PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2025 Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.
Position Title: Community Volunteer Ambassador - Acadia National Park - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Bar Harbor, ME
Application Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Sunday, December 8, 2024.
Terms of Service:
- Start Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
- End Date: Friday, December 19, 2025
- AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour
Purpose:
Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, 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 CVA will play a key role in advancing community engagement in climate-smart, learning-based restoration efforts in Acadia National Park. This includes communicating with the public at local events, leading volunteer restoration projects, and coordinating initiatives to foster community stewardship. This role is highly interdisciplinary and collaborative. The CVA will regularly interact with staff from multiple divisions (e.g., Volunteers, Resource Management, Visitor Engagement and Education) and with partner organizations (e.g. Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute).
Acadia National Park is seeing the effects of climate change on its resources. Together with Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute, the park is taking action to understand and respond to these changes. The CVA will participate in discussions about climate change and approaches to climate adaptation in Acadia. They will use this knowledge to engage the public through community events, partner meetings, and educational outreach. In addition to helping the park communicate and collaborate on climate-smart restoration work broadly, there are several key projects that the CVA will help coordinate during their term:
--Save Our Summits is a volunteer initiative that engages community members in vegetation restoration on Acadia's hard-to-reach summits by hiking up soil. The CVA will organize the outreach and registration process for Save Our Summits, lead hikes, and educate volunteers about restoration efforts.
--Backyard Stewards is a new project to empower Mount Desert Island residents to remove invasive species and plant native species in their yards and neighborhoods, supporting biodiversity on the island. The CVA will coordinate community outreach, communicate with project participants, and collaborate closely with the Vegetation Program as the project grows.
--Backyard Scientists is a citizen science project that engages community members in monitoring the phenology of climate-adapted plants in their yards to help park managers understand if they might be useful in restoration projects. The CVA will lead outreach, coordinate volunteer participation, provide support for data collection, and help analyze observations.
The CVA will shadow and support the work of various teams throughout their term, especially the Volunteer Program and Vegetation Program. They will also be encouraged to explore their unique skills and interests as they collaborate on various projects.
Site Description
Acadia National Park is mostly located on Mount Desert Island, the largest island off the coast of Maine. Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. At 4 million visits a year, it's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. Visitors enjoy 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads.
Acadia National Park has a large and diverse volunteer program. In addition to longer-term volunteer opportunities managed by Acadia National Park, we also work closely with park partners to offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities. In partnership with Friends of Acadia, we have a robust trails and carriage road maintenance drop-in program, the Acadia Winter Trails Association volunteer program, a gardening volunteer program with the Wild Gardens of Acadia, and several large events like Take Pride in Acadia Day. The park offers citizen science volunteer opportunities through Schoodic Institute. Acadia National Park, Schoodic Institute, and Friends of Acadia collaborate on several volunteer opportunities focused on climate-smart restoration, including Save Our Summits, a program inviting hikers to carry soil to summits to support vegetation restoration.
Description of Duties:
- Work with an interdisciplinary team.
- Develop and foster partnerships with local organizations and stakeholders to support restoration efforts.
- Provide educational outreach on climate change adaptation and restoration to local residents and visitors (e.g., local events, library talks).
- Coordinate Save Our Summits, Backyard Stewards, and Backyard Scientists projects, including organizing outreach, communicating with participants, and leading groups in the field.
- Work with partners and staff to continue developing volunteer opportunities to meet community needs and resource management goals.
Qualifications:
- United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
- Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
- Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
- 2 years of college or equivalent experience
- Effective communication skills
- Good work ethic and ability to self-start
- Ability to stay organized and manage time effectively while coordinating multiple projects
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to hike 4+ miles on technical terrain and carry 15 pounds
- Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in March 2025 (date TBD)
- Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old)
- Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position
- Be able to provide proof of a driver's license and complete a MVR check
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience engaging the general public through interpretation or public speaking
- Experience leading groups (e.g., volunteers, students)
- Experience communicating science to diverse audiences
- Ability to work in an outdoor setting for long periods of time
Physical Requirements:
Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. 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.
Time Requirements:
- This position is expected to serve a 40-hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary and will be set by host site.
- Lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hours.
- Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
Orientation and Training:
- Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
- Week-long, in-person training on NPS volunteer program management and leadership skills.
- Year-long continuum of learning supporting professional development
- $1,200 in Professional Development Funds
Additional Information:
Perhaps the most unique aspect of this position is the opportunity it provides the CVA to work with a variety of divisions within Acadia National Park, volunteer groups, and multiple partner organizations (e.g., Friends of Acadia, Schoodic Institute). The CVA will be immersed in a multiorganizational, learning- based, climate-smart restoration initiative while learning about and participating in the coordination of these organizations. Due to the nature of these projects and associated outreach opportunities, occasionally the CVA may be required to work evenings and weekends.
Acadia National Park consists of forests, meadows, wetlands, rocky beaches, and granite peaks. The park and surrounding communities offer a multitude of year-round outdoor recreation opportunities. Its location is remote and while there is public transportation during the peak season, it is not available year-round and therefore, a license and car is required of the CVA.
Housing includes a private bedroom in a furnished apartment on the NPS Research Learning Center and Schoodic Institute campus on the Schoodic Peninsula. The apartment will be shared with one or more other seasonal employees and includes a full kitchen (with dishes, pans, etc.), full bathroom, and living room. The campus has wireless internet, facilities for laundry, and is within easy walking distance of the ocean and trails. The CVA should bring personal items, including toiletries, laundry supplies, bedding, and linens. A bicycle is also helpful, as much of the Schoodic Peninsula, including Winter Harbor and park multi-use trails, are accessible by bicycle. Getting to most off-campus services requires a car. Alternative housing may be available on Mount Desert Island, which is nearer most work sites. The availability of housing on Mount Desert Island is uncertain, but is very likely during winter months and possible during the summer.
Benefits:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395
- Living Allowance of $600 per week.
- Additional Benefit of $150 per week, if housing is not provided.
- $1,200 in Professional Development funds for training, networking, conferences, and/or travel.
- 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.
Evaluation and Reporting:
As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.
Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.
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 Tuesday, January 21, and run for 48 weeks until Friday, December 19, 2025.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2025 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 Sunday, December 8, 2024.
For Application Questions:
Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at jgasaway@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. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.
We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps 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 manage...
