Camp Leaders
Camp Leaders is a UK-headquartered, employee-owned cultural exchange agency that places international participants aged 18+ into counselor and activity roles at 650+ American summer camps, operating 17 recruitment offices across Europe, Oceania, Latin America and Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLiverpool, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Camp Leaders does
Camp Leaders, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Liverpool, United Kingdom, operates as a cultural exchange and summer camp placement agency connecting international participants aged 18+ with seasonal counselor and activity specialist roles at American summer camps. The company is a subsidiary of Smaller Earth and is structured as an Employee Ownership Trust, running a network of 17 international recruitment offices across the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Mexico, Colombia, the Netherlands, Czechia, South Africa, France and broader Europe/South America. Its supply side comprises 650+ vetted US partner camps, and its demand side is a cumulative 100,000+ participants placed since inception, with the British Youth Travel Awards 2024 Best Customer Service Gold (consecutive year) supporting brand credibility.
The core product is the Summer Camp in America Program, a 9-11 week placement offering three job roles — Camp Counselor, Activity Specialist and Special Needs Counselor — across 40+ activities ranging from sports and outdoor pursuits to arts and specialized disciplines (droning, rocketry, silversmithing). Participants earn a guaranteed minimum of $2,250 (up to $2,500 for teaching roles) plus meals, accommodation and 30 days of post-camp J1 visa travel. Distribution runs through a mobile-friendly online application platform, virtual and in-person hiring fairs, local recruitment events, and an owned social channel footprint (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook).
Revenue is generated primarily through participant-paid program fees (collected in three instalments) that cover placement, J1 visa sponsorship coordination, prep days and ongoing support. Participant wages flow directly from camps to participants and are not Camp Leaders revenue. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct-to-consumer, with named partner camp customers (Change Summer, HGSGI Camp Sacajawea, Camp Cayuga, Camps Equinunk and Blue Ridge, Lake Greeley Camp, Camp Ma-He-Tu, Timber Lake Camp) on the supply side. The business is privately held, employee-owned, with no public listing or external equity funding disclosed.
Camp Leaders firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Camp Leaders
- Legal name
- Smaller Earth
- Website
- https://campleaders.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Camp Leaders is a UK-headquartered, employee-owned cultural exchange agency that places international participants aged 18+ into counselor and activity roles at 650+ American summer camps, operating 17 recruitment offices across Europe, Oceania, Latin America and Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Camp Leaders industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Summer Camp Placement Services
- NAICS
- Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)
Keywords
Where Camp Leaders is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Liverpool
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Camp Leaders business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Program Fees: Camp Leaders charges participants a program fee for placement services, visa sponsorship coordination, prep days, and ongoing support. Participants earn a minimum of $2,250 at camp but pay for the program itself.
- Participant Earnings: Participants earn wages directly from camps ($2,250 minimum, up to $2,500 for teaching roles), but this flows to participants rather than as revenue to Camp Leaders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Camp Counselor Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Camp Leaders product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Camp Leaders places international participants aged 18+ at American summer camps as Camp Counselors, Activity Specialists, or Special Needs Counselors through a 9-11 week program. The service includes a mobile-friendly application platform, online hiring fairs, prep days, J-1 visa sponsorship, in-camp accommodation and meals, and 30 days of post-camp travel, with participants earning at least $2,250 during the placement.
Product overview
Camp Leaders is a summer camp placement agency that operates a platform connecting international participants (primarily from UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, France, and other countries) with over 650 summer camps across America. The core product is the Summer Camp in America Program, which offers three main job roles: Camp Counselor, Activity Specialist, and Special Needs Counselor. Participants can teach over 40 different activities ranging from sports (soccer, swimming, tennis, skateboarding) to arts (dance, drama, music, photography) and specialized activities (rocketry, silversmithing, droning). The service includes a mobile-friendly application platform, online hiring fairs, prep days preparation, and 30 days of post-camp travel. The company is part of the Smaller Earth group and has been operating since 1999, with 17 international offices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Summer Camp in America Program A 9-11 week summer camp placement program in America that connects international participants aged 18+ with over 650 partner summer camps as Camp Counselors, Activity Specialists, or Special Needs Counselors, including J-1 visa sponsorship, prep days, food and accommodation, and 30 days post-camp travel.
- Online Hiring Fairs Virtual hiring events where applicants meet camp directors and secure placements for the upcoming US summer camp season.
- Prep Days Pre-departure preparation program designed to get participants ready for their American summer camp experience.
- After Camp Travel 30 days of post-camp travel in America included with the J-1 visa program, allowing participants to explore the United States after their camp contract ends.
Quantifiable outcome
- Minimum earnings of $2,250 during 9-11 week camp placement
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Camp Leaders
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Camp Leaders technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Camp Leaders partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Smaller EarthcoreParent company of Camp Leaders. Smaller Earth owns the Camp Leaders brand and handles copyright (1999-2026). The company operates Camp Leaders as part of its portfolio of work-and-travel programs.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Camp Leaders competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is one of the largest US-based cultural exchange organizations and a designated J1 visa sponsor running summer work-travel and camp counselor programs — directly comparable to Camp Leaders in product, customer (international 18+ participants) and US camp supply network.
- BUNAC: BUNAC operates work-and-travel and summer camp placement programs in North America for international students and young adults, competing head-to-head with Camp Leaders for the same UK, Irish, Australian and European participant pool.
- InterExchange: InterExchange is a US-designated J1 sponsor offering summer camp counselor and work-travel placements to international participants — a direct competitor in both supply (US camps) and demand (international recruits) with Camp Leaders.
- Greenheart Exchange: Greenheart Exchange runs J1 summer work-travel and camp counselor programs for international participants seeking US summer camp roles, directly overlapping Camp Leaders' core product, customer base and visa-sponsorship model.
- AmeriCamp: AmeriCamp is a Canada-headquartered summer camp placement agency placing international staff (counselors and activity specialists) at US summer camps — a close peer to Camp Leaders in product offering, target customer and US camp supply.
- Camp Canada: Camp Canada places international participants into Canadian summer camps in a counselor/activity specialist capacity. While destination differs, the business model, customer (18+ international recruits) and camp-supply structure are highly analogous to Camp Leaders.
- Cultural Vistas: Cultural Vistas administers J1 exchange programs including summer work-travel placements, serving a similar international-participant base as Camp Leaders and competing for sponsor designation and participant share.
- CampExchange (USA Summer Camp): USA Summer Camp / CampExchange is a UK-origin placement agency sending international participants to American summer camps as counselors — a direct peer to Camp Leaders in geography of recruitment, product offering and camp network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Camp Leaders social profiles
Digital presenceCamp Leaders financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Camp Leaders leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Camp Leaders funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Camp Leaders M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Camp Leaders
What does Camp Leaders do?
Camp Leaders places international participants aged 18+ at American summer camps as Camp Counselors, Activity Specialists, or Special Needs Counselors through a 9-11 week program. The service includes a mobile-friendly application platform, online hiring fairs, prep days, J-1 visa sponsorship, in-camp accommodation and meals, and 30 days of post-camp travel, with participants earning at least $2,250 during the placement.
Is Camp Leaders a public or private company?
Camp Leaders is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Camp Leaders founded?
Camp Leaders was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Camp Leaders based?
Camp Leaders is headquartered in Liverpool, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Camp Leaders make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are participant Earnings.
Who are Camp Leaders's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), BUNAC, InterExchange, Greenheart Exchange, AmeriCamp, Camp Canada, Cultural Vistas and CampExchange (USA Summer Camp).
Does Camp Leaders have an API?
No public API is recorded for Camp Leaders.
What industry is Camp Leaders in?
Camp Leaders's product category is Summer Camp Placement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMALAA, Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports). Its NAICS code is 721214 and its SIC code is 7000.