Background Information
Glacier National Park depends on dedicated volunteers to perform duties and complete projects that it simply could not do without them. On average, the park has 639 volunteers annually donate 44,759 hours. From overseeing campgrounds to caring for native plants to patrolling over 700 miles of trails, our volunteers help protect valuable resources and help visitors learn about, and safely enjoy, the many aspects of Glacier National Park. The VIP Program office supports long-term volunteer programs parkwide, as well as individual volunteers that step up for immediate park needs. During the summer season, VIP staff, with support from the Community Youth Outreach (CYO) Intern, also host service groups coming locally from Montana and from across the country, providing short-term volunteer opportunities to these visiting groups. The VIP office also oversees the Artist-in-Residence program, coordinating with park staff and partners to host two, month-long artist residencies in the park. The VIP program seeks ways to become more inclusive and equitable, finding opportunities to create collaboration with historically underrepresented groups, such as our neighboring tribal nations. This includes a new Native America Speaks Artist Residency pilot program.
The CYO Intern will be involved in all aspects of managing Glacier’s volunteer program, with an emphasis on helping facilitate both our adult and youth service groups. They will help to support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by other staff who oversee specific programs such as our Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol, and Apgar Visitor Center Volunteer Programs. The selected individual will regularly engage youth and seniors in their volunteer and education program duties. Additionally, they will assist with community outreach efforts, such as helping facilitate a park booth at the Northwest Montana Fair and coordinating two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events.
Position Summary
This CYO Intern position will help manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program, which supports over 600 volunteers annually.
Position Responsibilities:
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The CYO Intern will work with all aspects of the volunteer program, with an emphasis on helping facilitate both our adult and youth service groups. They will help coordinate specific weeks of our MCC crews, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other youth and adult service groups. This involves working collaboratively with all divisions, arranging for camping reservations, scheduling work projects, and communicating with the group leaders to ensure the group has a great visit. They will give a park orientation to each group they coordinate, as well as identifying other educational opportunities for these groups where possible.
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The CYO Intern will also help support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by staff overseeing Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol, Apgar Visitor Center Volunteers, and other volunteer programs. This will include assisting with volunteer paperwork, uniforms, tracking volunteer hours, other administrative duties, and preparing and facilitating volunteer events such as appreciation potlucks and orientations. They will be the lead for community outreach events such as the Northwest Montana Fair and two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events.
CYO Intern Minimum Requirements:
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We are looking for a reliable, resourceful, and flexible person with an outgoing personality who likes working with youth to join our team.
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The candidate must be comfortable speaking in front of groups, have strong and effective organization skills for managing complex details and work projects, have sound judgement, and adhere to safety policies.
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Many of the groups the CYO Intern will work with are youth, so some experience working with this population is needed. This might include a day care center, after school program, youth camps, volunteer work at a school, or similar experience.
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This CYO Intern must have a high level of familiarity with using MS office products to track data and create reports. Knowledge of Excel is also helpful to track volunteer hours and numbers.
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They will also be required to obtain first aid/CPR certification.
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Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
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Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old)
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High School Diploma/GED
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Pass fingerprint-based FBI, state criminal, and a national sex offender checks.
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Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete an MVR check.
Preferred Qualifications:
- To thrive in this work environment the CYO intern will need to work independently, maintain professionalism in a high paced environment, and stay highly organized while overseeing multiple projects.
- They will also need to be comfortable hiking and leading groups in a wilderness setting with grizzly bears, mountain lions, and other wild animals. As this is a developmental position, the CYO Intern will not be doing this on their own until they are comfortable doing so. They will also receive bear training and other skills to work outside safely in the park. Much of the park has limited cell service.
- We are looking for someone with experience facilitating events or managing groups. Ideally this person might have been involved in service projects in their communities and are handy with painting, construction, and other project related skills.
- Involvement in their school in a leadership position where they show they have been comfortable speaking in front of groups is also valuable experience for this position.
- In addition, it would be fabulous for this person to have experience with Facebook and other social media platforms, but this is not required, as we will provide training in this area.
Benefits:
- CYO Intern will receive a weekly stipend of $1,050. If park housing is not available, an additional stipend to offset housing costs will be provided.
- Professional development funds.
- Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations.
Additional Information
- Glacier’s CYO Intern position is unique in that this person will be directly helping to manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program.
- This CYO Intern will be on a maxi-flex schedule, to accommodate the need to occasionally work evenings and weekends. Primary work hours will be Monday through Friday.
- This position requires a current driver’s license and personal car, as there is limited to no public transportation in the area.
- Although Glacier is surrounded by rural communities, it is only 20 minutes to Columbia Falls, where two large grocery stores are located, and roughly an hour to Kalispell, which has a Costco and other large box stores.
- Shared Park housing may be provided and is within walking distance to the Volunteer office where the CYO Intern will be working. Housing will be mostly furnished, with all major furniture and appliances, including bed, refrigerator, and stove. Staff need to bring their own kitchen supplies and bedding. These homes are all maintained following park safety office standards, with fire extinguishers, Carbon Monoxide detectors, etc. This housing also affords the CYO Intern access to the park community, including laundry facilities, the park library, and WIFI at the community building. The CYO Intern may choose to pay to have their own WIFI installed at their house, the cost of which is generally around $35-$50 per month depending on the carrier.
- They are also in the hub of our park staff residential area, within walking distance to West Glacier and easy access to park functions and other people to recreate and socialize with. Often, there are also pick-up soccer games, potlucks, and other social events organized by staff living in the headquarters area where the CYO Intern will live, as well as an annual staff BBQ organized by park leadership and a Glacier Employee Association summer party.
Internship Location
West Glacier, MT
Employment Dates
The CYO Intern position will ideally start on Monday, April 22nd, 2024, and run for 6 months until Friday, October 18 th 2024. There is some flexibility in the start and end dates.
Interns work 40 hours per week with two consectutive days off (usually Saturday and Sunday).
How to Apply
Applicants will need to apply using Microsoft Forms
Applications Deadline
Please submit your application by Sunday, February 11th to ensure full consideration.
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