Age: 31
Locations visited: Greece and Turkey.
Company: Sunsail
Job title: I have done six seasons: nanny (four months to five-year-olds); activity assistant (five to 16-year-olds); nursery supervisor (responsible for the running of the nursery); kids co-ordinator (responsible for the over-fives); kids club manager (overall responsibility for nursery and over-fives). I have recently been promoted to area kids club manager for Greece and Turkey.
Typical day: As a nanny: departmental meeting at 8.30am. 9.30am club opens.
Crafts, games, shaded activities and water activities until 5pm, with a 30-minute lunch break for nannies. Then children get collected and staff liaise with parents. Staff clean and tidy or supervise high tea. 5.30pm- end of day round-up/de-brief. Free time until socialising with the guests over drinks and dinner in the restaurant. Staff can volunteer to help with evening entertainment for the children. Staff rota for film club duty.
A supervisor/manager co-ordinates all this and ensures that everything runs smoothly. A lot of liaison with parents and other departments, plus paperwork (consent forms, information forms, programme planning) and ordering stock.
Qualifications: NNEB diploma in nursery nursing, first aid, Royal Yachting Association seamanship skills, RYA level 2 powerboat.
Training: General job training, customer care, health and safety, dinghy sailing, yacht sailing and windsurfing.
Pluses: Sunshine and water! Learning new skills and developing confidence, meeting so many new people and working as part of a large team, job satisfaction and fun!
Minuses: Long hours, missing family and friends, growing attached to children that you possibly won't see again.
Advice: Just go for it, you'll have the time of your life, be confident - the more you put in the more you'll get out of it.
Would you do it again? Yes. I'm still in the industry and hope to be so for many years to come.
