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Community Volunteer Ambassador - Glacier National Park

Stewards Individual Placement Program
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Program Details: 
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 to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to local communities. 
 
Community Volunteer Ambassadors (CVAs) support Volunteer-in-Parks programs at National Park Service sites nationwide. This ranges from National Park, National Monuments, National Battlefields, National Historic Sites, National Recreation Areas, and more. The Community Volunteer Ambassador Program was developed to support NPS sites in connecting with their local communities through service and to provide young adults with a professional development opportunity within the National Park Service. CVAs provide capacity for NPS sites to establish community partnerships, develop new volunteer opportunities, and build volunteer program resources.   
 
Site Information 
Established by Congress on May 11, 1910, Glacier National Park was the 10th national park created and protects 1,600 square miles of the scenic northern Rocky Mountains in Western Montana. Named for the powerful glaciers that carved the landscape during the last ice age, the park displays rugged peaks and crystalline turquoise lakes, and other remnants of extensive glaciation. 
 
Surrounded by wilderness, bordered by Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and two forks of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River, Glacier National Park is part of one of the largest, most intact ecosystems in North America—the Crown of the Continent. Together with Waterton Lakes National Park it is the world’s first international peace park (1932), a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1995), and a UNESCO biosphere reserve (1976). Glacier is also recognized as an International Dark Sky Association International Dark Sky Park (2017). Most of the park is also recommended wilderness. 
 
Today, the park attracts up to 3 million or more visitors a year from all over the world. Visitors can enjoy the park in their own vehicles or board a free seasonal shuttle or iconic red bus to ascend the Going-to-the-Sun Road to Logan Pass and cross the Continental Divide. Boundless opportunities exist to experience solitude and truly dark night skies in the backcountry of Glacier National Park. Approximately 746 miles of horse and foot trails interweave almost all sections of the park and allow visitors opportunities to experience the many facets of Glacier National Park. 
 
Glacier National Park depends on dedicated volunteers to perform duties and complete projects that we simply could not do without them. On average, we have 922 volunteers annually donate 61,425 hours. From overseeing campgrounds to caring for native plants to patrolling over 700 miles of trails, our volunteers help protect our valuable resources and help visitors learn about, and safely enjoy, the many aspects of Glacier National Park. The VIP Program office supports long-term volunteer programs parkwide, as well as individual volunteers that step up for immediate park needs. During the summer season, VIP staff, with support from the CVA, also host service groups coming locally from Montana and across the country to provide short-term volunteer opportunities to these visiting groups. The VIP office also oversees the Artist-in-Residence program, coordinating with park staff and partners to host two month-long artist residencies in the park. The VIP program seeks ways to become more inclusive and equitable, finding opportunities to create collaboration with historically underrepresented groups, such as our neighboring tribal nations. This includes a newer Native America Speaks Artist Residency pilot program. 
 
The CVA will be involved in all aspects of managing Glacier’s volunteer program, with an emphasis on helping facilitate both our adult and youth service groups. They will help to support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by other staff overseeing specific programs such as our Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol and Apgar Visitor Center Volunteer Programs. They will be regularly engaging youths and seniors in their volunteer and education program duties. They assist with community outreach efforts, such as helping facilitate a park booth at the Northwest Montana Fair and two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events. 
 
Glacier's CVA position will be shared by both the park’s Volunteer Program and the Curriculum Based Education Program. Throughout the school year the CVA will work with the education team to connect with students from across the country, both virtually and in person. This includes leading field trips, conducting classroom visits, presenting distance learning programs, and participating in community outreach.  Students are generally K-8 and follow program objectives listed at https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/education/rangerguided.htm. 
 
Position Summary 
This unique CVA position will be directly involved in the presentation of the park’s curriculum-based education programs, as well as helping to manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program that supports over 900 volunteers annually. 
 
Position Responsibilities:  
  • Glacier’s CVA will arrive in February and work full time with the education team presenting winter programming. These programs include leading K-12 students on snowshoe hikes focused on winter ecology, as well as presenting distance learning programs to students nationwide using green screen and video technology.  
  • The CVA will present winter education programs through March. The CVA will split their time between education and VIP programs during the spring, leading curriculum-based education programs, both in person and virtually, and also working on VIP office projects, administrative work to get ready for a busy season, and training to gain knowledge of volunteer management. 
  • At the end of April, and throughout May, education programs are normally conducted on trails in the Apgar area. Again, spring in-person programming will depend on the status of local schools and COVID-19 mitigations. The spring programs focus on habitats, wild animals/wild places, and forest processes. The CVA will receive training on spring education programming and shadow education staff to gain skills needed to lead their own programs.  
  • All programming and work the CVA will be engaged with involves safety protocols, including strict COVID-19 mitigations. Programs will continually be evaluated and adjusted for staff and participant safety, especially in terms of COVID-19.  
  • Starting in June, the CVA will transition to full time work with all aspects of the volunteer program, with an emphasis on helping facilitate both our adult and youth service groups. They will help coordinate specific weeks of our MCC crews, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other youth and adult service groups. This involves working collaboratively with all divisions, arranging for camping reservations, scheduling work projects, and communicating with the group leaders to ensure the group has a great visit. They will give a park orientation to each group they coordinate, as well as identifying other educational opportunities for these groups where possible.  
  • The CVA will also help support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by staff overseeing Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol and Apgar Visitor Center Volunteers, and other volunteer Programs. This will include assisting with volunteer paperwork, uniforms, tracking volunteer hours, website management, other administrative duties and preparing and facilitating volunteer events such as appreciation potlucks and orientations. They will be the lead for community outreach events such as the Northwest Montana Fair and two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events. 

CVA Minimum Requirements: 
  • We are looking for a reliable, resourceful, and flexible person with an outgoing personality, who likes working with youth, to join our team. 
  • The candidate must be comfortable speaking in front of groups, have strong and effective organization skills for managing the complex details and work projects, have sound judgement and adhere to safety policies. 
  • Due to the shared nature of this position between Glacier’s education and volunteer programs, we are ideally looking for someone with previous teaching experience of a year or more. 
  • Many of the groups the CVA will work with are youth, so some experience working with this population is needed. This might include a day care center, after school program, youth camps, volunteer work at a school, or similar experience. 
  • This CVA must have a high level of familiarity with using MS office products to track data and create reports. Knowledge of Excel is also helpful to track volunteer hours and numbers.  
  • They will also be required to be able to obtain first aid/CPR certification. 
  • Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in early April 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) 
  • High School Diploma/GED  
  • Pass fingerprint-based FBI, state criminal, and a national sex offender checks.   
  • Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check 
  • Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position. 
 
Preferred Qualifications 
  • To thrive in this work environment the CVA intern will need to be able to work independently, maintain professionalism in a high paced environment and stay highly organized while overseeing multiple projects.  
  • They will also need to be comfortable hiking and leading groups in a wilderness setting with grizzly bears, mountain lions, and other wild animals. As this is a developmental position, the CVA will not be doing this on their own until they are comfortable doing so. They will also receive bear training, and other skills to work outside safely in the park. Much of the park has limited cell service.  
  • We are looking for someone with experience facilitating events or managing groups. Ideally this person might have been involved in service projects in their communities and are handy with painting, construction, and other project related skills. 
  • Involvement in their school in a leadership position where they show they have been comfortable speaking in front of groups is also valuable experience for this position. 
  • In addition, it would be fabulous for this person to have experience with Facebook and other social media platforms, as well as with website management, but these are not required, as we will provide training in these areas. 
 
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 $6,495.00 (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 
  • Week-long in-person training at NPS site with travel/meal expenses covered. 
 
Additional Information 
  • Glacier’s CVA position is unique in that this person will be directly involved in presentation of the park’s curriculum-based education programs for local school groups, as well as helping to manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program. 
  • This CVA will be on a maxi-flex schedule, to accommodate the need to occasionally work evenings and weekends.  
  • This position requires a current driver’s license and personal car, as there is limited to no public transportation in the area.  
  • Although Glacier is surrounded by rural communities, it is only 20 minutes to Columbia Falls, and two large grocery stores, and about an hour at most to Kalispell, with a Costco and other large box stores.  
  • Shared Park housing will be provided and is within walking distance to the Volunteer 
  • and Education office where the CVA will be working. It will be mostly furnished, with all the major furniture and appliances, including bed, refrigerator, and stove. Staff need to bring their own kitchen supplies and bedding. These homes are all maintained following park safety office standards, with fire extinguishers, Carbon Monoxide detectors, etc. This housing also affords the CVA access to the park community, including laundry facilities, the park library, and WIFI at the community building. The CVA may choose to pay to have their own WIFI installed at their house, the cost of which is generally around $40-$50 per month depending on the carrier.  
  • They are also in the hub of our park staff residential area, within walking distance to West Glacier and easy access to park functions and other people to recreate and socialize with. Often there are also pick-up soccer games, potlucks and other social events organized by staff living in the headquarters area where the CVA will live, as well as an annual staff BBQ organized by leadership and a Glacier Employee Association summer party. 
 
How to Apply 
Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.  
 
The CVA position will start on Monday, February 6th, 2023, and run for 50 weeks until Friday, January 19th 2024. Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application. Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references. 
 
Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with diverse populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in. 
 
Applications Deadline 
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Friday, December 9th. 
 
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.