Summer Youth Program Assistant
This position is specifically designed for currently enrolled high school/GED/college students. This is a work-based learning experience for young leaders and provides professional development opportunities for young people in the park. The minimum age for this position is 16.
Organization Description:
Since 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy) has served as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, collaborating with the Presidio Trust, partners, donors, and the community to support the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The GGNRA stretches across three Bay Area counties north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and includes iconic places such as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Mori Point, Lands End, and the Presidio of San Francisco.
The Parks Conservancy engages at the intersection of national park sites, local communities, social justice, and climate resilience. Collaborating with partners, our staff are dedicated to enhancing public awareness and providing volunteer and educational opportunities in the parks. We are park builders, caretakers, ambassadors and educators, all working to connect people to parks in support of our vision Parks for All Forever. Join us.
Department Description:
The Parks Conservancy Youth Programs team prioritizes individuals, groups, and communities that national parks and conservation organizations have failed to previously serve. Our programs encourage new generations to become bold leaders for thriving parks, healthy communities, and a more environmentally just society. Our programs erase boundaries between communities and the environment. Each program is community driven and inspired. Our programs focus on teaching participants about social and environmental issues while building leadership skills that can contribute to positive change.
Our programs engage youth across the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and in their individual communities. Our programs span multiple counties and work with a variety of partnerships. To deliver our programs the Crissy Field Center works with partners like the One Tam Collaborative, National Park Service, and Presidio Trust. These partners provide opportunities for youth to engage in stewardship, conservation, and volunteer work. Our department is in the Presidio of San Francisco at the bottom of “Tunnel Tops”.
Position Overview:
We are hiring 8 Summer Youth Program Assistants. The term for these positions is June 7th 2025 – August 6th 2025.
The Summer Youth Program Assistants are responsible for supporting the Conservancy’s Youth Programs staff in the support and facilitation of leadership and education programs for local youth. The Summer Youth Program Assistants supervise and mentor middle school age youth through activities centering around team/community building, environmental science, environmental justice, service learning, outdoor experiences, visual art, wellness, and leadership development. In addition to program delivery, the Summer Youth Program Assistants help to ensure all youth program participants have a safe, fun, and meaningful summer. Programs take place at the Crissy Field Center, in parks, at schools, and in communities of the youth we serve.
During Summer 2025 (June-August), the Summer Youth Program Assistants will primarily support the Urban Trailblazers (UTB) Middle School Leadership Program. Some of the primary activities of UTB include outdoor adventures such as camping and hiking, leadership development workshops, project-based learning, and service learning. Program participants spend 6 weeks building community and growing together.
The Summer Youth Program Assistants typically work a Tuesday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm schedule and occasionally 2-3 Mondays. There is the possibility to have schedules shifted to accommodate overnight trips, field trips, and training. The Summer Youth Program Assistants are expected to support with the facilitation of 2-3 or more overnight camping trips during the summer. Schedules, including any irregular hours, overtime hours, and overnight trips, will be planned with supervisor support and approval.
Summer Youth Program Assistants will work in-person and is based at the Crissy Field Center in the Presidio.
The Community and Youth Programs Department is looking for candidates with one or more of the following competencies:
- Excited to build community with Bay Area youth
- Challenge youth to learn and grow through workshops, outdoor activities, projects, and community building
- Join a team of youth workers to make sure all participants have a fun and meaningful summer.
Not having these skills will not disqualify applicants from consideration.
Reports To: The Summer Youth Program Assistants reports to one of the Middle School Program Managers.
Key Responsibilities:
This is an education and youth development position that includes the mentorship of youth and program support.
Program Development and Delivery
- Supports youth participants in outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, camping, team-building activities, service learning, and environmental education lessons.
- Supports project-based learning curriculum for youth.
- Supports in-classroom activities and presentations.
- Assists with lesson planning.
- Supports overnight camping trips with youth. Assists with program planning for overnight programs.
- Supports youth with interdisciplinary projects.
- Helps creates a physically and emotionally safe space for youth to engage in the outdoors
- Prepares materials for activities. Cleans up after activities.
Youth Mentorship and Supervision
- Supports program staff in developing short-term and long-term goals for youth.
- Supports supervision of middle school age youth.
- Models healthy and supportive behavior for youth participants.
- Supports lessons that support leadership and professional career skills for youth participants.
- With direction from program staff, it provides positive and constructive feedback to youth.
- Collaboration and Coordination
- Supports program staff in communicating with program partners.
- Supports with program evaluation and reporting.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ability to be creative, energetic, and self-motivated.
- Skilled at taking initiative and recognizing what needs to be done.
- Ability to multi-task effectively.
- An outgoing communicator with good interpersonal skills.
- Must be able to take direction and feedback in a constructive manner.
- Excited about service and enjoy interacting with youth
- Passion for connecting with others, especially youth.
- Able to work independently using sound judgement and decision-making skills.
- Able to work in a team setting and understand shared responsibilities
- Ability to communicate needs or ideas to enhance overall experience for youth in summer programs.
Education and/or Experience:
- Prefer previous experience in youth program
- Lived or worked experience in San Francisco Bay Area communities
- Multilingual: able to speak language(s) other than English that serve bay area communities
- Current and past youth program participants are HIGHLY recommended to apply (LINC, IYEL, UTB)
Health and Safety:
It is the goal of the Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. We work to mitigate hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, consistent with state and federal laws. Employees play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and are expected to comply with all applicable health and safety rules.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment:
- Schedule (Summer): Typically, Tuesday-Friday, 8:30am to 5pm and occasionally 2-3 Mondays, with some evening work. 2-3 overnight programs over the summer.
- Works in-person and is based at the Crissy Field Center in the Presidio.
- Work is performed in multiple settings, including at a desk in an office, in front of a computer, in indoor teaching spaces such as classrooms, and in outdoor settings such as parks.
- Ability to hike 5 miles on uneven terrain.
- Work is often performed standing or walking with a backpack.
- Frequently lifts, carries, and positions objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
- Occasionally sits at a computer station for up to 3-4 hours.
- Work will be performed in person with safety precautions. If in-person work is deemed unsafe by the Conservancy’s Director of Safety for COVID or any other reason, work will be performed virtually.
Pay Rate and Benefits:
This is a seasonal position working an average of 32 hours per week, from June 7th to August 6th, 2025. Overtime is paid for any hours exceeding 8 hours in one day. The hourly wage is $20.00/hour. This is an unbenefited position.
To Apply: Please submit a thoughtful cover letter, and resume with your application. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Application review will begin by April 7th , 2025. Applications received after that date may not be considered.
Start date is June 7th, 2025. End Date is August 6th, 2025
The above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement, and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances. We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
