The holidays can be a very difficult time for people who are grieving. You miss your loved one, especially during times of celebration and sharing.
By HSCC |
By Linda Donovan, Grief Support Volunteer, Hospice of Santa Cruz County
Someone you know may suddenly be thrust into the role of a caregiver to a loved one who has become a hospice patient.
By HSCC |
Flexible availability.
We’re excited to introduce a new volunteer opportunity at Camp Erin Santa Cruz 2026: Special Guests – a meaningful way to connect with campers through music, movement, storytelling, and community leadership.
We’re looking for volunteer musicians, athletes, storytellers, and local leaders to visit camp and share something special… a song, a story, a short activity, or a few encouraging words. These guest visits offer campers uplifting moments of connection, creativity, and hope during a weekend centered on healing.
All Special Guest appearances will be scheduled in advance and thoughtfully woven into the camp schedule. Volunteers will receive guidance on how to engage with campers in a developmentally appropriate and grief-informed way.
If you or someone you know has a gift to share and a heart for supporting grieving kids, we’d love to hear from you!
Preferred Availability: Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
Our Camp Photographer helps capture the magic of Camp Erin. With a thoughtful eye and deep respect for privacy, they document special moments, big and small, throughout the weekend.
Photographers are trained on media release guidelines and are expected to be mindful of which campers can be photographed. They work with care around grief activities and emotional moments, always prioritizing camper comfort and safety.
This role includes capturing group fun, quiet reflections, joyful connections, and the overall spirit of camp. The photographer will connect with camp leadership before the weekend to understand the schedule and focus areas, and after camp, help organize and share approved photos.
If you love storytelling through images, are comfortable taking initiative, and can be both sensitive and creative, this is a meaningful and rewarding way to contribute.
Preferred Availability: Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Can stay overnight.
Behavioral Specialists are essential members of the Camp Erin support team, providing calm, compassionate, and skillful guidance when behavioral or emotional challenges arise. With training in areas like behavioral health, special education, psychology, or social work, they bring an understanding of trauma-informed care and child development that helps ensure every camper is supported in a way that feels safe and respectful.
These volunteers float throughout camp checking in with Cabin Big Buddies, being available during rotations, and offering gentle intervention when needed. Whether helping a camper who is dysregulated, overwhelmed, or withdrawn, Behavioral Specialists step in with empathy, offering grounding techniques, creating space for co-regulation, and guiding campers back into connection and participation.
They also collaborate with Grief & Growth Facilitators, leadership, and cabin staff to help identify patterns or needs that may require extra care. Their presence helps ensure that both campers and volunteers feel supported when navigating complex behaviors or big emotions.
This role is perfect for volunteers who can stay grounded under pressure, think creatively, and communicate clearly especially those who are passionate about making camp more inclusive for neurodivergent youth, trauma survivors, and kids with diverse emotional needs.
Preferred Availability: Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Can stay overnight.
Grief & Growth Facilitators are licensed clinicians or graduate-level counseling students who gently guide campers through structured grief activities over the weekend. They support youth in exploring their stories, expressing emotions, and building coping skills while helping normalize the experience of grief in a developmentally appropriate and compassionate way.
In addition to facilitating group activities, Grief & Growth Facilitators are also available throughout the weekend to offer one-on-one support if a camper needs to talk, cry, or process something privately. While all grief counselors will be introduced at the beginning of camp, we know that kids may not remember names or faces in the moment and counselor shifts or coverage may change so it is each facilitator’s responsibility to be a consistent and visible presence in the camp environment. That means taking initiative to engage, gently check in with campers, and make themselves approachable and accessible as needed.
These facilitators play a vital role in creating a safe emotional container for campers to be seen, heard, and supported throughout the weekend.
Availability on Friday & Sunday.
The Load-In & Load-Out Crew is our hardworking, behind-the-scenes team that helps make camp possible handling the transport, setup, and breakdown of everything we need to create a smooth and meaningful weekend.
This role is limited to the first and last day of camp but makes a huge impact. On Day One, crew members meet at the office or storage unit to help load supplies into their vehicles, drive them to camp, and assist with setting up key areas like the volunteer room, registration table, nurse station, and activity spaces. You’ll help unload, organize, and make sure every box and bin ends up where it belongs.
Then on the final day of camp, the Load-Out Crew returns to help tear down, clean up, pack and inventory supplies, load them into vehicles, and return everything back to the office or storage unit. Your care and organization help ensure that camp wraps up smoothly and that everything is accounted for and ready for next year. This is the perfect role for volunteers who want to support Camp Erin in a meaningful way but can’t commit to the full weekend. If you’re organized, reliable, able to lift and carry bins, and have access to a car or are willing to carpool, we’d love to have you on this team!
Availability on Friday & Sunday.
The Registration Team serves as the warm and welcoming first impression of Camp Erin. These volunteers are often the first people campers and their families interact with, and that initial experience sets the tone for the entire weekend. With smiles, kindness, and a calm presence, Registration Team members help ease nerves and create a sense of safety from the moment families arrive.
Their responsibilities include checking in campers and volunteers, collecting and reviewing required forms, verifying Consent & Release signatures, managing gear distribution (like t-shirts, name tags, and backpacks), and directing families through the check-in flow from medical drop-off to cabin assignments.
Flexible availability.
The Camp Prep & Decor Team helps create the look and feel of Camp Erin turning spaces into welcoming, thoughtful, and magical environments for grieving kids to feel safe, connected, and cared for.
In the weeks leading up to camp, these creative and organized volunteers will be invited into the office for a few prep sessions to help with important behind-the-scenes tasks like prepping camper backpacks, crafting signage and decorations, organizing and labeling supplies, tracking inventory, and supporting the overall visual setup of camp materials. This team helps bring the vision of camp to life making sure everything is thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented.
On the first day of camp, members of the Prep & Decor Team will meet at the campsite ahead of camper arrival to help set up decorations, post signage, arrange welcome tables, organize supplies at key stations, and help ensure everything feels polished and intentional before the campers walk in.
This role is ideal for volunteers who are detail-oriented, love working with their hands, enjoy being creative, and want to contribute in a meaningful way even if they can’t attend the full weekend. Whether you’re crafting calming cabin signs, organizing art supplies, or turning a dining hall into a celebration space, your work sets the tone for a truly healing and memorable experience.
Available for the setup, breakdown and duration of your activity.
Activity Leads are the creative heartbeat of Camp Erin bringing energy, inspiration, and joy to every corner of camp. These volunteers take ownership of a specific rotation (like arts & crafts, movement, mindfulness, or group games) and lead campers through meaningful, fun, and sometimes even transformative experiences.
Think of this role as similar to being a teacher in a classroom: the activity you’re assigned is yours to run. You’ll be given guidance from the Camp Director and resources aligned with Eluna’s mission and grief support goals, but within those parameters, you have the freedom to bring your personality, style, and creative touch to your space.
Whether you’re helping campers paint memory stones, guiding them through a calming mindfulness exercise, or running a high-energy game of capture the flag, your job is to create an environment where kids feel safe, seen, and free to express themselves. You’ll lead your activity for multiple cabin groups throughout the weekend and should be prepared to adapt your tone and approach based on the age, energy, and needs of each group.
Activity Leads are also expected to manage set-up and clean-up for their rotation (with the help of Day Support if needed), keep materials organized, and maintain a flow that makes campers feel welcome and engaged. You’ll work closely with the Camp Director to confirm your activity plan in advance and have space to practice or prep as needed before the weekend.
If you love connecting with kids through creativity, games, or movement, and you’re excited by the idea of guiding your own mini-experience within the larger Camp Erin weekend.. this role is a fantastic fit.
Choose your day(s) of availability. 4-6 hour shifts.
Our behind-the-scenes champions! Day Support volunteers are the glue that holds everything together; always moving, always noticing, and always helping wherever they’re needed most. This is the perfect role for someone who thrives on variety, likes to stay busy, and finds joy in being a steady, helpful presence for others.
As a Day Support volunteer, you’ll float between roles throughout the day, assisting with camper transitions, setting up or breaking down activities, tidying up shared spaces, running supplies where needed, and stepping in to support campers and staff during
breaks. You’ll be the one helping Camp Erin run smoothly behind the scenes and your contributions make a huge difference.
This role is all about taking initiative. You’ll be encouraged to keep an eye out for what needs doing, whether that means checking in with Cabin Big Buddies to see if they need a bathroom break, helping an Activity Lead set up a craft table, or jumping in to sweep up glitter after art time. If you notice an area that looks a little messy, clean it up. If you see someone who looks like they could use an extra set of hands, offer yours. If a camper is wandering without a group, help guide them where they need to be.
Your ability to step in, anticipate needs, and lend support in quiet but meaningful ways helps keep the emotional and logistical flow of camp grounded and strong. You may not be in one place for long, but your impact is felt everywhere.
If you’re adaptable, observant, and have a heart for pitching in wherever needed, Day Support might just be your perfect fit.
The beginning and the end of camp are crucial for campers and families. These volunteers work on Friday and/or Sunday for 2-3 hours to greet campers and families, assist with registration, help unload/load supplies, and set-up for the weekend.
Our welcoming and closing time helps the camp experience to flow and promotes a better experience for everyone. Your willingness to be present, welcoming, and proactive can make all the difference.