Our Junior Camp Leader (JCL) volunteering program is for High School Students aged 16-18. JCLs have the opportunity to gain valuable STEAM-based work experience as part of our seasonal Science Camps team.
Junior Camp Leaders support our Camp Leader team in the day-to-day running of Science Camps, including the delivery of the hands-on STEAM programming, and support with camper games, activities and supervision.
Junior Camp Leaders (JCLs) are high school students aged 16-18 that are enthusiastic nerds! They are passionate about STEAM, and love to share their curiosity and skills with the next generation of scientific minds.
Successful applicants typically;
All applicants must be;
All Junior Camp Leaders;
As a non-profit charitable organization, Science World's volunteers are integral to our story and have been since day one. We were founded by a group of dedicated community members who believed that fun and relevant science-learning experiences are important to the growth of our city and province. Today, our volunteers help us toward a bright tomorrow. They ignite wonder and empower dreams in every region of BC.
Under the direction of the Science Camp staff, you will perform a range of duties at Science World, all designed to make the camps experience spectacular! This is a great opportunity to gain experience working with children aged 5-13, and grow your activity development and delivery skills, while at the same time learning some awesome science, helping to deliver and facilitate fantastic science workshops, and growing as a leader. Our Junior Camp Leader program is designed to enhance your leadership and communication skills and provide hands-on opportunities to engage with curious science minds in the role of an educational assistant and activity leader!
Our application form remains open year-round, and recruitment is done on a rolling-basis. Each season has an application deadline, which can be found along with more dates and details in the 'How to Apply’ tab.
Prior to your placement you will need to take part in a training day to prepare you for the role and set SMART goals. there are various dates available depending on the season. This is a mandatory requirement to volunteer and remains valid for 12 months.
During your placement you will have a dedicated mentor(s) who will provide ongoing support and assist with goal-reviews and evaluations.
All Junior Camp Leaders will be provided with access to our virtual-handbook ahead of their placement, which will include everything you need to know about camps, Science World, and your placement schedule.
All Volunteers will receive an Hours Completed Reference Letter at the end their placement. If you are looking to count your volunteering experience towards a high-school program, and require additional paperwork, your mentor and recruiter can help complete this. Please check with your teacher prior to attending for necessary paperwork required.
Placements are anywhere from 30-75 hrs in length over the course 1-2 consecutive weeks. They run Monday – Friday, with some exceptions for closures and holidays. Junior Camp Leaders typically starts at 8:30am and end at 4:30pm, though this can vary seasonally and by location. Please see the placement schedule below for exact dates, start and end times, and locations
We ask all applicants to only apply for placements where they are available for the full duration. Extenuating circumstances can be discussed with the Volunteer Recruiter, but priority may be given to those with full availability.
Multiple placement options are possible if there is availability. We will prioritize an applicants first placement over an applicants second placement if there is not enough capacity for both.
This summer, Science World will be operating 3 Camps:
More information on our Summer Camps Programs can be found here.
Before applying, please read through Program Details and Placement Info.
Total placements for 2026:
2026 Deadlines to apply:
The Application Form will ask for general information and availability, as well as your:
Please provide as much detail as possible. Answers given in this form will be used to determine suitability for this role and will inform recruitment decisions.
Please email [email protected] if you need any accessibility support with the application or alternate submission options.
Once submitted, applications will be reviewed on rolling basis, we highly recommend applying as soon as possible to be considered for your desired placement.
Applicants will be invited to attend a virtual interview prior to being accepted onto the program.
All successful applicants will be contacted 2 weeks after applications close at the very latest. If we have not contacted you, you may be put on a waiting list if other applicants do not accept their placement. Once all placements have been filled, we will contact you if your application was not successful.
If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend training, given your placement details and access to our virtual handbook resource.
Training is required to volunteer, and non-attendance will forfeit your place.
We ask that all students complete their own application but encourage teachers to provide statements of recommendation to be included in their students' applications.
If you are no longer in High-School, we invite you to apply for a paid position as a Camp Leader, or to volunteer with Science World’s general volunteer program. This program is focused on supporting teens in building work experience, but extenuating circumstances can be discussed by contacting [email protected]
Volunteer training remains valid for 12 months. After 12 months, returners will be asked to complete training again, with online training as an option.
We assess applications based on experience, interest, and desire to grow. We encourage applicants to provide specific examples and details that can help us understand your specific goals and relationship to your own experience
To properly onboard volunteers, this may not be possible. Our deadlines already accommodate the latest date we can facilitate onboarding. You can email [email protected] to discuss submitting applications past the posted deadlines, but are not guaranteed a placement.
All successful applicants will be contacted 2 weeks after applications close at the very latest. If we have not contacted you, you may be put on a waiting list if other applicants do not accept their placement. Once all placements have been filled, we will contact you if your application was not successful.
Yes, it is required that all volunteers have attended a training session in the last 12 months to be able to volunteer for Science Camps. This training goes over necessary information such as policies, safety procedures, how to work with children, and explores the camp program in more detail.
Please email [email protected] if you are unable to attend any of the scheduled training dates to discuss the possibility of alternate arrangements
Yes! All Volunteers will receive an Hours Completed Reference Letter upon completion of their placement. Any additional reference letters for work, school, or external opportunities that must speak to specific skills, must be requested within 12 months after completing your volunteer placement and must be given a 2-week lead time for completion.
Yes! This program is intended to build valuable professional experience that can be used for future work opportunities. We encourage our volunteers to set and work on goals that develop their skills and abilities, with support from the Camp Team and other Science World Educators. If you plan to use us as a reference contact for a job application, please email [email protected] ahead of time so we can properly accommodate
We love when previous JCLs apply for paid positions! Though we cannot guarantee a position, having previous experience with Science Camps makes you a competitive and desirable applicant for Camp Leader positions.
At your request, we can keep you on our mailing list so you are the first to hear when applications open. This includes access to apply for positions only advertised internally.
There are multiple opportunities to volunteer for Science World. Please see our general volunteers page for more information on other opportunities.
Email us at [email protected] for more information.
Existing volunteers can access our JCL Virtual-Handbook below;
About the sticker
Survivors
Artist: Jeff Kulak
Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.
About the sticker
Egg BB
Artist: Jeff Kulak
Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.
About the sticker
Comet Crisp
Artist: Jeff Kulak
Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.
About the sticker
T-Rex and Baby
Artist: Michelle Yong
Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.
About the sticker
Buddy the T-Rex
Artist: Michelle Yong
Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.
About the sticker
Geodessy
Artist: Michelle Yong
Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.
About the sticker
Science Buddies
Artist: Ty Dale
From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.
About the sticker
Western Dinosaur
Artist: Ty Dale
From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.
About the sticker
Time-Travel T-Rex
Artist: Ty Dale
From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.