Community Volunteer Ambassador - Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Community Volunteer Ambassador – Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Length: Term of positions is 50 weeks; full-time 40 hrs/wk
Location: Beach Lake, PA
Compensation: $500/week living allowance
Start Date: September 11, 2023
Application Review: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with first review beginning on June 5th.
Application deadline is Friday, July 21st.
Position Title Community Volunteer Ambassador
Position 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 communities.
The overall goal of the position is to strengthen the park’s volunteer program by identifying needs and opportunities across all divisions and to bring an awareness of existing internship programs on the national level and identify how different divisions can take full advantage of these programs. In addition, the individual will identify new partners and organizations that the park can partner with to provide training opportunities and skill development to the volunteers.
Site Description:
The park includes 73 miles of a clear, free-flowing river, remnants of the D&H Canal, and the home of western novelist Zane Grey. The Upper Delaware River forms the border between New York and Pennsylvania, stretching from Hancock, NY in the north, to near Port Jervis, NY in the south. A very active timber industry once utilized the swift waters of the river. Today, canoeists and rafters join fishermen and other outdoor recreationists in enjoying the clean and nearly pristine waters.
The park’s volunteer program consists of a robust internship program during the summer season with recruitment through colleges and universities throughout the United States. The internship program is found in almost all the park’s divisions. In addition, the park has worked with the Virtual Student Federal Service to have interns work on projects such as story mapping, social media, junior ranger development, and web writing.
For over 40 years the park has partnered with the National Canoe Safety Patrol a volunteer organization who performs river patrols on the river. These volunteers provide river safety information to river users as well as perform river rescues and EMS services.
During the winter Bald Eagle season in January and February the park works with the Delaware Highlands Conservancy to have volunteers staff the Zane Grey Museum and the public accesses providing information on the park and bald eagles.
Position Responsibilities:
- Recruiting volunteers to increase the diversity of volunteers to mirror the local population.
- Ensuring appropriate training and supervision from all divisions.
- Revising existing Volunteer SOP.
- Developing new and revise existing volunteer position descriptions.
- Managing records and reports.
- Building a stronger relationship with the park’s formal partner the National Canoe Safety Patrol with an aim to develop a stronger local volunteer base with the group.
- Developing a strategy to build off existing internship programs both on the park level as well as on the national level such as YCC, HBCUI, LHIP, Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship, Scientist in Parks Program, and CVA’s.
- Identifying other agencies and organizations in the local area that the park can partner with.
CVA Minimum Requirements:
- Minimum education required is an undergraduate degree.
- Ability to communicate effectively with different groups/individuals.
- Outgoing and enjoys talking to people.
- Strong writing skills including policy writing and social media content.
- Ability to meet deadlines by completing tasks as they’re assigned.
- Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in early November 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:
- Experience working with diverse groups.
- Strong time management skills
- Timeliness and dependability
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
Additional Information:
- A vehicle is required including a valid driver's license as there isn't any public transportation in the area.
- Housing will be provided in a fully furnish house that would be shared by other volunteers in the 2024 summer season.
- Opportunities exist to partner with other nearby park sites.
Benefits:
- CVA will receive a weekly stipend of $500
- Housing 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.
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, September 11th, 2023, and run for 50 weeks until Friday, August 23rd, 2024. Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/sept-23-cva-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 June. Final deadline is Friday, July 21st, 2023.
For Application Questions:
Please contact Geoff Elliot, Program Director at gelliot@conservationlegacy.org
Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.