Community Volunteer Ambassador-Harriet Tubman NHP at Stewards Individual Placement Program

Wayne State University; New York (NY); On-site; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team as a Community Volunteer Ambassador at the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. This role offers a unique opportunity to engage with the community, foster volunteerism, and contribute to the preservation of our natural resources. As a CVA, you'll conduct site assessments, develop volunteer programs, and collaborate with diverse populations. This is more than just a position; it's a chance to be part of history and make a lasting impact. If you're passionate about conservation and community service, this role is perfect for you. Apply now and help shape the future of this new park!

Benefits

Living Allowance of $600 per week

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395

Professional Development Funds of $1,200

Networking opportunities within the National Park Service

Week-long in-person training with covered expenses

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• Must be 18-30 years old at time of service.

Responsibilities

• Assist in building community connections to the park.
• Expand opportunities for youth volunteers.

Skills

Proactive and self-motivated

Friendly and compassionate

Creative

Problem-solving

Education

High school diploma or equivalency certificate

Job description

Community Volunteer Ambassador - Harriet Tubman NHP

Position Title: Community Volunteer Ambassador – Harriet Tubman National Historical Park - AmeriCorps

Site Location: Auburn, NY

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.

As a new park, recently opened to the public, the chosen CVA will do an initial site assessment and community map. They will complete and update a list of local contacts, including potential partners previously unconnected to the park. Park staff will prioritize identifying partners with whom the site can combine volunteer recruitment efforts and increase visibility for all our organizations’ needs. The CVA will assist in identifying the baseline of volunteer needs at the park and help locate or draft position descriptions--from general to highly-skilled—for park managers to review and customize. As the pilot VIP events programs are launched, the CVA will be able to share insights about future training needs in all areas of park operations including Interpretation, Maintenance, and Cultural Resources.

Site Description:

Harriet Tubman NHP is a small, new partnership park where the NPS facilities were just opened in June 2024. The small staff work together closely across divisions. Offices are located in the newly renovated Parsonage of the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church. Harriet Tubman National Historical Park currently does not have an active volunteer program and the staff are seeking an interested applicant to be a part of history and help to create and cultivate the site's first volunteer in parks program.

Description of Duties:

• A CVA will also help the park to expand opportunities for youth volunteers and help local youth to develop a life-long connection to the park and to the National Park Service.
• By working with the VIP community to customize existing Standard Operating Procedures the CVA will help ensure that we are efficient and compliant with all requirements from day one.

Qualifications:

• Proactive and self-motivated
• Friendly and compassionate
• Creative
• Problem-solver
• 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.
• 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 a 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:

• Local applicants strongly encouraged
• Prior experience researching/implementing new practices
• Experience working with diverse populations from various economic backgrounds

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 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary and will be set by the 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:

• Schedule will include some weekends (schedule will typically mirror the site supervisor's of either Monday-Friday or Tuesday-Saturday)
• Various opportunities to network and collaborate with additional cultural institutions.
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $150 per week, if housing is not provided.
• Interest Payments.
• $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.

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

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 Friday, December 13, 2024.

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 manager.