Backcountry Team Leaders – Recreational Mentoring Program
for At-Risk Youth
Program Description:
BCM, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, addresses the need to provide meaningful mentoring
experiences for urban, under- resourced teens. BCM provides this mentoring
experience coupled with the unique and challenging recreational event of
an 8-day backcountry wilderness trip. The uniqueness of our program is our
5-to-5 ratio of adults to teens during trips, the extended duration of our
trips, the volunteer-led design, and our exclusive focus on at-risk teens.
Our program positively impacts our teens’ beliefs with regard to environmental
awareness, age and ethnic diversity, and self-esteem. As a result of the
exposure to caring adult role models, these teens become better equipped
to make critical career, educational, and lifestyle decisions.
Job Description:
For 16 years, BCM has run recreational mentoring trips with only volunteers
leading trips. As BCM has committed to more ambitious growth goals, we believe
it may become increasingly difficult to grow our program with this model.
BCM will be hiring paid staff to lead some of our nationwide trips during
July and August, most likely in Colorado’s White River National Forest
and Yosemite National Park in California. BCM’s trip design will remain
5 teens led by 5 adults, simply with a paid team member acting in our Team
Leader role, with the remaining 4 adult positions filled by volunteers.
To learn more about the goals, composition, or progression of a BCM trip,
please review the volunteer section of the BCM website, which can be found
at www.bigcitymountaineers.org.
Position
Details:
The role of our Team Leader is to guide the overall 8-day experience to achieve
the goals of the BCM program to the satisfaction of our youth agency partners
and volunteer participants. Specific responsibilities include:
Before the trip
Communicate with other trip participants to ensure proper expectations are
set and questions/concerns are addressed.
Coordinate the logistics of meeting and starting the trip.
Reading BCM’s Trail Handbook to ensure a thorough understanding of
trip design, roles, and expectations.
Participating in BCM’s Team
Leader training, which takes place online, over the phone, and by reading
the Team Leader binder.
During the trip –
Along with other adult Team Members, conduct the trip within the expected
BCM framework as is outlined in our Trail Handbook.
Along with the other adult Team Members, create a safe and meaningful experience
for our youth agency partner and their teen participants.
Responsible for managing all trip expenses, such as lodging, rental cars,
food, and related fees.
After the trip –
Send all paperwork, such as teen surveys, expense report, incident reports,
trip summaries, etc to BCM.
Debrief with BCM staff
Position & Trip Dates
Trip Leaders needed for nationwide 8-day trips taking place between July
7- August 27.
BCM trip locations operate in the following locations:
San Francisco youth agencies in Yosemite National Park
Some limited positions could become available in Seattle, Denver, Chicago,
New York City, and Boston as well
Preference will be given to candidates local to the youth agency geographies.
Description and Qualifications: For 16 years, BCM
has run recreational mentoring trips with only volunteers leading trips. As
BCM has committed to more ambitious growth
goals,
we believe it may become increasingly difficult to grow our program with this
model. BCM would like to test hiring paid staff to lead up to 4 of our San
Francisco Bay area trips to Yosemite National park during July and August.
During this
test, BCM's trip design will remain 5 teens led by 5 adults, simply with
a paid team member acting in our Team Leader role, with the remaining 4 adult
positions filled by volunteers. To learn more about the goals, composition,
or progression of a BCM trip, please review the Volunteer section of the BCM
website,
which can be found at www.bigcitymountaineers.org.
Qualifications:
Prior experience working with youth, preferably
teens.
Experiential education or naturalist background useful.
Work or personal experience with backpacking or canoeing required.
Wilderness First Aid certified required for backpacking, Wilderness First Responder
preferred. Water safety training required for Boundary Waters.
Proven track record working as a leader and in a successful team environment
necessary.
Livescan fingerprinted.
Valid driver’s license and clean driving record required.
Salary: $400 per week Benefits: having an awesome time! Housing: during program Meals: during program Comments: trips are in the backcountry of Yosemite
Deadline: 5/15/06 Available: July & August 2006 Procedure: Please forward your resume and any other relevant
information to Big City Mountaineers via email to
Name: Mark Godley Address: 820 Spyderco Way, Golden, CO 80403 (job is based
in California, though) Telephone: 303-271-9200 Fax: 510-909-2830 Email: Website:www.bigcitymountaineers.org
