Orkila Summer Staff Info!

This page is meant for staff who are working at Camp Orkila for the 2025 Summer Season.

If you are interested in learning more about our Fall & Spring Programs, you can find more info here.

Welcome!! 

Employment Eligibility Reminders

Background Check:
All staff must pass a pre-employment background check performed by the YMCA of Greater Seattle

Drug Test:
For specific positions, which will be operating Y vehicles, we do pre-employment drug testing.

We also have the ability to do suspicion of use testing, if you showed signs of being impaired at work, we could test you based on suspicion, if you did not pass that test you would be fired.

We are testing for both legal and illegal substances.

Staff & Camper Schedules

Staff Schedule & Time Off

For most positions, staff work a 6-day work week with one 24-hour period off during the week (scheduled with your supervisor). Throughout each day we aim for staff to get at least 2-hours off. For all other times, including overnight you are expected to be doing your job or being with campers.

If you are working a multi-week program your day off schedule might look different. For teen trips this may mean working all days in the expedition and having multiple days off in between programs.

Some support staff positions work a shift schedule.

All staff schedules may vary depending on camper enrollment, business needs, your position, and your dates of availability. This means, there may be weeks that staff are taking additional days off in the week or not working for the duration of the week. If you are a staff member that is contracted to working all 9 camper sessions, you can expect to have 1 to 2 sessions in which you will be taking additional days off or not working for the week. Staff working fewer than 9 camper sessions, may also have weeks without work.

All staff will go through training before working with youth in our programs.

While on your day off or time off housing and meals will still be provided but you are free to leave camp if you want.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

In addition to the typical 1 day off per week, all staff will also have access to rapidly accruing Paid Time Off. PTO can be used as a sick day, or an additional day off in the week like a vacation or holiday. PTO must be requested and approved. We do everything we can to approve PTO requests but are not always able to.

Walking onto the Ferry
If you are getting dropped off at the ferry landing in Anacortes or arriving via the Airporter Shuttle, then you can walk onto the ferry, and we will pick you up once you arrive at Orcas Island. Look for a Y vehicle or bus as you walk off the ferry.

• We can only guarantee transportation for the 3:45pm and 6:45pm ferry departing Anacortes the day before training starts. If you must arrive on a different boat, we may be able to pick you up if you contact us in advance.

• We encourage carpooling and connecting with other staff to both save money and make friends!

• There is the Orcas Island Taxi in case a ride is unavailable.

• To walk on to the ferry, you will need to buy a ticket when you arrive at the ferry landing but reservations are not available for walk on passengers.

• It is also possible to bike onto the ferry. Please let us know in advance if you are bringing a bike.

• The ferry may stop at more than one island. Be sure to take the correct ferry and do not disembark on the wrong island.

Flying to Eastsound
The Eastsound airport is just down the road from Camp Orkila. 

• Kenmore Air charters flights there on small planes, or sea planes. It costs more, but it's a lot faster (40 minutes from Seattle!) and offers beautiful views.

• If you choose to fly, we may be able to provide a ride from the airport to camp if you coordinate in advance.

Living at camp

Housing

Most staff live in cabins with approximately 10 campers and 2-3 staff members. Only a few cabins have electricity, but all restrooms have electricity. All staff will move during staff training, and you should expect to move throughout the summer. International Support Staff and some leadership positions may live in staff housing.

Below is an example of what a cabin might look like.

Bathrooms

Most bathrooms at camp are set up as either a communal bath/shower house or as single-occupancy bathrooms. Bathrooms have electricity, hot water, and outlets for hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, etc. Most bathrooms are used by both campers and staff, and there are a few bathrooms at camp that are staff only. In addition to bathrooms, there are outhouses in some areas of camp and on other islands you may visit on overnight trips.

Food

Three meals will be available for every day you are at camp even if you are on your day off. We also have snack available throughout the day. Coffee is typically served until mid-afternoon, and tea and hot water are available at all times.

We are able to accommodate most dietary restrictions and have a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free alternative available at every meal. If you have a more specific dietary restriction or allergy, please reach out and we will do our best to accommodate you. There is a specific area for people with dietary restrictions to store additional food they may need to supplement what is served from the camp kitchen.

All staff may store small amounts of food in the staff lounge, and sealed, non-refrigerated items in cabins. We share our environment with small animals, so it is important that all food is sealed. Eastsound has grocery stores and restaurants as well.

Please note that we do not serve any peanuts or tree-nuts in the camp kitchen, and we ask that staff and campers do not bring peanuts or tree-nuts or products onto camp property.

Technology

We aim to provide campers with a low technology experience at camp. Campers are not allowed to have technology at camp. We aim for campers not to see any cellphones, laptops, or other electronics while at camp.

There may be times when you need to use your phone for work purposes, and we require staff to be discrete. This may include playing music or other programming with campers.

Phones should not be your only way to keep time or set alarms at camp and we recommend all staff have a watch or other timekeeper.

Wi-Fi is available in most places around camp. You may have times when you connect to Canada’s cellphone network, so we recommend contacting your cell phone provider to let them know to avoid roaming charges.

There are limited lockable locations around camp and limited charging places as well. The Larry Norman Lodge, the staff lounge (Great Blue Heron), and the camp store have outlets available. Our staff lounge has a TV and Wi-Fi.

What to bring to camp

During staff training and in between camp sessions, we will stay in a few different cabins. With one of camp's luggage carts, we should be able to carry our belongings from Point A to Point B. Try to balance packing light with being prepared and comfortable. Keep in mind that you may be jumping in the cold ocean and rolling around in mud pits, and you can sweat in the sun and then walk into the shade and feel cold. Nights also get chilly, especially toward the end of the summer.

Laundry services and clothes detergent are provided for all staff.

*Label belongings with your name, especially electronics and other valuable items. Due to the number of things lost every summer, we cannot stress this enough!

Bedding
Bring whatever you would like to sleep in all summer. This could be a sleeping bag. It could be your down comforter from home. Maybe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sheets. Maybe you put sheets on your twin sized mattress AND use a sleeping bag. It's really up to you! Keep in mind that sand and dirt are easily tracked into our cabins.

Most groups at camp do an overnight trip on a different island or in our Enchanted Forest. We recommend a sleeping bag and sleeping pad for these overnights.

If you are a J-1 staff member, bedding and towels are provided.

We strive to make Camp a completely safe place. However, with so many people coming through, we encourage everyone to be conservative in what they bring to camp, particularly when it comes to electronics and anything valuable. Please label all items and avoid leaving things in public spaces.