Community Volunteer Ambassador

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 650 volunteers annually donate over 44,000 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 Volunteer Ambassdor (CVA), 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 CVA will be involved in all aspects of managing Glacier’s volunteer program, with an emphasis on helping to plan Glacier's transfer onto volunteer.gov, which is an online platform used across the NPS to manage volunteer paperwork and recruitment. 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. They will assist with community outreach efforts, such as helping facilitate a park booth at the Northwest Montana Fair and two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events.

Glacier's CVA will also assist with the park's curriculum-based education programming. During the school year, when there are not many volunteer groups to assist with, the CVA will spend some of their time working with the education team to connect with students from across the country, both virtually and in person. This includes leading field trips, conducting classroom visits, presenting distance learning programs, and participating in community outreach. Students are generally K-8 and follow program objectives listed here.

Position Responsibilities:

Glacier’s CVA will arrive in January and spend the first three weeks of their term working with the education team until the Volunteer Coordinator returns from furlough on February 10, 2025. During this time the CVA would receive training on how to work with students and shadow curriculum-based education programs. These programs include leading K-12 students on snowshoe hikes focused on winter ecology, as well as presenting distance learning programs to students nationwide using green screen and video technology.

The CVA will split their time between the VIP and education programs through the rest of the winter and into spring, working on VIP office projects, administrative work to get ready for a busy season, and training to gain knowledge of volunteer management. The CVA will also lead curriculum-based education programs, both in person and virtually.

A major project the CVA will work on during their entire term will be assisting Glacier with planning and executing our transition onto Volunteer.gov, which is a digital platform to manage and recruit volunteers across the NPS.

At the end of April, and throughout May, education programs are normally conducted on trails in the Apgar area. The spring programs focus on habitats, animal adaptations, senses, and phenology. The CVA will receive training on spring education programming and shadow education staff to gain skills needed to lead their own programs, which will also be directly helpful in preparing for leading summer youth service groups with the volunteer office.

All programming and work the CVA will be engaged with involves safety protocols. Programs will continually be evaluated and adjusted for staff and participant safety.

Starting in late May, the CVA will transition to full time work with all aspects of the volunteer program, with a continued emphasis on the park’s transfer to volunteer.gov. The CVA also have a large 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.

The CVA will also help support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by staff overseeing Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol and Apgar Visitor Center Volunteers, and other volunteer Programs. This will include assisting with volunteer paperwork, uniforms, tracking volunteer hours, website management, other administrative duties and preparing and facilitating volunteer events such as appreciation potlucks and orientations. They will be the lead/co-lead for community outreach events such as the Northwest Montana Fair and two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events.

CVA Minimum Requirements:

• We are looking for a reliable, resourceful, and flexible person with an outgoing personality, who likes working with youth, to join our team.
• The candidate must be comfortable speaking in front of groups, have strong and effective organization skills for managing the complex details and work projects, have sound judgement and adhere to safety policies.
• Many of the groups the CVA will work with are students and 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, babysitting, or similar experience.
• This CVA 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.
• Patience with technology and people and a willingness to learn and implement a new system (volunteer.gov) are critical to this position. Training on Volunteer.gov will be provided.
• The CVA will also be required to be able to obtain first aid/CPR certification (provided after they arrive).
• Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in March 2025 (date TBD).
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old).
• High School Diploma/GED.
• Pass fingerprint-based FBI, state criminal, and a national sex offender checks.
• Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check.
• Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• To thrive in this work environment the CVA intern will need to be able 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 CVA 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.
• Since the position involves some work with the park’s education team, some kind of teaching experience would be valuable.
• In addition, it would be fabulous for this person to have experience with Facebook and other social media platforms, as well as with website management, but these are not required, as we will provide training in these areas.

Additional Information:

Glacier’s CVA position is unique in that this person will be directly involved helping to manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program, as well as in presentation of the park’s curriculum-based education programs for local school groups.

Winter work with the education staff will help tie the CVA in with the smaller winter community at the park right after they arrive.

This CVA will be on a maxi-flex schedule, to accommodate the need to occasionally work evenings and weekends.

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, and two large grocery stores, and about an hour at most to Kalispell, with a Costco and other large box stores.

Shared Park housing will be provided and is within walking distance to the Volunteer and Education office where the CVA will be working. It will be mostly furnished, with all the 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 CVA access to the park community, including laundry facilities, the park library, and WIFI at the community building. The CVA may choose to pay to have their own WIFI installed at their house, the cost of which is generally around $40-$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 CVA will live, as well as an annual staff BBQ organized by leadership and a Glacier Employee Association summer party.

Benefits:

• $600/week living stipend.

• Shared park housing will be provided at no cost to the CVA. If the selected applicant already lives in the Flathead Valley, they will instead receive $150/week in housing allowance.

• Limited health care/childcare benefits.

• The position is eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award $7,395.00 (pre-tax) upon successful completion of the program.

• $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.

Internship Location

West Glacier, MT

Employment Dates

The CVA position will start on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and run for 48 weeks until December 19, 2025.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply, visit Conservation Legacy's website.

Application Deadline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November.

For Application Questions:

Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at [e-mail]