Organization
Job Posted
March 25, 2024
Job status
Job Category
Job Type
Job Duration
Job Compensation Type
Remote
No
Contact Name
Daniel Rodriguez
Contact Email
Daniel@vveducation.org
Location
United States
and independent worker.
Summary
Instructor Responsibilities
This is a full-time, school-year (late August-early June) position General Program Expectations
● Be committed to the Vida Verde mission and vision; embody the Vida Verde values at work (see values below)
● Manage student groups to success utilizing Vida Verde’s positive-reinforcement group management techniques. Create an awesome space and team each week with a classroom of high-potential human beings.
● Lead games and activities, practice conflict resolution, be a role model.
● Collaborate with the instructor team to develop an emotionally safe and supportive learning environment for the students
● Ensure students’ physical safety
● Respect and engender understanding for the diversity of our staff and students
● Connect with and understand students as individuals, take time to learn about them and their communities
● Facilitate safe and positive interactions between students
● Embrace a culture of feedback via peer-to-peer observations, teacher evaluations, video recordings, team debriefs, monthly meetings with your manager and quarterly goal setting
● Drive safely and learn the particulars of driving & attending to the Vida Verde vehicles
● Interact positively and professionally with donors and site visitors
● Be willing to take on responsibility for unexpected challenges and opportunities that arise
● Arrive on-time to all work engagements, including program shifts, meetings, etc
● Support and direct classroom teachers & chaperones
● JEDI work: Contribute to an inclusive culture and commit to the org's JEDI statement. Work to achieve goals outlined in the Org-wide JEDI plan which are applicable to your position
Traditional Overnight Program Work
All of the below is describing our in-person, 3-day and 2-night camp program Program Work is three consecutive & long days per week (Tues-Thurs)
● Instruction includes leading six core programs: (1) Goat Milking & Cheese Making (2) Redwood Hike (3) Tidepool, Marsh & Beach Exploration (4) Organic Farm Activities (5) Campfire (6) Night Hike
● Cook & facilitate meal prep/cooking with students (instruction provided)
● Perform first aid for students in the case of injury or illness
● Lead games, songs & stories intermittently throughout week
● Facilitate two camper’s choice activities per week (1 hour and 2 hours)
● Set up, tidily maintain, cleanup & takedown camp each week
● Work outside in varying weather conditions
● 90%+ work time on feet. Hike/walk up to 4 to 6 miles in a day.
● Lift heavy objects up to 50 lbs
● Long work days during program days (~10-12hr workdays) Outside of Program Work Typically Mondays and Fridays:
● Participate in weekly, half-day student management/professional development workshops
● Participate in and prepare for fundraisers, donor events, and site work days
● Teambuilding and communication: attend staff meetings, professional development, and proactively keep up with work communications (email, etc.)
● Support Vida Verde in its ongoing efforts to create and implement the org JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) plan Camp Caretaker Work* Instructors will be responsible for a subset of the following Farm and Facilities chores (typically completed Mondays and Fridays).
● Raking pasture for compost and feeding farm animals
● Cleaning chicken coop and maintaining chicken flock
● Hot tub maintenance
● Program and farm shopping in town
● Recycling and trash runs
● Restroom cleaning
● Possible garden/landscaping work
● Vehicle maintenance/cleaning *Each weekend, one instructor is on animal/greenhouse duty for about three hours/weekend, on a rotating basis (approximately one weekend/month). Required Certifications
● Obtain and or Maintain Current Commercial (Class C) Drivers License with Passenger Endorsement and Drive 20-passenger shuttle bus (training provided). Getting the license typically takes 5 days worth of work strategically spread over 3 months. License needs to be in place by Jan 1st.
● Current First Aid & CPR Certifications ○ Potential for extra paid opportunities for people holding a current Wilderness First Responder certification.
Term of Work
Late August-Early June
● The program operates during the school year from September-November and January-June, with about 33 weeks of program (If we have a cancellation in our schedule, additional caretaking/facilities work will be provided during non-program weeks as available.)
● On the job training for instructor work will happen during the first two weeks of program work / the first two weeks of employment
● There is caretaker training (1-2 days) the first two mondays of work, and additional caretaker work commitments outside of program weeks (for example, over winter break during late November and De cember).
● There is a break in late December/early January and a spring break in March.
Qualifications of a Strong Applicant
● Inspired by and committed to the mission of the organization
● Strong individual and group student support and management skills
● Experience in outdoor education, classroom teaching and/or engaging low-income and students of color
● Desire to work in a small, values-driven nonprofit organization
● Experience in trauma-informed, culturally relevant and culturally responsive teaching
● Comfortable working independently and as part of a strong team
● Positive attitude, commitment to excellence, great communicator, full of integrity
● Enthusiastic about participating in an improvement-driven and supportive management system. Comfortable giving and receiving feedback and regularly setting/tracking goals.
● Current Commercial Class C Driver’s License with Passenger Endorsement (Obtain immediately upon hire and be certified by January 1. Resources and financial support available.)
● Appreciation and comfort leading and teaching students in the outdoors in all types of weather
● Ability and willingness to work flexible hours (evenings and some weekends)
● Comfort and composure when dealing with adversity and conflict.
● Willingness to participate in community-building exercises and strive for positive and open communication in regards to living in a shared/communal environment, and working with a small and close-knit team.
● Current First Aid/CPR certification
● Adaptable
● Organized
● Desire to engage in personal and org-wide JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and anti-racism work.
Bonus Qualifications
● Bilingual (Spanish and English)
● Comfortable playing guitar or other instrument during songs/campfire
● Handy
Application Procedure/Timeline
Send a video of yourself teaching young people*, letter of interest, resume, and three references.
Send by email only to all three of the following:
Daniel Rodriguez, Shawn Sears, and Arturo Cervantes
Daniel@vveducation.org , Shawn@Vveducation.org, Arturo@vveducation.org
Compensation Information
Compensation
● 1 st Year regular pay is $20/hour (plus housing) for those holding (CDL) Commercial Drivers License (38-45 hours/week, approx. $800/week). [1st Year regular pay is $15/hour (plus housing) until you get your CDL (38-45 hours/week, approx. $600/week).]
● Housing provided, a large private bedroom in a three-bedroom staff house or yurt. (Closet, storage space, washer/dryer, shared living room/kitchen/bathrooms.) Access to community hot tub, trail, creek. Secluded rural setting.
● $200 monthly contribution towards group Health, Dental & Vision insurance.
● Full-time staff at Vida Verde are eligible for retirement benefits (Vida Verde matches up to 5% of your salary) after nine months of employment. Vida Verde’s contributions are applied retroactively upon completion of nine months of work, and are vested over a five-year period.
● Pro Deals (deep discounts on products from: Smartwool, Patagonia, Chaco, and others)
● Paid Instructor and Caretaker Training (6-7 days)