Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary is seeking qualified candidates for application to the position of Youth Mentor, offering an immediate opening for our seasonal Summer Camp in Nature Program. The position will begin June 17 with training, with programming June 24-August 2, 2024. Candidates for this position will also be have the opportunity to apply to continue into a part-time Mentor position September 6, 2024 – June 23, 2025 supporting our Afterschool in Nature Program.

Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary is a nonprofit conservation education center providing environmental stewardship programs for families since 1987. Sage Mountain will host its second year of Summer Camp in Nature camp programming, serving ages 8-12, running for five weeks from June 24 to August 2, Monday through Friday, 9:00-3:00 pm. This program is a complement to our Afterschool in Nature program offered full-time during the academic year.

Hosted at our 600-acre nature reserve located in Orange, Vermont, our summer camp curriculum follows the rhythm of our local wildlife and flora during this time of year. Youth will explore this by splashing in mountain streams, fishing and kayaking in our ponds, hiking and exploring the forests and garden meadows, and experiencing quality time outdoors through a variety of different activities. In the process, they will learn not only about the natural communities that surround them, but also about themselves, their peers, and the world at large.

Summer Camp in Nature offers a sliding scale tuition and scholarships to make this program accessible for all families. We facilitate transportation from local schools in Orange and Washington Counties for those in need. Our program is licensed by the Vermont Department of Children and Families. Our outdoor educators support youth with decades of nature education experience and trauma-informed training.

Job Summary

The summer camp counselor position is a seasonal assistant leadership role, working closely with the Executive Director, the Program Coordinator, the Afterschool Education Director, and other staff.

In this role, you will be one of the guiding voices for Sage Mountainʼs summer camp education program. This role will engage with youth directly and will be responsible for advising and adhering to all safety protocols while providing mentorship and support to our students and program overall. Your work will involve assisting in the implementation of our nature-based curriculum, literacy in social-emotional learning objectives, and direct supervision and engagement with youth.

Location

This position will be fully in-person with access to Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary’s office, kitchen and trails.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities may change based on adaptations and needs of the program.

Education Leadership

• Oversee and mentor enrolled youth under the guidance of Education Director
• Maintain high-quality nature mentoring programs.

Program Administration

• Implement DCF and Sage Mountain safety and health guidelines for all programming.
• Collaborate and communicate with staff to facilitate program registration.
• Respond to all communication (phone, text, email, etc) in a timely and thorough manner.
• Assist in preparing and cleaning facilities before and after programming
• Collaborate with all staff regarding ongoing professional development opportunities including relationship to land, equity, and inclusion, trauma informed practices, accessibility, personal growth and development and more.

Required Qualifications

• A passion for nature, community, teaching and education.
• Demonstrated experience in the field of nature education, youth mentorship, or related areas
• An enthusiastic team member whose values align with Sage Mountain’s vision and prioritize according to the best interest for everyone and the program overall.
• Experience with facilitation, supporting youth and fellow staff, and shared leadership structures.
• Outstanding interpersonal communications skills and partnership building abilities.
• A willingness to learn, commit to, and practice the principles of decolonization, racial justice, accessibility, and inclusiveness as it pertains to the largely marginalized economic, BIPOC, and LGBTQ community student populations that Sage Mountain will serve.
• The ability to be empathic and a willingness to integrate these above practices into your work at Sage Mountain
• Openness to self-reflection and feedback.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks and be self-motivated and organized
• Creativity, innovation, sense of humor, flexibility and team spirit.
• Experience and comfort communicating with diverse groups of people, including supporters, coworkers, parents, community members and collaborators.
• Program implementation skills
• Background check will be required
• Regular access to reliable transportation, and valid driverʼs license

Preferred Qualifications

• Some understanding of and further willingness to learn via training in decolonization, equity, trauma-informed, and social justice approaches to learning.
• Previous association with nature-based and/or youth-based education programs and/or organizations
• Bachelor’s Degree OR demonstrated equivalent life experience in related field (education, nature- or wilderness-based learning or therapy, etc.)

Physical Requirements

• Willingness and ability to spend significant time outdoors in all weather conditions, leading and supporting field staff, interacting with youth and families
• Willing to be regularly exposed to fire, smoke, water, and outdoor risks, which may include exposure to extreme temperatures, weather, ticks and other hazards

Compensation Information

Initial position period will begin upon hiring and August 9, 2024. The candidate will be eligible to apply for continued role during academic year in the Afterschool in Nature program. The position requires availability on Mondays and Fridays from 8 am until 4 pm, with a starting hourly rate of pay based upon experience. Additional on-site or off-site availability outside of these hours may be requested periodically and scheduled in advance.

Please review more information and see full application at https://sagemountain.com/now-hiring/.

Job Type: Contract

Pay: From $19.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Patient demographics:

• Adolescents

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• After school
• Monday to Friday

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• East Barre, VT 05649 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• East Barre, VT 05649: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person