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Youth Staff
Entertainment Department
Profession Name: Youth Staff
Also known as: Youth Counselor, Camp Staff, Child Entertainment
Promoted position: Youth Director / Youth Manager
Average Wage: 1.900 USD
Receives tips? Yes
Average Working Hours: 70 hours per Week
Night-shift rotation? Yes
English proficiency needed: Advanced to Fluent
Being a Youth Staff on board is one of most diverse positions one can work, as it requires diverse skills that not always are easy to acquire. Also, as your primary role is to care about minors, it involves a lot of extra work learning policies and regulations. It is unfortunately one of the positions that most fire personnel from cruise ships as per hiring agencies. Also, cruise lines differ a lot from what is the job duties that may include face painting, sports activities, circus activities, video games in general, show presentations, active and passive activities, role playing and wearing costumes.
You’re also required to work during port hours as a lot of children either ask to be left on board or are left on board due to shore excursions exclusions. You also may be required to work night shifts as some cruise lines offer night activities so parents can enjoy the cruise.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
As part of the Entertainment team, the Youth Staff is a valuable position as it is in charge of all activities for children from 0 up to 14* years old. (* This age varies between cruise lines). Good communications skills is a MUST on this position as you”ll be dealing with toddlers, children, teenagers and parents on a daily basis. You can also expect to work with children disabilities including but not limited to ADHD, OCD and terminal cancer, as cruises are a popular destination for Make A Wish patients.
Youth personel are also required to work assisting other cruise activities that may include or not children as like gangway operations, dancing, trivia, quizzes and other related, as assigned by the Cruise Director, Entertainment Director or Youth Director.
All Youth staff are required to hold a Pediatric First Aid certification (40h), that must be acquired from Red Cross on all major companies but some allow other certification methods. This training is valid for two years and must be valid in order to embark and stay on board. The same applies for Teen Counselors and Youth Managers.
RECOMMENDED CERTIFICATIONS
*Preferably with a Degree of: Psychology, Education, Pediatrics.
*Preferably with the following Certifications: Nursery, Child Development, Advanced Pediatric First Aid (Red Cross equivalent, 360h)
(*) Although not really required, these will significantly improve the candidate’s chances of being hired or promoted on board. These are just recommendations.