Hi there! Are you interested in being a Guest Camp Counselor?
Fill out our Call for Proposals below and we will be in touch.

Okay, I'm in. What do you need me to do?

Thank you so much! We are trying to keep this as much like a summer camp as possible, so think back to your times as a kid if you got the chance to go to camp. We will have counselors host activity sessions in the afternoon and evening that campers can sign up for and hop in and out of. Activity sessions are broken up into three breakout rooms, occurring at the same time, every thirty minutes via ZOOM, and new for 2021, on TOPIA! We will also have "Clubhouse" events (on zoom, our main room is called the Clubhouse). Examples of these are meals together where we chat over conversation cards, a theme night where we dress up and do silly activities all in the same space, late night sessions where we roast e-marshmallows and tell stories around the virtual campfire, movie nights streamed to make silly comments, and of course, the glow dance party. We need you to help with these large events, or to help lead/teach a workshop/session at Camp Yampire.
 

*Also, if you haven't done so already, please like the Camp Yampire facebook page, Instagram, Youtube and twitter.
*If you feel comfortable doing so, please post to your stories and feeds to promote. 

 

What is the time commitment for Camp Yampire?

Camp runs from 1PM-midnight EDT on Saturday, and 1PM to 10PM EDT on Sunday. Certain sessions have a special Friday evening experience, with fun from 6-11pm EDT, or a Monday holiday bonus day, that will run from 1pm-5pm EDT. If you would like to host an activity for an hour (or two 30min slots, or even just one 30min session) during these dates, we would appreciate it! If you would like to help out with "Clubhouse" larger events that don't put you in the spotlight as much (community meals, campfire and marshmallows, theme night, glow dance party), that would be equally as awesome. The minimum we ask is one hour of your time during the weekend, but if you can only do 30min, that's okay too. You can also expect an additional 5-15min requested before each session to get things set up, check your sound and video, etc. The one hour would consist of your activity session. If your activity won't take an hour, we can also break the time commitment into two 30min sessions, so campers have two chances to make your session. We also have a mandatory Orientation session that new and returning GCC's must attend - they occur the Sun & Thurs before a camp weekend, and you can choose what date works for you. So 1hr of your activity + 1 hr orientation + 30min for setup = 2.5hrs of time.

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When do you need a "hard confirm" from me by?

Please fill out our Call for Proposals at least 14 days before the first day of Camp Yampire begins. Yam is an events pro, but still needs time to get all the working pieces together, so please do not hesitate if you would like to join us for a camp weekend! We will need time to secure your time slot, make sure you are ready and comfortable to stream, send out marketing, create media, & finalize details. If you have a last minute confirm, we will do our best to fit you in, but you might have to wait to be a counselor at the next session if you miss the deadline. Here is a call for proposals to fill out, please fill it out with as much info as you have, we can help with the rest.

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What sort of sessions/workshops are you looking for?

As long as it is fun, kind, inclusive, spreading joy, and able to be streamed, we want to include it at Camp Yampire. Do you want to host a bingo game from your apartment? Remote Cards Against Humanity? Host a streaming of a Jackbox Games party pack? Teach people to sew face masks? Perform a DJ set? Host a painting party? Bake cookies? Lead a yoga or group meditation? Play an epic tournament of TicTacToe? Talk about your favorite memes on the internet right now? Online karaoke? The possibilities are only limited by your creativity. The breakout rooms are aften labeled "Learn," "Move," "Play," "Create," & "Jam," so be thinking of an activity that can fit under one of those umbrellas - reach out if you need help forming your workshop/session.

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What's this about getting paid?

Yes! While Camp Yampire is free, we will absolutely be showing your "promo card" throughout camp weekend in an effort to support those who have given their time and talent for free. Once you confirm your participation, we will be reaching out to you for your Paypal, Cashapp, or Venmo info, and help you set it up if you need it. We will create a custom promo card for you with your donate info, social media accounts if you wish, and your photo. At the end of your activity session, you can share your screen with the promo card, or even have it as a virtual background. Don't feel guilty for having a personal donate option, either - people want to help right now, especially those who still have employment. Not sure what to say at the end of your session? We can help with that, too. We have capped the attendance at 500 guests (with 100 allowed in each session), so if everyone sent $2.50 to your venmo (enough for a cup of coffee to say thank you) it will add up, especially the more sessions you lead. 

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I'm okay, money-wise. Can I donate to a charity instead?

You are the absolute best for wanting to do this! Just note this in your Call for Proposals and we will make it happen. We do have some limits to what charities we would like Camp Yampire to be affiliated with, so do reach out for more info as to what is and isn't allowed. If you're looking for a default, we suggest the Red Cross, City Harvest,  United Way, & Bowery Mission. 

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How many activity blocks can I sign up to teach/lead?

As many as you feel comfortable with, but we recommend starting with one workshop/session, and adding on more in future sessions. Everyone has a lot going on and you are being a wonderful soul by volunteering your time and talent - please don't overwhelm yourself!

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I'm nervous - I've never done something like this before...

Camp Yampire campers and counselors practice radical kindness and inclusion. The campers in your sessions will be kind, appreciate, and fun new friends! We can walk you step by step through the process if you're nervous, help you form and develop your streaming session, and help you practice as much as your need til the worries melt away. You can either choose to have your participants in your session share their cameras (mics will be switched to off by default), or you can can keep sessions to camper comments only if you don't feel like heavy face-to-face interaction.

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How can I ensure people come to my workshop/session?

We will do out best to invite the "strangers" via many media outlets, but we advise every Guest Camp Counselor to bring your own encouragement crew - invite friends and family to cheer you on, then tell them they are more than welcome to stay for more events before or after your session if they would like to! We have put together a "Hype Guide" with some helpful tips to get buzz going around your workshop/session.

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What is the Zoom structure at Camp Yampire?

Check out this page on our site - it should help explain things a bit better.

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What are breakout rooms on Zoom?

These are the rooms that our Guest Camp Counselors conduct their sessions/workshops in. You've probably used them for work, but they can also be used for fun! We will be moving campers in and out of these rooms constantly, so it can feel like a fluid festival.

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What is a sample structure of a breakout room activity session?

Once you know what you want to do, you can start to form the outline for your activity slot(s). Here is an idea of the four types of sessions you could have. There are more types of session styles too, so feel free to do what feels best for you.

Performance- based: Ex: I am playing my ukulele for an hour.
Instructional: Ex: I am doing watercolors. Campers who join will know this beforehand and can either just watch, or paint with me.
Sharing and info: Ex: I am talking about the best ways to keep the peace in a packed household.
Interactive: Ex: I am asking the audience to answer questions in the chat, only using emojis. Or just drinking and talking!

Sample Performance Based Stream Outline
12:00pm: Wait for stragglers, or start now!
12:05pm: Introduce yourself and announce what you'll be doing - don't forget to share your promo card!
12:07-12:27: First ukulele set, talking a bit about each song
12:27-12:37: Questions and answers from campers (or take requests at this time!)
12:37-12:57: Second ukulele set
12:57-1:00pm: Final comments, promo card with social media and donation link is shared
 

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I don't know how to use Zoom!

No worries! Please note this in your Call for Proposals and we will set up a training session with you or for you with Zoom staff.

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Will I be able to practice my session before the actual event?

We would appreciate that! We will touch base so you can practice and get feedback and/or brainstorm ideas as much as you need. We will also ask out GCC's to demo their workshop/session/performance (3-5min is fine) at their GCC Orientation date so Yam, Pie, & your fellow GCC's can offer praise & feedback.

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How "adult" is this camp...can I be myself and swear, etc?

Of course. You do you, but if you think you'll be dropping a lot of F bombs during your activity session, please let us know so we can designate your activity session, "adults only recommended." This is not a kid's camp. but for anyone still socially distancing, little eyes may also be watching. We will advise campers who intend to have their kids join in to use their discretion when attending Camp Yampire.

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How many adults are set to attend Camp Yampire?

We currently have Zoom pro, with the large room add on, which allows up to 500 participants at a time in a session. We will have a waiting room option for anyone over that number, and we let campers in as others log off. Currently, the RSVP on the website cuts off at 200 guests per day, Goldstar cuts off at 200, and Eventbrite cuts off at 100. 

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What does a Camp Yampire weekend schedule look like?

Take a look at our past schedules in our "ARCHIVE" tab - you can see schedules and highlights from our 2020 camp weekends.

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What does a theme night at Camp Yampire look like?

Some of our previous themes include, Pirates, Nostlagia & Noms, & Art Patrons! They involve getting dressed up or wearing funny costumes, then playing games, holding contests, doing activities, and watching shows that fit the theme. It's tons of fun and encourages creativity in our campers. New for 2021, our virtual camps already have a theme, so our theme nights will be a more specialized and unique spinoff of the particular month's theme.

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What does the community meal at Camp Yampire look like?

We eat, of course! Yam & Pie are on camera all day and this is their break time. We have conversation cards and take turns asking and answering questions, of ourselves and or campers. Everyone joining in can either leave their cameras off and just enjoy the camaraderie, or show us what they are cooking/eating.

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What is the age range of counselors and campers?

We are publicizing this as an adults camp, so most will be Millennial age, with some awesome Boomers and Gen Z'ers too. At the inaugural Camp Yampire, we had 35 attendants over the weekend, which ranged in age from 19-60. At Camp Yampire 2.0, we had 120 campers across the weekend, ages 14-73, from all times zones in the US. The final count for Camp Yampire 3.0 was 133 campers, many who were returning for another session. Camp Yampire 4.0 saw 167 campers and 22 Guest Camp Counselors, who came from all over the US, Canada, Peru, London, Australia, and Serbia! We have grown exponentially since then, with thousands of campers who have now joined into the Camp Yampire fun in 2020 and 2021.

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What about the Glow Dance Party you keep going on about?

This is the big dance party during our camp weekends, and we make an excuse to dance it out! We have a lot of special effects lighting, so we will glow the screen up and have a pre-timed and cut playlist of fun dance songs. Our dancing skills are not great, but we are spirited, and can do a mean Cupid Shuffle, so let us know if you want to share your screen and dance it out for the audience to see!. Campers will be able to submit song requests beforehand. If you have a space you could turn into a glow room, please let us know so you can also share your screens and make you a co-host. 

Sure, I'll spread the word. What should I post on social media?

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Where can I find a list of Camp Yampire Events?

The "CALENDAR" tab will tell you everything you need to know - find all of our past and future events, here!

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I have an idea for an Camp Yampire activity!

Fantastic, tell us here on our website.

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I know someone who would be a great camp counselor!

Please send them to us! Better yet, have them fill out this Call for Proposals!

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How long is Camp Yampire going to go on?

The official answer - until quarantine ends in NYC. The unofficial answer - as long as campers keep showing up, we are here for them. We have made the commitment to take Camp Yampire into 2022, and depending on the need, we hope to have fully in-person events in 2023.

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How do I get in touch with fellow Camp Counselors?

We have a FB group, as well as a Whatsapp and Slack. We will share these with you once you join the team.

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Where are you publicizing Camp Yampire events?

We are going through local events channels, such as TimeOutNY, NonsenseNYC, Pulsd, TheSecretCity, SecretNYC, and theSkint. For 3.0, we reached out to NYC Plugged, DowntownNY.com, Untapped New York, NiftyNYC, New Yorkled and WBGO.org. For 4.0 we reached out to Goldstar, Eventbrite, and Fever. For 5.0, we reached out to many colleges around the nation, and were featured in Oprah Magazine. If you have additional leads on media sources, please reach out.

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Oh no! I signed up for a time slot, but now can't make it!

That sucks, but it happens. If you are unable to make your time slot for an activity for any reason, please let us know ASAP, so we can hopefully find a replacement. If it is a last minute cancellation with a less than stellar reason, or you just don't show, you may not be able to sign up for activity sessions in the future.

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You didn't answer my question...

Sorry about that! Please reach out HERE.

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