STUDENT HOSTELING PROGRAM INC.

LEADERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

Be sure to answer all the questions. Applications with incomplete answers may cause delays that might affect your chances for a position.


Name _______________________________________________e-mail address ___________________

Date of Application ___________________Social Security Number ______________________________

Present Address (street, school, or apt.)____________________________________________________

City ___________________________ State________ Zip____________Until when?___________________

Phone (area code)________________________________ Cell phone __________________________

Present Occupation______________________________ Work/School Phone _____________________

Business or School Name________________________________________________________________

Business or School Address ______________________________________________________________

Parents’ Address and Phone - in case we can’t get in touch with you at the above addresses; you move; go home for vacation; and for an emergency contact.

Parents’ Names___________________________________________ Phone(s)____________________

Parents’ Address _____________________________________________________________________

Your age on July 1st of this coming summer__________________ Birthdate_______________________

You are applying for __________ Senior leader (age 21+) ____________ Assistant Leader (age 18+)

If applying for a Senior leadership position, would you consider accepting an Assistant leader position?

____yes _____no

Earliest date that you can be at SHP for your trip ____________________________________________

Indicate if you prefer to lead all summer____________ or only the first part of the summer____________

What is the latest date you can leave SHP__________________________________________________

Do you have any commitments pending that might make it impossible for you to lead, or change the dates that you can lead (other summer jobs, reserve training, grad school, family commitments, etc.)
____________________________________________________________________________________

Indicate the latest date you can be notified that you have been accepted for a leadership position. ____________________________________________

Do you have a driver’s license? _____yes _____no. Can you drive a standard shift? _____yes _____no.

Can you drive a 12 -15 passenger van? _____ yes _____no.

Driver’s License # __________________State _____ Expires ____________________

Indicate below using a 1 (slight knowledge) to 10 (fluency) scale your proficiency in the languages listed:
_________ French / _________Spanish / _________Russian / _________Italian / _________German

Indicate with trip & year if you are a former SHP tripper. _______________________________________

Indicate with details if you have led or participated in a biking trip with another organization ________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are a graduate or undergraduate student, what is your area of study or your major?
___________________________________________________When do you graduate? _____________

Do you have a copy of our current brochure? _______________________________________________

How did you hear about SHP’s leadership opportunities?_______________________________________

Are you interested in full-time employment with SHP in Conway, MA after the summer?_____yes _____no.

We need the names of three people whom we can contact as character references. Bike repair and outdoor skills are important, but they can be learned. We need references not for such skills, but rather for your personality, your interpersonal relationship skills, your leadership abilities, your ability to work with kids. Good references include employers, supervisors, academic advisors, and professors. Other possibilities are people who have seen you work with high school students, family ministers, anyone who knows how you work with other people in group situations. Roommates, family members, and best friends are NOT satisfactory references for our purposes.

#1) Name & full mailing address _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Phone(s) ________________________________________________________________________

In what capacity does this person know you? ___________________________________________

When did this person know you (give dates)? ___________________________________________

#2) Name & full mailing address _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Phone(s) ________________________________________________________________________

In what capacity does this person know you? ___________________________________________

When did this person know you (give dates)? ___________________________________________

#3) Name & full mailing address _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Phone(s) ________________________________________________________________________

In what capacity does this person know you? ___________________________________________

When did this person know you (give dates)? ___________________________________________

What experiences have you had in the following areas? When were they (give dates)? Did you enjoy them?

Working with 13-17 year olds:



Living and working intensively with groups of strangers in stressful situations (i.e. Outward Bound,
NOLS, Peace Corps, hosteling trips, Quaker work projects, armed services, etc.):



Leading groups of any age:



Travel (where, how, with whom):



Camping (tents, sleeping bags, campfires, cooking, etc.)



Cycling:



Wilderness backpacking:



Canoeing:

If you don’t hold a current First Aid card, are you enrolled in a course yet? (remember, it is required)_________

Can you get more advanced training before your trip? ________________________________________

Can you get Water Safety Training before your trip? __________________________________________

We realize that some of the following questions are rather potent, and that many situations are not black and white; that different situations may suggest different responses. However, please answer the following questions with only one answer – the answer that most corresponds with your position or attitude.

1. What Interests you MOST about this job?

____	the travel	____	the outdoors, cycling, etc.
____	the group experience	____	working and being with the kids

2. Would you prefer to lead

____

a coed trip

____

an all-girls or all-boys trip (of the same sex as yourself)

3. Would you prefer to lead a group with

____	A structured itinerary, with most of the details taken care of In advance by the organization, planned overnight stops, ticket reservations, etc.
____	A flexible itinerary with most details left up to the group to decide (few overnight stops planned, etc.)

4. Which type of group would you prefer to be involved with?

____	kids who are fun - loving and adventurous, not terribly concerned with serious discussion Group oriented and super - active. Kind of wacky and uninhibited.
____	Kids who are quieter, more restrained and concerned with themselves. Assert their Independence more often. A web of individual inter - relationships rather than a tight - knit group.

The biggest factor in successful leadership and having a great trip is having the type of personality that works well with teenagers in a group situation. We need leaders who have strong, forceful personalities, balanced by warmth and humor; leaders with the emotional strength and stability to handle the pressures of dealing with 10 kids, 24 hours a day. Please consider the following questions carefully, weighing your own personality against the traits needed to make a successful leader in our situation.

If you answer these questions less than honestly, you could very well find yourself In a situation beyond your capabilities, thus jeopardizing the lives of the kids in your charge, as well as your own welfare and that of the organization. It is irresponsible to ask to be placed in such a major position of responsibility by checking the answers you think we are looking for.

5. Is your personality generally tending more toward the

____	serious - minded type	____	strong, silent type
____	happy - go - lucky type	____	vocal, boisterous type

6. How do you feel about living with people having the following charactertistics, on a scale of I to 5 (1 = very comfortable; 5 = very uncomfortable)

____	very liberal
____	very conservative
____	boisterious
____	quiet
____	eating habits different from your own (vegetarian, kosher, etc.)
____	those with "erratic" bathing habits (shower once every three weeks, etc.)

7. When you find yourself with a group of strangers (jobs, classes, trips, committees, etc.), are you usually

A. Involved as a
____ participant	_____ dominant figure
B. Looked to for guidance
____ many times	____ sometimes	____ not often
C. Cooperative
____ very	____ within reason	____ well..tend to be stubborn
D. Sensitive to other's opinions, desires, etc.
____ definitely	_____ within reason	_____ wish I were more so
E. A person who
____ sets the mood	____ follows the mood set by others
F. If asked to be In charge
____ uncomfortable	____ comfortable

8. When you're in charge of a group, are you at ease in a

____ teacher/instructor role

_____ playing/having fun role

9. How would you rate yourself in the following areas?

	One of my weaker points	Normal	One of my stronger points
Energy	________	________	________
Enthuslasm	________	________	________
Tolerance of others	________	________	________
Sensitivity to others' problems	________	________	________
Self confidence	________	________	________
Sense of humor	________	________	________
Ability to handle emergency situations	________	________	________
Ability to relate well to people	________	________	________

10. How do you feel about leading 14 - 17 year olds?

____	They'll need quite a bit of leadership from me
____	They'll be mature and responsible enough to make their own decisions (except about major rules)

11. If you were leading a trip for SHP, do you think It best that you

____	Be the subtle guidance figure who remains at the periphery of the group
____	Try to have one or more of the kids be the focus of the trip either sometimes or all of the time.
____	Be the center of attention in the group

12. As a leader for SHP, how would you view your role In following rules?

____	If I accepted the rules before joining the organization, I would enforce them, regardless of what the kids pressured me to do. I made a commitment and I would follow it.
____	It may sometimes be necessary for the needs and desires of my group of kids to take precedence over the organizations rules. I would use the rules as guidelines, but might bend or alter some occasionally as I thought necessary for the good of my group since the happiness of my group is more Important than adhering to inflexible rules.
____	I would prefer not to start out with any set rules. I would prefer the flexibility to make rules based upon my particular group of kids and the circumstance that arise during the trip.

13. If you were leading a group of 14 - 16 year olds on a trip not connected with any organization, would you allow or not allow the following?

	Allow	Not Allow
Coed tents	________	________
Beer or wine	________	________
Cigarette smoking	________	________
Marijuana	________	________

14. How would you feel about a boy and girl sleeping together on your trip?

____	I think it's OK and I'd have to follow my own conscience
____	I would not be greatly concerned if the kids were discreet
____	I'd be against it on my trip

15. How do you feel about 14 - 17 years old using the following?

Marijuana
Drugs
Alcohol

16. As a leader, if you saw one of your trippers stealing a flashlight from a store, what would yo do?

 

 

17. Is your personal value system based mostly on

____	Religious beliefs
____	Your own ethical/moral standards

18. What part do the following play in your personal life?

Marijuana
Drugs
Alcohol

19. This Is the most potent question of all, so think carefully, take your time, and go get something to eat before answering it. Can you ride a bike?

____	Yes, If it has training wheels
____	No, but don't worry. I can keep up with the group on my roller skates.
____	Other:

SCHEDULING AN INTERVIEW WITH SHP

First review the list of times and places and decide on at least two choices that are good for you. Give us four days to a week to receive your application and then call our office during business hours to schedule an Interview.

***If possible, make a copy of your completed application and bring it with you to your interview.