Working as a Volunteer

Internships Housing/Stipends Transportation Requirements

International Applying SCA Americorps

 

Volunteers perform a wide variety of duties:

INTERPRETATION: Works information desks at the Visitor Centers, sells natural/cultural history publications, greets visitors and answers visitor inquiries about the Park, the National Park Service and other areas on Maui. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to prepare and present talks, guided hikes, cultural demonstrations, and other activities. Must be a U.S. Resident.

ADMINISTRATION: Clerical duties such as filing, typing, photocopying, working with computers, record keeping, answering correspondence, stocking and pricing sales items, and preparing permits.

CURATION: Assists with maintaining museum collections, Park library and photo/slide files.

MAINTENANCE: Assists with backcountry cabin/campground maintenance, painting, litter pickup, sanitation, construction, trail maintenance, and maintaining equipment in Park stables.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: Assists with various resource management projects such as planting native species, removal of alien plants; inspection, maintenance and repair of feral animal control fences and monitoring of transects; monitoring of endangered bird populations and predator control traps. Many projects are located in remote areas of Haleakala requiring extended periods living in the backcountry under primitive conditions and may involve hiking over steep, rocky terrain. Some positions require background in biology, botany or wildife biology.

RESEARCH: Assists biologists in gathering and analyzing data for studies on climate, insects, plants and invasive species. Duties may include data entry, mapping, rodent and insect trapping, alien plant removal, aquatic biology censuses, and monitoring vegetation recovery plots. Strong science background is required.

Haleakala has a need for volunteers year-round. VIP's that participate in short-term projects are normally Maui residents who may work only a few days a year, or once or twice a week for a few months. Long-term, full-time assignments vary dependent upon available projects and usually require a 3-4 month commitment.

 

What About Internships?

Haleakala does not have a formal internship program. Dependent upon the needs of the individual, we are sometimes able to match internship needs with a particular existing project. Due to constraints of park staff and supervision, we are not able to create projects that meet internship needs. If a volunteer project meets the internship requirements, the minimum internship period is 10 weeks.

 

What About Housing or Stipend?

Due to limited funding and housing, VIPs are not usually compensated and only a few VIPs per year receive housing. A small stipend may be offered if funding is available. This will not meet your living expenses, as costs on Maui are up to twice those on the mainland. You must depend on your own financial resources. The closest community with housing is 10 miles away, and rents are high. Campground spaces are not available for VIPs as camping in Haleakala is limited to 3 nights per month. Housing for families or couples is typically not available.

Funds for stipend and/or housing are sometimes available for volunteers that are willing to commit to full-time work for 3 or more months. If housing is furnished, the VIP will have a private bedroom in a coed facility with shared kitchen, living room, and bathroom. There is no housing for positions located in the Kipahulu District of the park.

 

How About Transportation?

No transportation is provided to or from Maui. The Park is 17 miles from the nearest town. VIPs who live in Park housing, will be picked up at the airport at the beginning of their volunteer position and will be brought back at the end. Volunteers will be provided a ride once a week to the nearest grocery store. The beaches are 35 miles away, and there is no public transportation on Maui from beach areas to the park. There is public transportation from Kahului to Kihei to Lahaina.

 

Requirements

Volunteers must be able to work without close supervision after initial training. You must have a valid driver's license, and be able to communicate with visitors and co-workers. Some positions require hiking over rough terrain, near steep cliffs, in inclement weather conditions and that you must not be afraid of heights. People with respiratory or heart conditions should obtain approval from their physician prior to considering a position here as work is at high altitude.

 

International Requirements

International volunteers are required to have a J-1 Visa and an International Driver's License. International volunteers may be restricted from some positions due to Federal regulations. This process takes 2-4 months from the time you are offered a volunteer position. For additional information, go to the International Volunteer Website.

 

Sound Great! How Do I Apply?

Fill out an on-line application. It is an electronic application. Once we receive your application, your application will be fowarded to the appropriate areas of your interest for consideration. You will receive a response within 2 – 3 weeks of application submittal. If you should have further questions, please feel free to contact the Volunteer Manager at 808-572-4487.

If you are selected…

… you will be contacted. In addition, you may need to fill out and submit the documents below to the volunteer coordinator. After your orientation and appropriate training to the duties you will be doing, you will be one of the newest volunteers for the National Park Service.

Agreement for Individual Voluntary Services (Form 10-85, Individuals Only)

Parental Approval (Form 10-89, parents must sign for children under 18)

Timesheet (Individuals Only)

Trip Report

 

Student Conservation Association

You may also want to contact the Student Conservation Association (SCA) about volunteer positions. SCA positions are generally full-time, 12-16 week positions in public or private natural resource management agencies throughout the United States. Transportation costs and a bi-weekly stipend are paid by SCA. Haleakala "hires" 3-5 Resource Assistant volunteers through this program each year. Housing is provided for these volunteers. The SCA address/phone is: P.O. Box 550, Charlestown, New Hampshire, 03603 U.S.A. Phone: [phone]. More information available on the SCA Website.

 

AmeriCorps

Haleakala National Park uses AmeriCorp positions two different ways. The primary is through the SCA program whereby SCA has a partnership with AmeriCorp for some participants to receive educational scholarships. You can apply for these positions through SCA using the above information. The other is through the local AmeriCorp office. The local AmeriCorp program is a non-residential program and participants need to have their own housing and transportation on Maui. Applications are accepted year-round with interviews occuring in late September and positions beginning in November. Most of the AmeriCorp positions are part-time positions with only a few full-time positions available. Their phone number is 808-873-3101.