Salmon Valley Stewardship Environmental Education & Outreach Specialist

Position Title: Environmental Education and Outreach Specialist
Project Sponsor: Salmon Valley Stewardship

Position Summary:
Salmon Valley Stewardship’s mission is to promote a sustainable economy and productive working landscapes here in the Salmon River region of Central Idaho. To help further this mission, the Environmental Education and Outreach Specialist AmeriCorps Member will be tasked with coordinating monthly STEAM programs, building volunteer capacity for education initiatives and habitat restoration, and supporting education programs, outreach events and partnership activities across the community.

Member Activities/Duties:
During their service term, the AmeriCorps member will implement a series of core project activities designed to enhance environmental education, community engagement, and habitat restoration. The core project activities include leading the establishment of a monthly Friday STEAM natural resource program for youth; supporting the Hands on the Land in-school field trip program with 1-2 field trips per season (fall, winter, spring); coordinating volunteer restoration opportunities; and developing community education activities. The member will research and develop curriculum content and art projects focused on natural resource topics (e.g. sagebrush steppe, wildlife, geology), collaborate with local professionals to finalize program structure, and gather feedback from participants to adjust throughout the school year.

The member will also work on volunteer recruitment and training for restoration projects, working with the Native Plants Program to support their seedball technology with a community engagement component in February-August. Finally, the member will support partner education programs and the Hands on the Land field trips, which engage local schools in field trip activities to increase environmental literacy and exposure to outdoor recreation experiences.

The day-to-day tasks will include research and program development, relationship-building among partners and volunteers, developing outreach materials, and implementing education programs and volunteer events. This position will be tasked with developing printed and digital outreach materials such as flyers, newspaper ads, social media posts, as well as creating legacy materials such as volunteer toolkits and program guides to ensure sustained project momentum.

Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be U.S. citizen, national or lawful permanent resident.
• Must possess high school diploma or equivalent or commit to earning one prior to receiving award.
• Must be fluent in English.
• Must be able to commit to the full term of service for which they are applying.
• Must successfully pass a fingerprint criminal history background check provided through PCEI.
• Must complete and submit all necessary PCEI AmeriCorps paperwork and reports in a timely manner
• Must commit to, attend and complete all PCEI AmeriCorps training and service requirements including orientation, trainings, team meetings and National Service Days.
• Must wear AmeriCorps uniform and/or appropriate identifiers and required safety gear while performing service or attending official events.
• AmeriCorps members can enroll in multiple terms of service that add up to the value of two full-time education awards. You can also serve additional terms but will not receive an additional education award.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience teaching environmental education, STEM content knowledge preferred
• Comfortable and confident teaching and instruction of small and large groups
• Ability to prepare basic lesson plans and educational materials
• Strong verbal communication skills – able to speak clearly, positively, and effectively with both children and adults
• Knowledge of/desire to learn about local ecology, plants, animals, rivers, geology, wildfire, etc.
• Strong organizational, time management, and project management skills
• Ability to maintain professional attitude and work behavior
• Must be comfortable driving an SVS-provided automatic work truck for work-related needs
• Maintain a flexible schedule, with reliable attendance and dependability
• Enthusiasm for community-based conservation, working with youth, and building relationships with partner organizations and volunteers

Member Benefits Include:

• A taxable, monthly living allowance totaling $22,000 for a 12-month/1700-hour term.
• Upon successful completion of a term of service, eligible members receive an education award in the amount of $7,395 that can be used to repay qualified student loans or for further education in an accredited institution of higher learning, vocational or trade school.
• Loan forbearance – after successful completion of a term of service, AmeriCorps will pay the accrued interest on qualified loans, which is taxable.
• Basic medical, dental and vision insurance for those who qualify.
• Childcare allowance for those who qualify.
• Professional development, trainings and networking opportunities.
• Qualified individuals and those from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals.

Project Location/Transportation Needs:
107 S. Center St. Salmon, ID 83467. Members are responsible for their own transportation to and from the project location. Salmon is located about 2 ½ hours from any major city or regional airport (Idaho Falls, Missoula) so a personal vehicle is strongly recommended to access local recreation destinations and regional shopping/amenities.

Dates of Service:
Full-time: 11-months between September 2024 and August 2025 with a desired start date of 9/18/2024.