Horrendous labor policies - Counselor Lonehollow Employee Review

1.0
2 Jul 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The meals are usually good, and the facilities are beautiful. The kids are bright, funny, and usually well-behaved. Other counselors are all young, single, and attractive. There's a reason we all called it "Bonehollow." I learned some useful information about child development here. I still use the "define-label-praise" model in my pediatric clinical psychology practice.

Cons

The summer I worked at Lonehollow, leadership hired an almost 100 percent European kitchen staff. These young adults came under the impression they would be working with the kids as counselors, and LH paid their plane tickets. However, when they arrived, they were shocked to learn they were relegated only to the kitchen doing difficult work. They were treated as second-class by management, and we counselors were subtly encouraged to not interact with them. We started getting to know the kitchen staff on our days off, and it was terrible to learn that they had been basically tricked and trapped at camp. If you weren't back from your night off by curfew, you would have to sleep in your car by the river outside the camp gates. The closest store is over an hour away, so that made it difficult to make it back in time. Some of the kids are spoiled. I heard a child say that they wouldn't clean the cabin, as chores are the maid's job. Another said they would inherit their parent's oil company as an adult. Multiple campers have college buildings named after them. One camper didn't have any store credit left and was denied a (nonessential) purchase, and their mother called and yelled at the worker, saying never to deny her child anything in the store or humiliate her by making her look "poor" in front of her friends. There's no way around it: these kids have major money, and leadership does not want to upset their families. At the closing ceremonies, counselors are encouraged to kiss up to parents to get positions in grad/medical school, jobs, etc, which I believe goes against the stated values. Finally, at least when I worked there, this place had about as much diversity as a Trump rally. It was extremely white, and friends of color faced microaggressions from leadership and other counselors.

Explore other reviews about Lonehollow

5.0
23 Jun 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Everyone had an enjoyable time working there

Cons

Low pay level, and some elitist staff

3.0
25 Nov 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Beautiful grounds, great kids, good food.

Cons

Not much time off, no choice in campers, bad shifts if you're new.

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