Interpretive Ranger - SCA NH Conservation Corps

This position begins April 1st, 2024 and ends on October 31st, 2024.

The SCA NH Corps Interpretive Rangers serve as part of the Discover the Power of Parks (DPP) program team. The purpose of this unique program is to engage visitors with the natural, cultural, and recreational resources of New Hampshire. In this position you will connect residents and visitors through fun and engaging programs throughout your service term. 

April – Mid-June – Training and Spring Outreach Season:

During this time, you will be living at Bear Brook State Park with the other Interpretive Rangers and Field Crew Members.  Throughout training you will learn from experienced NHCC staff, and other professionals in the field. In addition to the trainings listed below in the “position benefits” summary, you would also receive training in: 

• SCA, AmeriCorps, and NH State Park policies and protocols 
• Leadership development and teamwork  
• Hands-on experience in education, including program development, lesson and curriculum planning, and a variety of evaluation methods 
• Educational pedagogies and various learning/teaching styles (such as place-based education, hands on and experiential learning, multiple intelligences, and teaching to multi-age audiences) 
• New England natural and cultural history and local ecology  
• Outdoor recreation skills including camping, hike safe, and Leave No Trace 

During May you will work in education teams to deliver outreach programs in the Merrimack Valley Region of NH.  During this time, as well as during the Fall Outreach season, you will be providing service for: 

• Elementary and middle school classes 
• Multi-age afterschool programs 
• Libraries 
• Community centers 
• Clubs such as 4-H and scout troops 

The first 2 weeks of June include the Certified Interpretive Guide training, from the National Association for Interpretation, and program planning before heading to your assigned park(s). 

Mid-June through Mid-October – DPP programming

During this time members serve in the field at one or more, but not all, of the following NH State Parks:  

• Monadnock State Park - Jaffrey, NH 
• Greenfield State Park - Greenfield, NH 
• White Lake State Park - Tamworth, NH 
• Umbagog Lake State Park - Cambridge, NH 
• Pawtuckaway State Park - Nottingham, NH 
• Bear Brook State Park - Allenstown, NH 
• Franconia Notch State Park - Franconia/Lincoln, NH 
• Pillsbury State Park – Washington, NH 
• Sunapee State Park – Newbury, NH 
• Miller State Park -Peterborough, NH 

During your time at your designated park, you will assist with visitor services and develop and deliver environmental, cultural, and recreational programs. You live at your NH State parks and may serve and live individually or with another member.  From mid-June - August you will create and staff educational drop-in tables or run 45 minutes to hour long interactive programs for multi age groups. During this time, you will develop programs, create monthly programmatic calendars, and engage with park visitors to promote your programs and enhance their park experience through visitor service activities. 

September – Mid-October – Fall Outreach Season and continuation of DPP programs. 

After Labor Day until Indigenous Peoples Day, you may spend half your week delivering outreach programs for organizations in the communities surrounding your park. The remainder of your week, mainly Friday night through Sunday, will be spent delivering programs or assisting with visitor services at your park(s). Depending on park placement(s), some individuals may only deliver DPP programs and will not be involved in community outreach programs.
 
Through this 7-month commitment (April 1st, 2024- October 31st, 2024) you will serve communities throughout New Hampshire while contributing as active members of the SCA NH AmeriCorps program.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program delivery (50%) 

You will spend much of your time delivering programs from May through early October. The number of programs you deliver each week will depend on your specific park and varies from week to week. Throughout this experience you can expect to deliver 10-15 or more programs a week.

Program development and preparation (25%) 

This is the “behind the scenes” work that goes into creating a successful program. This includes researching topics to expand your personal knowledge, typing outlines and lesson plans, and creating new programmatic materials as needed.

Non-program related park engagement and promoting programs (15%) 

In addition to engaging with park visitors during programs, you will also need to engage with guests during non-program times. This may include “roving” hiking trails to engage with guests and to encourage Leave No Trace and hiker safety ethics, engaging with guests to promote programs, and other visitors service duties. This program strives to enhance the park visitor experience in a variety of ways.  Simply put, you may be giving recommendations for hiking, leaf peeping, spotting moose, and things to do in town. During Fall Outreach, you may have the opportunity to connect and network within the local communities to schedule and coordinate programs. 

Reporting and other duties as assigned (10%) 

Weekly programmatic reporting is required. These reports include data on the number of program participants, the number of non-program visitors you engaged with, and a self-evaluation of everything done throughout the week – what went well, needs to be adjusted, should I stop doing, and do I need assistance with? 

Beyond the programmatic development, delivery and evaluation everyone writes blog post for NH State Parks.  This is an activity to engage with folks digitally as a means of drumming up appreciation and excitement for all that NH has to offer. Lastly, you will also be asked to participate in park meetings and activities as a member of the NH State Parks community. 

To apply for this position and to learn more details, please visit SCA New Hampshire | The Student Conservation Association (thesca.org)

https://thesca.org/program/young-adult/corps/new-hampshire-corps