• CampLeaders

CampLeaders

Overview

CampLeaders has a rating of 3.89 stars from 61 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with CampLeaders most frequently mention application process, customer service, and best summer. CampLeaders ranks 1st among Camping sites.

  • Service
    11
  • Value
    10
  • Shipping
    1
  • Returns
    1
  • Quality
    7

What reviewers want you to know

Positive highlights

  • I've ended up at the best camp and had the best summers of my life thanks to camp leaders.

Critical highlights

No critical highlights yet

How would you rate CampLeaders?
Top Positive Review

“Best summer ever”

Tibi G.
9/22/19

Thank you for my placement and smooth process. I wish I could return next year! Very helpful customer service.

Top Critical Review

“Little Support & no regard to safety, when things went wrong.”

Jay S.
7/28/22

I would like to say beware, do your homework, review camp staff reviews, prepare for the worst & hope for the best. Weight up your options. Is working long hours for 2mths & little pay, worth it? Then there is the risk of going to a bad camp, with staff that for some unconscious bias reason does not like you. USA employment laws are unfair & there are camps that exploit overseas kids. I'm writing this as a parent that had almost 2 weeks of HELL! I am not going to go into that. Many States do not need a reason & can fire people at will (Camp Leaders in US, conformed that). We needed to get our daughter back home asap. The camp let her go immediately, before we had organised anything. As soon as the camp knew she had to leave, they were not interested in why, it was pack up & go. No compassion or empathy. We contacted the Visa sponsor, they promised they would help with accomodation & flights home. That did not happen. With help from our travel agent (on the other side of the world) we got her home. What I do not like is the lack of follow up from Camp Leaders. There are good camps and bad camps. Do Camp Leaders vet the camps that use them? Do they ever hold camps accountable? If camps are exploiting overseas workers, Camp Leaders are allowing it to happen & that's what is damaging their brand. When I spoke to Camp Leaders US staff, I quickly realised there was lack of staff training. There was a lot of assuming, lack of understanding with poor questioning & communication skills. My advice, if you want to go to the States, just save and go for a holiday.

Reviews (61)

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

camp leaders (44)
Thumbnail of user tibig
1 review
0 helpful votes
September 22nd, 2019

Thank you for my placement and smooth process. I wish I could return next year! Very helpful customer service.

Thumbnail of user jays1364
1 review
0 helpful votes
July 28th, 2022

I would like to say beware, do your homework, review camp staff reviews, prepare for the worst & hope for the best. Weight up your options. Is working long hours for 2mths & little pay, worth it? Then there is the risk of going to a bad camp, with staff that for some unconscious bias reason does not like you.
USA employment laws are unfair & there are camps that exploit overseas kids. I'm writing this as a parent that had almost 2 weeks of HELL! I am not going to go into that. Many States do not need a reason & can fire people at will (Camp Leaders in US, conformed that). We needed to get our daughter back home asap. The camp let her go immediately, before we had organised anything. As soon as the camp knew she had to leave, they were not interested in why, it was pack up & go. No compassion or empathy. We contacted the Visa sponsor, they promised they would help with accomodation & flights home. That did not happen. With help from our travel agent (on the other side of the world) we got her home.
What I do not like is the lack of follow up from Camp Leaders. There are good camps and bad camps. Do Camp Leaders vet the camps that use them? Do they ever hold camps accountable? If camps are exploiting overseas workers, Camp Leaders are allowing it to happen & that's what is damaging their brand. When I spoke to Camp Leaders US staff, I quickly realised there was lack of staff training. There was a lot of assuming, lack of understanding with poor questioning & communication skills.
My advice, if you want to go to the States, just save and go for a holiday.

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Thumbnail of user pj52
1 review
11 helpful votes
September 13th, 2014

I feel like campleaders just only cares about the money during the application process. They only contact you if they want payment or they want you to make a video for the company. I assume the video which is to be uploaded on YouTube is for promotional reasons. They also take a % of your wages from working at the camp and make money from you. However the company does have an easy application process and support.

Thumbnail of user campl
Camp L. – CampLeaders Rep

Firstly we would like to make clear that we are incredibly passionate about our participants and sending them to summer camp. Our company was built on a passion for camp back in 1999 and to this day every member of our company has been, or still goes, to camp. We feel that to say that we only care about money is an unfair assessment of our intentions.

In regards to the videos, we don't ask for you to make a video for the company, but to make a video for your application for camp jobs - the vast majority of camp directors want to see a video of the participants before hiring them, so by not completing a video, your chances of getting a job decrease - that's why we ask you to make a video.

As far as money from your wages, we set up the costs of going to summer camp in a way that's achievable to the majority of people. We pay the upfront costs for the majority of your placement, with some input from you (which covers things like admin, customer service, visa forms etc.) then you work off the rest of the cost while at camp (which covers flights, insurance, placement costs etc.) This is all made clear in our literature and within your program agreement.

We’re glad to hear that you are positive about the application process and support - we work very hard to be the best we can be and provide a strong service and we appreciate your comments.

If you have anything else to add, we are more than happy to discuss with you, we are more than happy to discuss it with you, whether on here, through email (gurus@campleaders.com) or you could even call us on 0151 708 6868.

Thanks for your feedback,
James - Camp Leaders

Thumbnail of user kimberleyp2
1 review
3 helpful votes
January 24th, 2016
Verified purchase

The gap between being interviewed was a little long with no contact. My interviewer had said that he would be emailing me constantly and on my back all the time about my application but I didn't have any of that which was a shame. Other than that it's been excellent, any time I've phoned I've got an immediate helpful answer from someone friendly. The placement fair was very well organised and successful! So great!

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user kays274
1 review
0 helpful votes
September 4th, 2020

Appalling response to covid with - after a very long wait - a pathetic refund offer nowhere near the amount we paid them. Flights, medical etc etc paid for but not refunded. Who's pocket is it sitting in? Looks like we will never know becuase they have closed their phone line and have not responded to email query.
Don't use these people!

Thumbnail of user kerrid3
1 review
2 helpful votes
September 27th, 2016

I've just finished my second incredible summer working in America and I can't thank Camp Leasers enough for helping me get there and guiding me through the process. The customer service I received was excellent, the staff were super friendly and helpful and went out of their way to stay in contact with me throughout the journey and answer any questions I had. They made the daunting process of obtaining a visa and organising transport so easy, and given the amount of support I received, it was definitely great value for money and worth every penny.

Thumbnail of user sophieg11
1 review
1 helpful vote
January 25th, 2016
Verified purchase

From my experience with Camp Leaders they have been nothing but helpful and made me feel comfortable when it comes to questions or even when I had my interview! Also with my Camp Fair day they where full of energy and making sure everyone had the best chance possible. I feel this the most as they persuaded me too stay and try and now I am off to New York for the Summer thanks to them!

Thumbnail of user emilyi4
1 review
1 helpful vote
September 27th, 2016

I applied late in 2015 after a rash decision and I could not fault Camp Leaders! They supported me right through my application and helped to make sure I completed everything on time. I had an amazing time and have just returned from my second summer working and travelling in the States. Couldn't recommend this experience to anyone more, wish I could go back to camp every summer! :)

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user imoc1
1 review
4 helpful votes
January 24th, 2016
Verified purchase

I'll be returning to camp this summer for my 3rd time! If Camp Leaders didn't take the time out to explain the programme in full to me on the phone then I would of never gone to camp! I felt like they would answer any question I had and would do it with a smile, they have such detailed step by step instructions through the whole visa process and made the whole visa day a smooth process! I shout about Camp Leaders everywhere I go! Thanks guys! You're awesome!

Thumbnail of user yasminc1
1 review
1 helpful vote
September 27th, 2016

In Summer 2016, I was successful in hired by Camp Nock-a-Mixon (a summer camp in Philadelphia) and it was all down to Camo Leaders. From the start of my application, right to the end, they were there to give friendly help and guidance. I never once felt alone whilst applying for my summer role, with Camp Leaders helping hand, I feel like I reached my true potential- and was able to experience my best summer (yet) as a result!

Thumbnail of user annal1267
1 review
0 helpful votes
September 12th, 2022

Не совершайте моих ошибок, не связывайтесь с этими мошенниками. Неухоженная территория, плохая инфраструктура (отсутствие горячей воды, засоры в туалетах), совковое отношение. Руководство не идет на контакт и избегает нас чтоб не возвращать деньги. Анна

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user dawna183
1 review
2 helpful votes
July 13th, 2020

PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY
I am writing on behalf of my daughter who was going to Camp America this summer due to Covid 19 it was cancelled which I completely understand however they have kept her money it is disgusting and have had no correspondence they are thieves

Thumbnail of user maevew
1 review
3 helpful votes
September 28th, 2016

Thanks to Camp Leaders I had a fantastic summer this year at camp. From when I started my application all the staff were so helpful and informative which helped the application process go smoothly. The office were always friendly and happy to help anytime I phoned no matter what my questions were. Applying through Camp Leaders helped me to get placed at a camp that provided me with a great experience and allowed me to get the job I wanted to do. I would highly recommend for anyone to apply through camp leaders.

Thumbnail of user leighannr1
1 review
4 helpful votes
October 5th, 2018

My 18 year old signed up with camp leaders, I wasn't sure she was mature enough, but thought if she does it all herself then it's ok.
I read all the information, at loads of stages it states, if you haven't completed this by this date you will be removed. She hadn't completed a lot of the information and at no stage did they warn her or remove her.
Infact they even went as far as booking her flights when she hadn't even applied for a visa.
We contacted them within the timescale on the website to withdraw, but were told she'd still have to pay for flights, I find it hard to believe they don't book flexible flights.
I wonder how many more young kids they rip off for hundreds of pounds...

Thumbnail of user danielh145
1 review
0 helpful votes
November 15th, 2016

Thanks to these guys I spent a great summer working out in America. I was teaching children how to sail which was both enjoyable and rewarding. I would recommend this experience to everyone as it really has taught me many things.

Thumbnail of user rachaelm23
1 review
6 helpful votes
August 24th, 2016

I went through Camp Leaders a few years ago and could not have been happier with the service they provided. The application process was very clear and straightforward and I could contact Camp Leaders so easily if I had any queries. I was placed at one of the job fairs and had a wonderful summer. Would definitely recommend!

Thumbnail of user maxj11
1 review
5 helpful votes
January 26th, 2015

Signing up for my 3rd summer returning to camp. The CampLeaders program is great. With a great office staff that were always happy to help with my massive amount of questions and queries about the costs, visa information, and anything else that I asked. I've never questions the costs, the program is amazing value for money. Flights included, AMAZING. They made my summer camp experience simple and hassle free. Would HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND this program to everyone. (top LADs)

Thumbnail of user rebeccah117
1 review
6 helpful votes
September 22nd, 2017

I applied for Camp Leaders as soon as the applications opened in June of this year. I have had an interview, passed, spent several hours completing all my details and have now just been rang to be told, point blank, that my date of departure is too late. I wouldnt mind if they would have told me that in JUNE when they rang me to confirm my dates but I was told they were fine. I have had to inconvenience people to get my references and Im not even being paid the full deposit amount back even though it is completely their fault. Ive had to have an interview as well, I do not understand how it has taken them until September the 22nd to ring me and tell me this. 3 months after I first applied. I am thoroughly disappointed and very angry with the service I received and the fact that their error is resulting in some of my hard earned money not being returned. DO NOT USE THEM even if your dates are fine. If they do this to me, who knows what other tricks they will pull.

Thumbnail of user lilibetd
1 review
0 helpful votes
September 27th, 2016

After using camp leaders last year, I cannot say a bad word about it! The staff are absolutely wonderful and make a very complicated process seem simple. If I ever had any problems I could always get through to a member of staff and the issue would be rectified straight away. I could not recommend camp leaders more!

Thumbnail of user nicolef22
1 review
3 helpful votes
May 14th, 2015

I've been to camp through Camp Leaders for 3 years and they have been a fantastic organization to work with. The staff are always friendly and helpful and have answered all the questions I had. The fees are affordable and they organize all the important stuff like visa paperwork. Their application is simple and the interview was very relaxed. I would strongly recommend this company to anyone who is thinking of going to camp.

Thumbnail of user markw242
1 review
4 helpful votes
August 30th, 2016

Had the best summer, meeting and working with people from all over the world. Traveling after was so fun. Nothing better the Lifeguarding in the sun. Can't wait to go back and see all my friends!

Thumbnail of user nickk56
1 review
14 helpful votes
August 23rd, 2016

I'm afraid to say that Camp Leaders, though a useful mechanism for applying to summer camp, is essentially a way to siphon off a huge amount of money from young people wanting to work at summer camp. They take several hundred pounds in fees from you at the beginning, largely simply for so-called 'admin costs' (i. E. to supply themselves with salaries). Once I arrived at my camp in the US I found out when talking to American counselors that my paycheck was half of what they were earning - why? Camp Leaders. About $1,700 was. This was not something that had been made clear upfront to us; in fact, at the preparation day in London we were told to go to, they discussed the fees, and they claimed that it was 'camp' that paid this sum, not you. What they happily omit to say is that camp is paying this money out of your own paycheck, so in fact it is you paying this money.

This is utterly ridiculous. The fees to work at camp in the United States are not that high; it is simply a job, and under no other circumstances would you spend that sort of money (for me £450 fees plus $1700, i. E. about £1750) to go and work! The main services they provide are the following: sending off your application to camps; booking your flights; providing health insurance; sponsoring your visa.

The first of these seems very useful when applying, because you only have to fill out one form for Camp Leaders detailing the areas you would like to work, and they send out lots and lots of applications, almost guaranteeing you a job. However, your chances of working at summer camp are very high if you simply apply straight to camps; of course, you have to fill out a separate application per camp, but for the amount of extra money you will make not having to give it to Camp Leaders, it is well worth the extra effort. Camps need a lot of people, and especially if you have some experience working with children or skills (however basic) in outdoor activities finding somewhere to work should not be too hard.

Secondly, booking your flights; quite simply, this you can easily do yourself, and not something you need to have an external company do for you.

Thirdly, providing health insurance; again, basic health insurance coverage is not too difficult to purchase.

Finally, they sponsor your visa. This is something that often seems very attractive for Brits coming to camp; there are two points to make on this. First of all, I was personally very irritated at Camp Leaders because I have a US passport, so I did not need a visa, something Camp Leaders knew. As a result, the proportion of my fees that were spent on this aspect were simply me giving money to the company for nothing in return. However, if you do require a visa there are many other organisations (google 'designated sponsors j-1 visa' for the government-approved list) that will sponsor it for you. These will of course require some fees, but you will still be paying far less than you would if you operated through Camp Leaders.

Overall, therefore, the company is an utter scam. Their business model is simply to exploit young people's desire to work at camp by performing tasks for them that they could do themselves, as detailed above, and then taking an enormous chunk of their paycheck when they are working the US. They will get few repeat customers (all the other British counselors I know who used them will never use them again), but they know that they will get enough new customers every year that it does not matter. This is straight-up exploitative and very unfair.

Two further things to add; first of all, I do not mean to be disparaging on the individuals you interact with at Camp Leaders; those I talked to were all very friendly, helpful, and kind people to work with. As far as my experience went, the system was operated smoothly and efficiently. The second thing to add, is that I cannot recommend working at summer camp enough; it was an incredibly fun experience, you meet a wonderful group of people, and working with children in an environment like that was enormously fun. I very much urge anyone thinking about it to go and do it, it was a very special experience. I simply think that using Camp Leaders is an awful idea because of the hidden costs; I was lucky in that my camp paid fairly well, so I still managed to come home with money. I know other people who went through Camp Leaders and who worked at different camps who earned maybe $800 (£600 or so), which means they essentially break even when you take into account the fees they gave Camp Leaders at the beginning.

I would therefore urge anyone considering Camp Leaders to think very hard about it; the benefits you receive from Camp Leaders are all things that you can do yourself, and which may take a little more effort and time from you, but overall will mean you earn far more when you are in the US.

Thumbnail of user campl
Camp L. – CampLeaders Rep

Hi David, thank you for reaching out to us, we appreciate your feedback.

First of all we’re very glad that you had a great experience working at a summer camp in America and would recommend the experience to others. We’re also glad our process worked smoothly & efficiently for you and that our staff were helpful for you.

We are disappointed however that you would describe our company as an utter scam when you’ve highlighted that you had a successful summer camp placement through Camp Leaders, complimented our customer service and had a great summer in America.

The first and most important thing to note is that the summer camp J1 program is a cultural exchange program, not a program that is there to make money. We make this as clear as possible. If you are looking to earn good money whilst you travel, camp is not for you. If you are looking for an outstanding experience with lots of support with great people, with a bit of pocket money, camp is for you.

In response to your payment issue

To make the program accessible to all we have set up the fee structure in such a way that the participant only has to pay a portion of the fees in advance of their departure to America. The rest of the fees are then covered by the camp at which the participant will work for the summer. The camp pays an agency fee to Camp Leaders when the participant completes the full contract. So in essence, the participant is 'working off' the fees which have been paid on their behalf by the camp.

When you get placed you get a contract from camp outlining what your pocket money is. You get 100% of that pocket money. This will be the contract that you signed before you left for camp. Any participant can call us to walk through the contract before they sign it.

The placement fee that camp pays depends upon where in the US they are based, the age and experience of the participant, what they will be doing at camp etc. It is not fixed. This cost is outlined to the camps, as they pay it. It is usually referenced in the contract you sign with camp too.

This is all outlined in the program agreement you sign before joining the program and the fee disclosure section of your profile. It also highlighted multiple times by our customer service team throughout the process and at the preparation day you attended.

The pricing page on the front end of the site gives you an idea of the amount of pocket money you can could get for the summer; http://www.campleaders.com/gb/summer-camps/pricing/

This practice is standard with all of the agencies who work with camps, allowing more people to head to camp by lowering the upfront fees.

In response to apply directly to camps

Yes, you can apply directly to a summer camp without using an agency. However by building your online application with Camp Leaders you are adding your skills, strengths, experiences & personality to our online database which can be seen by all the American Camp Directors we work with. We work with 500+ ACA accredited camps which means you’re chancing of getting a placement are much higher. We also try tailor to your needs as much as possible so we can place you with a summer camp that is the best possible fit for you. Our customer service team are all in constant contact with directors and each team have all personally been to summer camp so can help you build your online application to look its best.

Of course you need to get your visa which you can not do directly yourself as the US Government needs a recognized body to carry out checks on both the camp and the participant, things like collecting and checking references and ensuring the camp has appropriate insurance.

In response to flights

The Camp Leaders program offers every participant that applies the option for us to book their flights or not. Therefore you can book your own flights if you wish. However 85% of our first time participants choose to let Camp Leaders book their flight due to the added advantages and cost-effective price.

Our flights team will then arrange and book your flights but also organise your onward travel to camp and be there to help you with any flight changes or problems that may arise with airlines.

In response to insurance

The Department of State insists that every participant has insurance. To fulfill this obligation we provide insurance as a part of your package.

During your preparation day we walk you through the insurance so if anything does happen to you in America you have the necessary basic coverage required. The American system works differently to the U. K. and we aim to make the differences as clear as possible for participants.

In response to Visa

You can contact any of the other visa sponsors and join their programs. Each has it’s own merits.

We believe in the in country support that we give ensuring that people are ready for camp. All of the agencies work on the same cost model for first time placements. In some cases you might be able to pay less, but in that case you would get less support, for example not having a local office to get you ready, not having a face to face interview and so on.

The program includes a lot more than listed above. This includes the 24/7 support in the US, camp visits in the summer checking in with participants, the support offered at the embassy on busy visa days, the fairs we have where we bring America camp directors over from the US to meet participants and much more. We believe the program offers great value for money and an outstanding experience.

Thanks again for your feedback, if you wish to discuss this further then give our team a call on 0151 708 6868

Kind Regards,

Liam - The Camp Leaders Team

Thumbnail of user ep429
1 review
6 helpful votes
August 24th, 2016

When I applied to Camp Leaders, I was expecting the best summer ever. The reality is that not only I missed different lots of other opportunities, but also money, time and tons of phone calls.
Even though I was told that about 99% percent get placed, I was one of those 1%. Personally, I think there are more that 1% in my situation each year.
I think that if someone wants to do this during summer, they should directly contact camps, as the chances of getting a job would be higher.
Moreover, if you do so, you won't have to pay ahead a big amount of money and not even have a job secured.

Thumbnail of user campl
Camp L. – CampLeaders Rep

Thank you for reaching out to us. We appreciate your feedback.

You might already be aware of this but we do not own any summer camps in America, and we can not guarantee placement. In an ideal world we would love to place everyone that applies to our program but for a very small percentage of our participants this does not happen. Our dedicated customer service team reach out to our entire database regularly and are in constant contact with the camps we work with to try secure everyone a placement.

When you build your online application with Camp Leaders it can be seen by over 500+ ACA accredited camp directors on our database with the aim to save you the time and energy from applying individually to multiple summer camps. Our entire process is also designed to help match a participant to a camp that is best suited for them, make the visa paperwork and sponsor process easily understandable and attainable, book all participants flights and travel whilst get them prepared and ready for an entire summer in America at a cost effective price.

We value your opinion and we’re sorry that you didn’t achieve a placement with us, but at any point please feel free to call us (0151 708 6868) if you wish to discuss any of this further.

Kind Regards,

Liam - The Camp Leaders Team

Thumbnail of user emilym103
1 review
1 helpful vote
September 28th, 2016

If you are thinking of applying for this programme, all I can say is just do it. Take the leap of faith and apply! I did just that last year and I have just returned from what I can describe only as being the best summer of my life. It all sounds cheesy, but it's true. Camp opened up my eyes and I have came home a better person. I'm hoping I get the chance to do it all over again in 2017. Camp Leaders is an amazing company to go with, they help you with every step of the journey. Anytime I needed help with the application process, it was nice knowing that Camp Leaders were only a phonecall, email or tweet away. Every member of staff goes out of there way to help and they make the full process easy peasy.

Service
Value
Thumbnail of user charlotter16
1 review
3 helpful votes
October 4th, 2016

I spontaneously signed up to go to camp after years of wanting to go and definitely made the right choice going through Camp Leaders. They helped me every step of the way, answering endless silly questions, kept me up to date with what I needed to do to showcase myself in the best possible way, greeted me at my embassy appointment and made sure that I was completely ready for camp. I have since had 2 of the best summers of my life at a camp for underprivileged children. I urge anyone who thinks this is what they want to do, to go through camp leaders and have THE best summer youll ever have!

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Think of Camp Leaders as a super hero factory. You? ۪ll tell us what makes you great and we'll match you up with an awesome camp in America. We can help you sort out your application, your visa, even your flights. Basically, we? ۪ll take the best care of y...

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Thumbnail of user campl
Camp L.

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3.9
61 reviews
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