enjoy the listening ear and encouragement of our Camp Grandma and Grandpa.
- Have our “Staff Concierge” assist you with everything from practical needs (supplies from town) to problem solving (booking your flight home).
🎗️ Wonderful Fellowship
- Make valuable friendships that may last a lifetime.
- Experience fellowship as part of daily staff meetings for worship, sharing and prayer.
- Go to special staff events between camps (DQ Raid? Wave pool & pizza party?) and attend the annual Summer Staff Retreat over New Year’s.
🛌 Room & Board
- Most summer-long non-counseling staff will stay in our Pacific Woods Lodge. This lodge features bathrooms in each bedroom, a large Staff Lounge with multiple email stations, a small library, staff concierge, storage space, meeting room, and more.
- Most summer-long counselors stay in one cabin for the summer, and all will have storage space in Pacific Woods Lodge.
- CIT’s will stay in our Sky Ridge Lodge accommodations and Step-Out’s will stay in Pacific Woods Lodge.
- Meal service is provided daily and includes three meals and an evening snack (mug-up).
⨦ Great Staff Extras
- Enjoy use of our Guest House waterfront property (lawns and covered deck) as a haven for prayer and rest. Also enjoy use of our well-equipped fitness centre.
- Have access to a staff fridge.
- Make use of our personal laundry service at a great rate.
- Have free transportation into the neighbouring city of Duncan at the end of most weeks in the summer.
- Get free stuff! A Qwanoes staff shirt, multiple-station email access, QID Lanyard, a book about serving at a Christian camp.
- Receive a staff discount at Beach Betty’s (for camp clothing and other souvenir items) and for camp equipment (example: mountain bikes).
We realize that it is often difficult for many to give up a summer to serve at camp due to financial needs. But if God wants you at Qwanoes, finances should not and will not stand in your way! Contact us to further discuss these and other options to help overcome your financial concerns.
Support Letter and Contribution From Qwanoes
This support option is available to all staff who commit to serve for the entire summer (from Staff Training on June 20 to August 30, 2025). All financially supported positions list the Support Goal which Qwanoes will try to help you raise and the amount that Qwanoes will contribute if needed to reach that goal (example: “Support Goal: $7400; Qwanoes contributes $3350 if needed”). Your Support Goal is the maximum amount you will receive from Qwanoes at the end of the summer (according to what was raised) and the Qwanoes Contribution is the minimum amount that you would receive. Of course, there is no guarantee that all funds will be raised, but this is where together we trust God for your needs.
First, you submit a list of names to Qwanoes of people to contact in raising the needed support funds (examples: friends, family, church members, and other supporters of the candidate and their ministry). Qwanoes will then write these people on your behalf, outlining your summer ministry and your financial need/goal. Qwanoes is also willing to work with your home church to inform them of the need and their summer ministry opportunity. In addition to what is raised, Qwanoes will provide as much of the listed Qwanoes Contribution as is needed to reach the goal. (Note: typically we are unable to raise support for international staff.)
Direct Church Support
Some of our supporting churches directly sponsor summer staff who are members of their church. Every applicant should discuss this possibility with their church. Qwanoes may also work with your home church regarding prayer support and possible financial support programs.
Deductions
Financial assistance from Qwanoes is subject to deductions such as CPP and EI. Staff may also choose to have expenses such as laundry service and their camp store account deducted from their support.
"Welcome Back" Thank You!
Every summer we are so thankful to have so many past staff return to join our staff team once again. As a way to express our appreciation for this dedicated service, we are excited to provide a financial gift in addition to other support you may receive. This will be provided to people who have previously served an entire summer at Qwanoes (or LIT Full), and who serve for the entire summer in 2025.
We believe in the power of prayer and feel it is vital to the success of our summer ministry. To this end, every summer we seek people to commit to pray for Qwanoes and staff members every day of the summer. Every staff member is required to find 7 people who will commit to pray daily or on a regular basis for Qwanoes during the summer. Last year over 1,000 people formally accepted this challenge. Experience the power of this prayer first‑hand!
Here is the link for people to join our summer prayer team!
Serve God this summer as a member of Quixotic, Qwanoes’ praise and worship team that leads campers and staff in daily Q-Towns, as well as in several concerts.
Quixotic is led by our Music Coordinator. Typically the band will consist of about 6 to 8 team members at a time who alternate playing together through the summer. Quixotic members will serve in a primary area of service (examples: counselor, activity leader, boat driver, activity/events or support staff, etc.) and also be part of the music team. Team members are usually selected during Staff Training.
To apply for Quixotic, please indicate the primary area of service you are applying for in the “Type of Service” section of the staff application. Also please check the appropriate box for “Quixotic”.
Summer Staff Training (June 20 to 26, 2025)
This is a vital time of preparation for the summer, where we can make both our hearts and minds more ready for a summer of service. Here is where we will begin to develop the unity of our staff team and a vision for what God will do through us. There will be instructional sessions providing training in areas such as first aid, water safety, abuse response, counseling, activity skills, and emergency procedures.
If you are coming for three or more weeks during the summer you must attend Staff Training. Also, Staff Training is open to anyone who will be serving at any time in the summer. Leaders-in-Training are also required to attend as much as possible, depending on their grad and exam schedule.
You will enjoy Q-Town each evening as our Quixotic music team leads us in worship, and you will be challenged and encouraged by a speaker who knows what you need to be ready for camp ministry.
🎤 Featured Speaker: Paul Park
Our featured speaker at Staff Training is Paul Park who is the Lead Pastor of South Delta Baptist Church in Tsawwassen, BC. Paul is passionate about building relationships and seeing lives transformed by Jesus. Paul loves camp ministry – he has spoken at Qwanoes family retreats and we look forward to welcoming him back!
Look forward to a memorable week of insight, humour, encouragement, and spiritual foundations for the summer.
🙌🏼 Special Staff Development Day
This year we are excited to provide a special full day between our second and third camps (July 19, 2025) for the purpose of building our staff team. This extension of Staff Training will provide a special opportunity for our staff team to re-group, re-charge, and to share and celebrate what God has started in our summer. It will also provide a chance for extra rest, lots of fun, and simply hanging out together. It is expected that all summer-long staff plus those serving Junior High #2 through Juniors #1 will attend.
Do you have children?
Please call or write if you are considering bringing children with you during your service at Qwanoes. Unfortunately, often our camps are so full that it makes it difficult to allow children to accompany staff. Yet, there are some opportunities for families to serve together at camp for some weeks.
Are you a married couple?
We welcome married couples to join our staff team, yet space is limited due to accommodations. Please contact us for more information.
