Overview
Position Summary: Summer Youth Corps Field Specialist will add value to the community, environment, and youth participants through their dedicated service. Field Specialists will work closely with Crew Leaders to motivate and supervise a crew of youth ages 15-18 in a rigorous program focused on job skills training, environmental education, and conservation projects. Each crew consists of 6-8 youth members and is co-led by 2-3 AmeriCorps members (Crew Leaders and Field Specialists). Field Specialists hold similar responsibilities as a SYC Crew Leader with the additional expectation of specialized skills pertaining to their specific crew type. SYC has two Field Specialist types: the American Sign Language Field Specialist and the Backcountry Wilderness Field Specialist.
The American Sign Language Field Specialist will lead crews of youth who use American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary communication method. Proficiency in ASL is a requirement for this position. The ASL Field Specialist position is a great opportunity for native signers to share their language, culture, and experience with others. The ASL Field Specialist position is also a great opportunity for student/emerging Sign Language Interpreters to gain valuable experience and establish connections across the community.
The Backcountry Wilderness Field Specialist will lead crews of second-year youth on a project located in a remote backcountry setting. The Backcountry Wilderness Crew (BWC) will have limited access to cell service, running water, and bathroom facilities. In some cases, the BWC will be located on a remote Island and the BWC Specialist should have the skills necessary to plan several weeks of backcountry meals and be well versed in wilderness etiquette such as Leave No Trace principles.
While in the field, crews will be camping in tents near project sites, preparing their own meals, and completing work projects. AmeriCorps members will work together to demonstrate collaborative leadership for the crew, ensure safety procedures are followed, communicate with project partners, and manage conflict and behavioral issues on their crew.
Summer Youth Corps is dedicated to accessibility for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community and all AmeriCorps members are expected to engage in American Sign Language lessons and games throughout training and encourage their crews to practice their ASL skills throughout the summer.
Qualifications:
• Ability and desire to work well with a co-leader(s) and youth team outside in all weather conditions
• Ability to foster strong work habits, environmental ethics, youth leadership, and team unity with youth from diverse backgrounds who may be experiencing a job and/or camping for the first time
• Ability to respond quickly and responsibly in emergency situations to prioritize youth safety
• Given the residential nature of our program, crew leaders must be willing to work long hours, continuin
About Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and AmeriCorps grantee that engages hundreds of youth and young adults each year in programs and initiatives that improve access to outdoor recreation, restore natural habitat, protect waterways, and respond to community needs and natural disasters. Our mission is to engage youth and young adults in meaningful service, leadership development, and environmental stewardship. Our vision is a world in which everyone has equitable access to nature, is equipped to succeed in career and life, and is empowered to make a difference in conserving natural resources. Learn more at conservationcorps.org.
