2010 Summer Dates for Staff

Staff are hired for either five or seven weeks. A staff person’s beginning and ending dates vary, depending on the position and sessions hired for, and whether the applicant has previous experience at the Global Youth Village.

• Staff Training:  June 16  or 17 – 26 (All staff new to the GYV experience are required to be here for staff training.)
• Sessions 1 & 2, Peace Building Program:  June 27 – July 21
• Intersession; Preparing for Session 3:  July 22 – 23
• Session 3, Global Living Program Welcoming Indonesian Teens:  July 24 – August 3
• Staff Wrap-up:  August 4 – 6 (Staff depart on August 6.)

How to Apply for a GYV Staff Position

Every summer, Legacy recruits between 25-30 staff members to deliver our life-changing summer programs. The success of these programs is due, in large part, to a carefully selected, dedicated staff team.

We attract a diverse group of highly enthusiastic, idealistic, practical and committed adults who want to make a difference in the world.  We look at the combination of skills and how the team is constructed in order to offer a wide array of activities ranging from skill building workshops, to fun and challenging recreational activities, to cabin life and engaging all campus programs. It really does take a village.

Before applying:

1. Review all aspects of the GYV web site.  Familiarize yourself with the  program goals and activities offered to the young people.
2. Review the employment section in full, including the work environment and positions.
3. Complete an application and send it in.  Most of our applications are received between January and March. We like to make final selections by the end of April when possible.

If you have questions along the way email Leila Baz

Salary & Benefits for Seasonal Summer Staff

All summer positions include room and board within GYV’s camp setting, medical and accident insurance (subject to specific limitations), and weekly laundry service.

For all staff (except volunteers), a modest stipend is negotiated, ranging between $225 – $325 / week (pre-taxes).  Salary is discussed during the interview process, and varies depending on the position and level of experience. (Staff are responsible for transportation costs to and from the Bedford region. Legacy provides transport to camp from local airports, bus and train stations.)

The training and skill development provided also attracts many volunteers. Professional educators may find this training as a means to fulfill continuing education requirements. Many university students have been able to earn academic credit for their work at the Village.

Earning Academic Credit While Working at GYV

Many staff have earned graduate or undergraduate credit from their colleges or universities for work at the Global Youth Village.

If you would like to receive credit, Legacy’s administrative staff will work with you and your academic advisor to design and monitor a learning program.

Staff interested in pursuing credit are responsible for making arrangements with their institution, and for paying any additional tuition.

If selected for an interview and you wish to pursue earning acamedic credit, please be sure to mention this during our conversation with you.

Legacy’s Curriculums Emphasize Practical Application

Founded 1979, the Global Youth Village has been our laboratory for designing and testing curriculum which have later been utilized in Legacy projects around the globe. Legacy has completed projects with partners on five continents; worked with non-profit, government, and civic leaders; and with youths from more than 110 nations.

Legacy works effectively with multi-cultural groups, working groups of professionals from various sectors, and people from areas of inter-ethnic and inter-religious turmoil.  We have in-depth experience with Israelis, Palestinians, and other Middle Easterners; Northern Irish Protestants and Catholics;  Lebanese Christians and Muslims;  representatives from various Nigerian tribes; as well as people displaced from ancestral homes-Cambodians, Vietnamese, Indian and Pakistani Muslims and Hindus;  and Croats, Muslims and Serbs from Bosnia-Herzegovina.  This breadth of experience has given us a strong understanding of socio/cultural/religious differences, and the ability to adapt program models to various cultural contexts.

Two specific curriculums developed and continously refined at GYV are:

Training of Trainers for Inter-Ethnic and Inter-Religious Tolerance – This project was created at GYV and then adapted in 2003 to benefit the multi-ethnic, multi-religious Perm Oblast in Russia. Legacy’s training technologies, developed over a quarter-century of programming, were compiled into a written curriculum. They were then adapted to a Russian cultural context and translated into Russian. A “Training of Trainers” program equipped 28 youth-serving professionals to use the curriculum with teens in various settings (classroom, youth development programs, weekend seminars).  More than 100 teens were involved in the first year of activities. A parallel public relations campaign on inter-ethnic tolerance reached the broader community through the training of media specialists.

Leadership Development Initiative(LDI) — methods used at GYV during the Action Teams and all campus activities were utlized to create LDI. This school-based program serves both rising youth leaders, the teachers who support them, school administrators and community. Legacy collaborated with the Center for Educational Programs to create LDI, initially serving private schools affiliated with the Archdiocese of New York City, and later serving public schools. The resulting program comprises teacher training activities, student leadership projects, and institutional capacity-building for principals and development staff. More than 50 schools witnessed measurable results: reduced school budget deficits; student-organized projects that re-opened libraries, started after-school programs, and revitalized school spirit. Legacy’s two-volume curriculum supports the program.

Summer Staff Dress the Part!

Global Youth Village summer staff are the foundation of the program.  Each year, the GYV staff team includes a diverse group of qualified individuals representing a broad range of professions.

Whether a recent graduate, professional youth trainer or university professor, all staff have extensive community involvement experience.

Most are seasoned international travelers with multiple language skills.

We hire professionals who demonstrate a strong commitment to safety, have worked with teenagers, have cross-cultural communication skills, international experience, and knowledge of global issues, dialogue and peace building.

The average age range is 22-27 years of age. Workshop instructors, meal managers, health staff, and program coordinators are often older.

Legacy seeks individuals with a balance of hard and soft skills.  Clearly, staff must be competent and comfortable in working with teens.  They must also possess qualities of empathy, a sense of humor, quick thinking, flexibility, and creativity.  The staff team as a whole demonstrates many different leadership styles. These traits ensure many teachable moments and a summer that is memorable and fun.

The participant/staff ratio is 3:1.  We receive over 700 inquiries a year for staff positions and over 100 applications. Through an extensive application and interview process, 25-30 staff are selected each summer. Reference checks and background checks are part of our screening process.

Each summer, 25-50% of the seasonal staff are people who have worked here before.  We also have a handful of young adults who were participants at GYV, returning for first time as staff to “give back”.   These staff play an essential role in establishing and conveying the core values and spirit of community cooperation that make the GYV expereince so compelling.

For employment info and applications

International staff employment