Overview
The Americorps Outdoor Education Instructor will increase capacity and program reach using Science, Technology, recreation, Engineering, arts, Math, and skill building curriculum. They will design, implement and evaluate the outdoor education program for K-12 students, and will collaborate with partner organizations on creating programs; recruit and organize volunteers; develop a system for youth outreach and communication to diversify participation in programming; lead diverse events; implement safety protocols and best practices for programming; empower youth to utilize Growth Mindset to inspire resilience and grit; and expand Washington State University and Glacier Peak Institute programs to benefit additional communities to increase the exposure urban, suburban and rural youth have to nature and recreation, build cultural exchanges, and skill building. The outdoor education program may include, but are not limited to, activities such as hiking, camping, canoeing, gardenting, restoration, stewardship, and survival skills. The AmeriCorps Member will manage risk, educate, supervise and coordinate with diverse groups and handle administrative tasks such as scheduling and reporting.
Member Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Planning, coordinating and leading outdoor STrEaMs education and recreation lessons for students K-12 both in school and afterschool: Outdoor education and recreation lessons for local youth gives them hands on projects that develop their creative thinking skills and practical problem solving skills. Exposing them to easily accessible green spaces improves their environmental and historical knowledge of the region.
2. Planning and coordinating with partners and volunteers: Working with partners and volunteers helps introduce members to different cultures and backgrounds, and helps members engage and introduce youth from different communities across Western Washington.
3. General maintenance of recreation gear and activity sites: Maintaining equipment is an essential part of functioning in the greater outdoors. Members will not only gain responsibility through regular maintenance, but keeping gear in tact and in good condition will help keep the members proud of the work they do, and excited about being outside.
4. Recruiting and training volunteers, data collection and analysis: Volunteer recruitment and trainings are important job experiences that the members will be able to carry with them throughout their careers, even if they change fields.
Service Schedule:
10.5 month term
Full Time 40 hr/wk; Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 pm. Hours may shift temporarily, based on need, to to include weekends for certain programs. In the summer we may work 4 days at 10 hour per day from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM.
Benefits:
An outdoor gear library. Hiking trails, peaks, teal whitewater rivers, mountain bike trails and forests are located out the front door.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in education, environmental science, or related fields; experience with experiential learning and inquiry based learning methods; outdoor skills; computer skills; organized and detail oriented; and experience with curriculum development.
About Glacier Peak Institute
Glacier Peak Institute in partnership with Washington State University serves in the rural communities of Darrington and Concrete and partners through Science, Technology, recreation, Engineering, arts, Math, and skill building (STrEaMs) programming in the greater Glacier Peak region. The partnered institutions focus on empowering rural youth through action-based outdoor education, work and recreation to inspire future stewards of local ecosystems. Despite being surrounded by mountains, glaciers, and forests, youth and schools face barriers of funding, gear, and mentorship to accessing the outdoors and few youth and classes utilizing the outdoors, which has been shown to boost resilience and health. Through outdoor adventures and hands-on projects, youth develop creative thinking, problem solving, social and technical skills, and expand their environmental and historical knowledge.
