Community Volunteer Ambassador – Puʻukohola Heiau National Historic Site and Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
Length: Term of positions is 50 weeks; full-time 40 hrs/wk
Location: Kawaihae, HI
Compensation: $500/week living allowance, additional $65/week housing allowance, if housing is not provided.
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 selected CVA will assist the park with coordinating our existing volunteer programs at Puʻukohola Heiau National Historic Site (PUHE) and Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (ALKA), separately, into a cohesive and well-organized program overall. The CVA will be responsible for engaging existing VIPs, assisting with administrative VIP tasks and organizing data, recruiting new VIPs from local communities through virtual and in-person outreach modalities (i.e. email, social media, video calls, tabling events, etc.) and overseeing VIP projects and events at PUHE and ALKA and possibly our other west Hawaiʻi park units, under the supervision of the park CVA Supervisor(s).
Site Information:
Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site is on the northwest coast of the island of Hawai‘i. Designated by Congress in 1972, this park encompasses just over 86 acres. The park provides spectacular views of Kawaihae Bay to the southwest where unusually large concentrations of blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) gather. The purpose of Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site is to conserve and protect three heiau: Pu‘ukoholā, Mailekini, and Hale o Kapuni; the John Young Homestead; and the surrounding cultural landscape. The park interprets these resources and their role in Hawaiian culture, including the unification of the Hawaiian kingdom under Kamehameha I. Puʻukoholā volunteers assist with picking up trash, visitor services (such as park programs), and a large variety of different Hawaiian cultural demonstrators, who demonstrate traditional Hawaiian arts & craft during park events throughout the year.
Ala Kahakai NHT is a 175 mile long coastal trail corridor containing the islandʻs network of ancient, historic and modern trails. Ala Kahakaiʻs mandate is to preserve, protect, interpret and maintain the trail system. We work closely with our partner organizations and ʻohana to encourage descendant-led and Hawaiian cultural values-based stewardship of the trails. The Ala Kahakai NHT corridor extends from the northern tip of the island in North Kohala, along its western and southern coasts to the eastern boundary of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Position Responsibilities:
- Assist with expanding Pu‘ukoholā Heiau NHS and Ala Kahakai NHT Volunteers-In Parks programs by working with qualified local volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, and with different levels of experience or training
- Support existing volunteer events such as beach cleanups and cultural festivals, and VIP activities, trainings, equipment, etc.
- Perform administrative and organization tasks using Microsoft Office and 365 software, to track VIP events, hours and
- Exercise responsibility for the job safety and health of all employees and/or volunteers, and ensure conformance with park and service-wide safety programs.
- Assist with planning, directing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of community outreach programs that include presentations to the general public, special interest groups, local community groups, and educational groups.
- Coordinate functions that include visitor services, interpretive program management, public relations, and program promotion in the local community for a national park.
- Evaluate community outreach programs and develop proposed changes to accommodate changing visitation trends in a dynamic environment which includes multiple agency coordinated efforts.
- Collaborates with Hawaiian groups and local community organizations to accomplish short-term and long-term goals for successful partnerships and community involvement.
- Prepare formal and informal interpretive programs for the general public and educational institutions, which may include collaborating with other park division employees
- Conduct outreach with visiting public, officials of local communities, and other park personnel and park partners.
- Attend and participate in trainings, workshops, meetings, and conferences, as well as organizing and participating in field gathering efforts of the organization.
CVA Minimum Requirements:
- Good organizational skills and time management practices.
- Ability to communicate with people of all ages and cultures.
- Ability to work well in a team and collaborate with others on projects.
- Responsible self-starter and independent.
- Physically capable of being in the outdoors (sun/ heat/ humidity).
- Must have a reliable vehicle or transportation method.
- Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in early November 2023
- Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
- High School Diploma/GED
- Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old)
- 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:
- Familiar with Native Hawaiian language, resources, and culture.
- The ability to speak Hawaiian is preferred, but not required.
- Local applicant
- Effective communication skills
- Experience engaging with the general public.
- A passion for history, specifically Hawai‘i
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Additional Information:
- Housing is not available.
- Schedule may include some weekends and evenings.
- Driver's license and a reliable vehicle are required.
- Public transportation is limited and unreliable.
- Potential opportunity to collaborate with other sites on Hawaiʻi Island.
Benefits:
- CVA will receive a weekly stipend of $500/week living allowance, additional $65/week housing allowance, 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.
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.