National Survey: Why Parents Choose Summer Camps

Are you a curious and motivated student with a passion for education and recreation research? We want you.

At OUR KIDS Media, research is one of the ways we strengthen our mission of helping families make confident, informed choices. This is a unique opportunity to lead a national study on Canadian parents’ decision-making about summer camps and programs — a project that will generate insights that would help both camps and families across Canada.

Who are we?

We’re Canada’s #1 guide to summer camps and programs. We’re also the #1 private school guide, and the #1 retirement community guide. We’re a two-sided platform: we help families understand their options with clarity, and we help camps, schools, and communities connect with the right families at the right time.

About the Project

“National Survey: Why Parents Choose Summer Camps” will focus on parents’ perspectives.

• It will attempt to uncover the most important factors influencing how families select summer camps and programs.
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• It will explore parental expectations regarding camp experience, and how those expectations align with — or differ from — the actual outcomes they see once their child attends.
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• Results will be segmented by camp type (day vs. overnight), activity focus (arts, sports, STEM, leadership, outdoor adventure), geography, and more.
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• The findings will culminate in a national report for the camp sector and a set of highlight snapshots that camps can share with families as part of their outreach. Results will also be featured on OurKids.net and Camps.ca.

What you’ll do

You’ll take the lead on this high-profile national project. Specifically, you’ll:

• Develop and refine survey questions in collaboration with OUR KIDS editorial and marketing teams.
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• Coordinate survey distribution and ensure strong parent participation across Canada.
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• Analyze survey data to identify patterns, differences, and insights.
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• Segment findings by camp type, activity focus, geography, and more.
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• Draft the National Report and assist with creating highlight materials that camps can use in their communications.
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• Work with OUR KIDS’ editorial and design teams to publish and promote the findings.

Who you’ll work with

You’ll collaborate closely with the OUR KIDS Media team — the people behind the most trusted family decision-making platforms in Canada. You’ll learn from senior editors, analysts, and marketers who specialize in turning research into insights, and insights into practical tools for camps and families.

Who you are

• Skilled in research and writing, with the ability to communicate insights clearly.
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• Comfortable with data analysis (experience with Excel, SPSS, R, or similar tools is an asset).
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• Detail-oriented, curious, and highly organized.
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• Interested in education, recreation, social science, or market research.
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• Confident working independently while collaborating within a team environment.
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What you’ll get

• A chance to lead a nationally recognized camp research project.
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• Mentorship from senior professionals in publishing and marketing.
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• Hands-on experience in survey design, analysis, and publishing.
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• A flexible, part-time, project-based role you can balance with your studies.
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The project will deliver a detailed national report highlighting the key factors influencing parents' camp selection. Additionally, it will produce a set of highlight snapshots that camps can use for outreach. These deliverables will be featured on OurKids.net and Camps.ca, providing valuable resources for both camps and families.