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Community Engagement Internship at Mammoth Cave National Park (Year Long)

The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to local communities. Mammoth Cave NP’s VIP program has been established for some time and benefits greatly from the work of recurring volunteer groups that have contributed thousands of volunteer hours to the park over the years. However, the park has additional needs that exceed the park’s current volunteer program capacity including a much-needed restructuring of its current management plan. The CVA’s priority will be to under the supervision of the Volunteer Program Coordinator to finalize the program’s management plan, increase the diversity of the volunteer base to better represent our underserved communities, and to reflect our diverse visitor population.

Site Description: Mammoth Cave was established as a national park in 1941. It was later designated a World Heritage Site in 1981 and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1990. In 2021 the park was certified as a Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association. Mammoth Cave National Park is a park on two levels – 52,830 acres of reclaimed hardwood forest and winding riverways, and below it, the longest known cave system in the world, surveyed at 412 miles to date. Located within a day’s drive of major population centers, it offers camping, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, canoeing, picnicking, and cave tours. The mission of the Mammoth Cave National Park Service is to preserve, protect, interpret, and study the internationally recognized biological and geologic features and processes associated with the longest known cave system in the world, the park’s diverse forested, karst landscape, the Green and Nolin rivers, and extensive evidence of human history; and to provide and promote public enjoyment, recreation, and understanding. The Mammoth Cave area offers dozens of attractions, plentiful accommodations, and ample dining opportunities. There is a wide variety of recreational and cultural activities in the local communities and a major tourist attraction located just 23 miles away at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. Hundreds of volunteers contribute tens of thousands of hours to Mammoth Cave National Park each year! Volunteer opportunities in the park are as diverse and abundant as the natural and cultural resources we protect. From trail building to campground hosting to helping visitors at the visitor center, our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and are essential in helping us to complete some of the park's most important projects. Volunteers can perform a wide variety of duties that may include conservation and preservation of the cave and cemeteries, building and maintaining trails, monitoring resources, and assisting with administrative tasks. The time commitment for volunteer work varies from one-day projects to full-time work extending over weeks, months, or years. Both individuals and organized groups are welcome to volunteer.

Position Responsibilities: Assist Volunteer Coordinator with: • Rewriting the volunteer program management plan components that will include a volunteer program policy guide and volunteer handbook • Coordinating volunteer supervisor training program • Conducting a park wide volunteer needs assessment • Creating a modernized/user-friendly volunteer time tracking system Assist Volunteer Supervisors with • Updating and creating new position descriptions • Developing volunteer performance evaluation tools Coordinate, Recruit, and Lead Monthly Volunteer Opportunities/Events • Coordinate logistics for volunteer projects/events/opportunities through Volunteer.gov • Create narratives for social media accounts • Learn skills needed for leading trail monitoring/maintenance, litter/tornado debris cleanup, and resource management projects • Lead monthly volunteer opportunities • Participate in personal career development trainings • Prefer to work with a CVA that is comfortable with taking the Basic First Aid and CPR instructor training to be able to provide this training to onboarding volunteers • Park VIP program will cover expenses of this training CVA

Minimum Requirements: • Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in fall/winter 2022/2023 • Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident • Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old) • Be a college graduate or have completed some college coursework • Be comfortable working in a variety of environments including office-based and outdoor/field-based work. Project work sites/ events may be in the field (trails or forest areas) in a variety of weather conditions. Some of our projects will require access to the cave system which is dark and can be confining. • Dress appropriately in accordance with the youth agency uniform polices/regulations and be wellgroomed • Conduct themselves in professional and courteous manner, have the capacity to effectively deal with stressful situations, be a team player, and enjoy interaction with the public. • Drive a government owned vehicle to and from work site locations as well as community and recruiting events. • Participate in park employee safety training sessions • Submit proof of a Driver’s License and undergo a Federal Background Check, upon selection • US Citizen, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the United States

Preferred Qualifications: • Be comfortable with frequent interactions and speaking with the public in various situations (one- Updated 5/9/2022 on-one and with small/large groups) • Possess a desire to learn about the park and its resources • Be willing to educate a diverse audience about the park • Have experience working with Microsoft Office Applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and utilizing calendars • Ability to work in an outdoor setting

Additional Information: The CVA will be required to travel within the park to volunteer activities/events/service project sites. Additional activities will include travelling outside the park to local community engagement and recruiting opportunities. The CVA will be required to drive a government owned vehicle for official duties. The Park will provide housing to the intern at no cost to the intern. The housing units are multi-occupancy houses and apartments. The park’s housing units are located within 10 minutes from administrative offices, the Visitors Center, and several front-country surface trails. These areas can be reached by biking in 3-5 minutes, walking in 5-7 minutes, or by driving in 2-3 minutes. Due to the remote location of the park, it is highly recommended that the CVA bring their own vehicle. There are numerous recreational activities located outside of the park that would require driving to them

Benefits: • CVA will receive a weekly stipend of $500 (additional $65/week, if housing is not provided) • Limited health care/childcare benefits • The position is eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award $6,345.00 (pre-tax) upon successful completion of the program • Professional development funds • Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations • Public Land Corps Hiring Authority