Job Title: Seasonal Lead Summer Environmental Educator
Department: Education
Reports to: Assistant Director of Youth Learning & Engagement
Classification: Seasonal Contract
Employment Dates: June 10th, 2024- August 30, 2024
Salary range: $156-$168 per day based on experience. Exempt, $75 per night stipend for overnight programs
About Bird Alliance of Oregon
Bird Alliance of Oregon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland.
The goal of Bird Alliance of Oregon Education is to build inclusive flyways between joy, learning and advocacy in nature. Through school programs camps, adult classes, trips, youth leadership, free events and deep collaborations, we expand access to the outdoors; amplify connections between birds, people and place; and create opportunities for all people to love and care for the natural world in ways that are meaningful for them. In partnership, we strive to nurture just communities working together to make a difference.
Just as birds connect landscapes across an ecosystem, we understand our work in a rich context of cultural communities, neighborhoods and networks across our region. We seek to build connectivity, common purpose and collective impact through collaboration. We value the profound legacy of stewardship that people who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color have brought to this work for generations, and we see partnership and mutual aid as essential to everything we do. We’re grateful to spend our days exploring, laughing, and looking up in wonder, and we believe joy is a powerful driver of change, both personal and collective. Together, we hope to foster a lasting, resonant sense of place in the outdoors, and invite everyone to take action for conservation in their own community and throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Position Summary
Bird Alliance of Oregon ’s Summer Lead Educators are passionate nature enthusiasts and relationship builders excited to help us host our second summer of Sliding Scale camp. Together, we’ll lead joyful, curious and collaborative camps outside for children from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Summer Lead Educators work together leading a small, diverse team of 2-5 staff per camp who bring a wide range of professional and lived experience to our work. Through nature explorations, hikes, science experiments, music and art, quiet reflection, and big belly laughs, we encourage children to bring their whole selves to camp, find their growing edge, and deepen their connection to nature and one another.
You’re someone with experience in outdoor education or teaching in an informal setting (e.g. camps, parks, museums, community centers or comparable spaces), especially in socioeconomically and racially diverse environments. You love nature, and have some knowledge of ecology or natural history, ideally in the Pacific Northwest. With the launch of sliding scale camp, we’re excited to welcome families that mirror the full diversity of our city. As a Summer Lead Educator, you’ll also help mentor a team of young adult Assistant Educators from Bird Alliance of Oregon ’s Green Leaders program, a partnership with Hacienda Community Development Corporation. It’s essential that all educators have a strong comfort working in multiracial teams, a dedication to creating an anti-racist learning environment, and a commitment to advancing equity and inclusion through their practice. Candidates with lived experience working with youth of color, immigrants, and people from working class families are highly encouraged to apply.
Camps take place at our sanctuary in NW Portland, in parks and green spaces throughout the region, or in some cases include overnight programs at Marmot Cabin outside of Sandy or expeditions to California and Washington. Bird Alliance of Oregon has made a strong commitment to protect summer staff time - the regular schedule is designed to ensure an eight hour work day with early release on Fridays, and we work with educators to take one week off camp each season.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
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Work in consistent teams of 3-5 educators to lead 10 weeks of camp with a set age group
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Learn and teach 3, week-long curricula (repeated three times). Lead your team in camp debriefs and ensure everyone feels supported as a part of your team.
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Lead culturally responsive camps that build an inclusive and welcoming environment for all children
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Be responsive to various emotional and physical needs of the campers with age-appropriate behavior management interventions
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Celebrate the work of communities of color, LGBTQIA practitioners, and other historically marginalized voices in science and conservation throughout our programs
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Facilitate circle times and creative expression throughout the camp week
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Participate in a culture of mentorship and collaboration that supports the growth of Green Leaders and as well as other educators
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Assist with logistics around camp transportation, food, and equipment
Working Conditions
Ability to hike 1.5 miles on uneven terrain
Must possess a current driver’s license
Ability to be certified in Basic First Aid and CPR
Ability to follow COVID-19 safety procedures and guidelines
Some positions, but not all, will require the ability to lift up to 40 pounds to waist level, lead programs in remote settings and/or overnight experiences
May require constant bending at times