The Conservation Education Specialist will play an integral role in Bur Oak Land Trust’s goal to better connect people of all ages to nature through their work in planning and coordinating educational and outreach opportunities for community members, their engagement with community and organization members to raise awareness about the value of land stewardship, and their advocacy of our mission through presentations to community groups on the importance of conservation stewardship. We are looking for someone who has experience with educating in a variety of situations, possesses strong communication and planning skills, and brings a creative approach to new projects.
Service Activities
Conservation Education
● Identify opportunities to connect learning with stewardship efforts and link as appropriate
● As needed, plan, promote and implement learning or engagement events in the region
● Plan and coordinate education and outreach opportunities for community members of all ages, genders, and ethnicities
● Maintain regular communication with local youth groups, schools, and agencies to promote current projects, plan new opportunities, and share achievements
● Lead education activities, both indoor and outdoor
● Develop and give presentations to community groups
● Find locations to display our organization’s exhibits and staff them when necessary
Volunteer Coordination
• Coordinate the placement of volunteers into appropriate roles such as team leaders, program event volunteers, team mentors, subject matter experts, and organizational support roles
• Maintain accurate records and tracking of volunteer engagement through database entry and utilization
• Design informational/educational material for the social media and web platforms
• Train staff and volunteers on maintaining the Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to build capacity for the organization
Community Need Addressed
The three main problems that Bur Oak Land Trust seeks to address in our community using AmeriCorps members are as follows: the loss of prairie and woodland habitat, the spread of non-native invasive species, and the lack of exposure to nature by people of all ages.
Position Outcomes
As an AmeriCorps State operating site, Bur Oak Land Trust will increase its stewardship capacity and be instrumental in the development of future conservation leaders who will create sustained, long-term environmental impacts. Our members' efforts will restore and conserve native habitat, protect the wildlife that depend on our land, and increase and promote opportunities for residents to connect with nature
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
We will also offer a variety of trainings for our members to participate in.
Education Benefits
College Degree
Skills you will gain
project management, event management, conservation education, volunteer management, nonprofit, grant development, outreach
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment