Every year, at Easter and in summer, a group of young people comes to our Toledo camp in Layos to take the theory stage of the official camp counsellor course (curso oficial de monitor de tiempo libre). Many of them came to LayosCamp as campers; others come because they want to work with children at camps and in leisure activities, and for that they need the qualification. The course leads to the official qualification of the regional government, the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha. You can take it from the age of 16, and in 2027 there are two intakes, one at Easter and one in July.
What the official camp counsellor course is
It is the training that leads to the official leisure-time counsellor qualification issued by the Directorate-General for Employment and Youth of the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha. It has the same legal standing as one from any other accredited centre.
Our counsellor school has been authorised since 1999 by the regional Department of Youth and Culture (Consejería de Juventud y Cultura). Behind it is a family business that has been running since 1985 and has trained its own teams ever since, and that shapes how the course is designed: you learn in a real setting from day one, from the classroom to the camp.
How it is organised: theory and practical placement
The course is 250 hours, split into two separate stages: a residential theory stage, and a practical placement done afterwards at a real camp.
Theory stage: 100 hours in Toledo
The theory stage takes place at our Toledo camp, as a residential course with full board. It follows the syllabus set by the Castilla-La Mancha Department of Youth and Culture, and what is learnt is put into practice at the camp itself. In 2027 there are two intakes and you choose one of them.
Practical placement: 150 hours at a real camp
After the theory comes the placement, at a real camp. You can do it with us, during a fortnight at one of our summer camps, a long weekend or a LayosCamp school program, and it also counts if you do it at another accredited centre that has an agreement in place. You have two years to complete it. At LayosCamp we place trainee counsellors according to the needs of each program.
Once both stages are complete, the Directorate-General for Employment and Youth issues the official leisure-time counsellor qualification.
What do you study?
The official syllabus has 11 subjects:
- Early childhood education
- Leisure time
- Developmental psychology
- Legislation
- Planning
- Safety and first aid
- Activity leadership
- Sport
- Special educational needs
- Environmental education
- Games and group dynamics
During the theory stage there are classroom sessions, first-aid practice, group activities, workshops on making materials and games, and the experience of living together at the camp.
The two 2027 intakes
The theory stage has two intakes in 2027, both at our Toledo camp:
- Easter: 18 to 29 March 2027.
- Summer: 17 to 29 July 2027.
If you know the course from previous years, check the Easter dates: that intake follows the date of Easter, so it changes from one year to the next. Registration for 2027 opens on 20 October 2026.
What the theory stage includes
- Full-board accommodation: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner.
- Return coach transport from Madrid, leaving from the Hipercor car park in Pozuelo.
- All teaching materials and the course handbook.
- Planned cultural visits and excursions.
- Adventure activities and camping.
- Accident insurance for the whole theory stage.
- Daily laundry.
Pocket money and health insurance are not included: each trainee arranges their own medical cover. We ask for a copy of the Spanish health card (tarjeta de la Seguridad Social) or of private insurance, and food intolerances and special diets must be notified in advance.
Who is it for?
The course is for young people aged 16 and over who want to work as educators and activity leaders in sport and leisure. Hobbies, artistic skills and a love of the natural environment all count in your favour.
A very high proportion of trainees are former LayosCamp campers who are now taking the step up to counsellor.
If your child is 16 or 17
It is natural to wonder what those days are like. The theory stage is residential, at the camp itself, with full board and accident insurance. There is a first-aid infirmary on site and a medical centre less than five minutes away.
Mobile phones are allowed outside class hours and switched off during sessions. The rules on living together are clear: following them is a condition for staying on the course and obtaining the qualification, and breaking them means immediate expulsion with no refund. We say this up front because it is part of what the course teaches: a counsellor is responsible for children.
As well as the official qualification, the course looks good on a CV and gives young people responsibility and skills they will use for the rest of their lives.
And after the course?
Our counsellor teams come from this school, and that is why it has been running since 1999. For the summer fortnights we do not hire any counsellor who has not worked with us before; from those who come through the school we hire the best, and many stay with us.
How to find out more
All the dates and what each intake includes are on the official camp counsellor course page. If you have any questions, about the dates, how to fit in the placement or which documents you need, email us at info@layoscamp.com or call our Madrid office on +34 91 357 25 64 and we will talk you through it.