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Community Volunteer Ambassador – Big Thicket National Preserve

Stewards Individual Placements provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service in order to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to local communities.

The Big Thicket National Preserve Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) will be engaged with the Volunteers-In-Parks program and community outreach programs, projects, and events. The intern will engage with the very diverse and spread-out population of southeast Texas. The preserve is contained within seven counties and is located close to Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the United States. The intern will interact routinely with youth, seniors, families, and veterans, garden clubs, master naturalist groups, and those with disabilities.
 

Site Description:

Big Thicket National Preserve is located in southeast Texas, near the city of Beaumont (pop. 117,000) and 75 miles northeast of Houston (pop. 2.2 million). Numerous smaller cities and towns, with diverse populations, are located within the seven counties that the preserve stretches into, incorporating an additional population of over 600,000 people.

The preserve is made up of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 113,000 acres. The Big Thicket, often referred to as a “biological crossroads,” is a transition zone between four distinct vegetation types – the moist eastern hardwood forest, the southwestern desert, the southeastern swamp, and the central prairie. Species from all of these different vegetation types come together in the thicket, exhibiting a variety of vegetation and wildlife that has received national interest.

Big Thicket National Preserve has several long-standing volunteer programs that involve alternative spring breaks with colleges and universities and is in the early stages of implementing a long-term based volunteer program amongst various divisions in the park. The preserve recently established an RV volunteer program that has thus far netted positive results. The CVA can continue the work from previous CVAs and provide valuable assistance to the volunteer program manager.
 

Position Responsibilities:

  • Volunteer Recruitment- The CVA will assist with training, recruiting, and selecting candidates for volunteer positions, as well as providing information at events and career fairs
  • VC Customer Service- The CVA will assist with some educational and safety programming for the general public and volunteer This may include presentations, talks, and instructions. The CVA will not be expected to perform daily VC operations.
  • Marketing, PR, Social Media- The CVA will assist with creating and posting on social media to help promote events, projects, natural resources or to recruit volunteer. The CVA will also assist with creating maps, fliers, invitations, and brochures.
  • Event Coordination/ Program Support- The CVA will assist with all planning and implementation of events and programs which may include social media posts, correspondence, engaging with the public, attending meetings, designing planning documents, gathering materials, and presenting information to staff and volunteers. The intern will also be a part of operations during events.
  • Office Admin/ Technical- The CVA will be required to do some record keeping, reporting, time keeping, and other administrative The intern will assist with volunteer administration which may include designing spreadsheets, creating position descriptions, entering data, organizing files, handling PII, and correspondence via email and phone. The CVA may be the point of contact with volunteers.
  • Other- CVA will assist with other duties as assigned.
 

CVA Minimum Requirements:

  • Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in fall/winter 2022/2023
  • High School diploma or GED required
  • Be 18-30 years old (35 years old if you are a veteran)
  • Easy-going
  • Organized
  • High level of initiative for new projects
  • Ability to follow projects from start to finish
  • Practical problem-solving skills
  • Ability to utilize Microsoft and/or Google programs to complete record keeping, data entry, time keeping, research, email correspondence, and more.
  • Flexibility in a fast-paced season
  • Be responsive to other staff and supervisors
  • Ability to work some nights/weekends
  • 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:

  • Confidence in leadership roles
  • Comfortable with public speaking
  • Active listener
  • Can cooperate in group settings
 

Additional Information:

The CVA will be required to have a personal vehicle to drive to and from work each day. The road to the seasonal housing is paved some of the way and dirt road most of the way. Conditions vary dependent on weather and accommodations will be made in the event the road is closed. 4WD is recommended but not required. While at work the CVA will have access to Government vehicles to use for events, programs, and work travel.

Big Thicket has a wellness committee that works to create opportunities for recreational and physical training among staff. The committee has a work-out room on-site, a mental wellness area, and organizes employee hikes, paddle trips, and trainings that inspire employee wellness. There are opportunities to attend various educational and cultural programs in the area, both in a professional and personal capacity. Beaumont, Texas, located 40 minutes south of the preserve, with a population of over 100,000, is the nearest large city that provides an array of restaurants, theaters, malls, shopping centers, and more. The preserve is also located just an hour and a half east of Houston, Texas, the nation’s fourth-largest city.

The CVA will work closely with and may even share housing with other park interns. There are many peer groups in the surrounding area including Sierra Club chapters, Texas Conservation Corps, paddling clubs, and more.
 

Benefits:

  • CVA will receive a weekly stipend of $500 (additional $65/week, if housing is not provided)
  • Housing is available
  • 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
 

How to Apply

  • The CVA position will start on Monday, September 12th, 2022, and run for 50 weeks until Friday, August 25th 2023. Applicants will need to apply here: CVA Member Application 2022-2023 (September  Cohort) (jotform.com)and attach a cover.
  • Please ensure your cover letter addresses the specific requirements and position details for this park.
  • You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites and attaching the necessary cover letters.
 

Applications Deadline

Please submit your application by Friday, July 15th to ensure full consideration.
 

For Application Questions:

Please contact Geoff Elliot, Program Director at gelliot@conservationlegacy.org
 
Stewards Individual Placements Program does not and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.