Vegan Nature Camp Counselor

Nature Camp Counselor for Inspire Active Learning's Call of the Wild Camps: hiring for employment for Fall Break (November 23-25) & Winter Break (December 28-31) sessions in Oakland, CA. Nature camps on second Saturdays in varied East Bay cities now through May are also available.

Do you love teaching children? Are you an avid hiker with a love of nature & the outdoors? Are you vegan? Nature Camp Counselors teach & lead children to learn about the outdoors, biology, environmental stewardship, ethical vegan values, & more through experiential learning, play, hikes, & exploration in outdoor nature camps. Open a door to the wonders of nature as a living classroom in Call of the Wild Camps, where kids in grades K-5 come to connect with nature, hike, read, write, explore, learn, & play!

Camp Type: day camp, nature camp, elementary school level camp

You may be the ideal Nature Camp Counselor if you are:

* A communicative & collaborative team player bursting with creative ideas, fun, adaptable, friendly, outgoing, energetic, & eager to inspire & engage children in learning by doing
* Experienced in early childhood education, elementary education, outdoor education, environmental education, nature education, literacy education, outdoor recreation, & related fields
* Vegan or open-minded about veganism. Veganism is not a diet. It is an ethical philosophy and practice opposing exploitation of animals. Learn more on Inspire's website.

WHO WE ARE: We believe that to inspire learning is to inspire action. We believe in experiential, lifelong learning. Outdoor educators in Call of the Wild Camps provide a fun, safe alternative to screen addiction; inspire nature connection and curiosity; & foster healthy, positive relationships with flora and fauna in our natural environments.

Essential Duties:

* Complete training online and onsite at Call of the Wild Camps
* Punctually & reliably attend scheduled work hours, rain or shine, including training, staff meetings, and camp session dates
* Safely lead hikes in parks up to approx. 6 miles per day for K-5th graders in small groups
* Maintain a 4:1 or 5:1 student: staff ratio or ratio approved by the camp supervisor
* Implement age-appropriate, grade-appropriate, K-5 level nature-themed science, outdoor education, language arts, art, & motor activities for Call of the Wild Camps
* Supervise and engage children on occasional science museum & science center visits
* Teach & facilitate fun & positive nature education curriculum on vegan topics such as animal rights, speciesism, health, food, clothing, & the environment
* Teach & lead outdoor language arts activities for children with nature and wilderness themes, including circle time with story time & singing, literary show-and-tell, skits, nature journaling, mapmaking, creative writing, & authoring and illustrating books
* Teach & facilitate science activities on topics in biology, ecology, zoology, life science, environmental science, outdoor education, stewardship, conservation, preservation, etc., integrating naturalistic observation, group discussion, games, children's books, & writing activities
* Teach & engage children in outdoor activities that blend recreation and education, such as nature-themed field games, hide & seek, chase games, forest "I Spy" games, & scavenger hunts
* Teach & facilitate nature-themed arts & crafts
* Engage children with a fun teaching style & high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, & positivity
* Supervise and facilitate children's rest breaks, snack & lunch breaks
* Provide naturalistic executive function teaching across diverse activities
* Implement teaching & behavior management based on principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), including prompting, positive reinforcement, & contingencies of reinforcement based on student preferences & choices
* Facilitate emergent curriculum & child-centered, student-centered, experiential, incidental, & play-based teaching & learning opportunities
* Create both structured & incidental learning opportunities
* Keep work materials neat, organized, & in good working condition
* Record accurate, objective incident reports
* Drive by personal vehicle during the work shift for emergency or safety-related situations or to access reception as needed under supervisor direction
* Follow the three camp rules: (1) be kind, (2) be safe, & (3) leave no trace, & make sure campers follow them
* Follow all health & safety requirements, & make sure campers follow them
* Follow all seven leave no trace principles, & make sure campers follow them
* Actively contribute & participate in staff training & meetings
* Proactively communicate camp questions and concerns with the camp director & supervisor
* Follow directions & implement feedback from supervisors
* Interact with students & staff in a kind, caring, respectful, positive, & professional manner
* Represent Call of the Wild Camps in a positive and professional manner with customers, staff, & park visitors
* Mentor and support Counselors in Training (CITs) in the internship program
* Meet all of the physical requirements for the job, including standing, bending, sitting, squatting, walking, occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs., hiking up to approx. 6 miles per day on varied terrain in varied weather with a backpack weighing up to 20% of your body weight, visual acuity for reading books, maps, interpretive panels, & signs
* Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Required Education:

* Proof of your high school diploma or higher degree
* Most recent academic transcript (unofficial is permitted) in good standing with a 3.5 minimum GPA.
* Proof of a declared major or minor in a relevant discipline or completion of one or more relevant courses, such as biology, environmental science, or education

Certification and Safety Requirements:

* Proof of CPR and First Aid certification that remains unexpired through all camps dates you are applying to work. The only accepted CPR and First Aid certification involves passing a live skills assessment with an instructor. Entirely asynchronous online courses are not accepted.
* Proof of TB clearance completed within 4 years of the camp session start date.
* Pass a DOJ and FBI background check.

Required Experience:

* Minimum 12 months as a camp counselor, outdoor educator, naturalist, recreation leader, coach, instructor, or classroom teacher working in person with GROUPS of elementary school age children at K-5th grade level, ages 5-10. Babysitting or nannying are not equivalent experience.
* Frequent, regular experience hiking, trail running, or backpacking trails on varied terrain at least 6 miles in a day
* Experience working in person with culturally, linguistically, and developmentally diverse children
* Experience working in person with students with widely diverse abilities, such as giftedness, typically developing children, children with disabilities (e.g., autism, ADHD, dyslexia, speech and language delays), and English Language Learners (ELL)
* Experience leading extracurricular enrichment activities in person for groups of children in grades K-5, ages 5-10
* Experience implementing effective and appropriate behavior management in person for children in grades K-5, ages 5-10
* Experience with child development and implementing age-appropriate, grade-appropriate, developmentally appropriate activities in person for children in grades K-5, ages 5-10

Required Skills:

* Ability to model and educate about veganism as more than a diet
* Ability to hike trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles a day five days a week for multiple consecutive weeks
* Ability to carry a hiking backpack weighing up to 20% of your body weight for the duration of each camp day
* Ability to meet all other physical requirements for the job, including standing, bending, sitting, squatting, walking, occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs., and visual acuity for reading books, maps, interpretive panels, and signs
* Demonstrate a fun and engaging leadership style with high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity
* Friendly, kind, caring, compassionate, and patient teaching style for learners of all skill levels
* Eagerness and openness to continually learn and develop your skill set
Command of American English phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
* Excellent ability to break concepts down into simple and easy steps
* Excellent time-management and organizational skills
* Outstanding oral and written communication skills
* Eco-conscious skills with a demonstrable love of nature and the outdoors
* You can articulate how veganism benefits animals, health, and the environment
* Health-conscious skills with a demonstrable love of active and healthy living
* Enthusiasm for nature-themed language arts and literacy teaching
* Enthusiasm for making education relevant to children's lives
* Demonstrate care for children and a desire to help the whole child learn and grow in enjoyable ways, in addition to subject-matter competence in language arts and relevant life sciences

Other Requirements:

* You are an adult (age 18 or older)
* Valid California driver's license & auto insurance

Preferred Qualifications:

* Experience hiking in the parks where you are applying to work
* You are vegan, as defined by The Vegan Society & as described on Inspire's website

LOCATIONS:

* Second Saturdays: multiple East Bay sites. View all sites on Inspire's website.
* Fall Break Camp: Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
* Winter Break Camp: Chabot Space and Science Center and surrounding redwood parks, Oakland

SCHEDULE:

* Initial Training: before the start date of camp sessions
* Second Saturday Camps: second Saturdays now through May, 8:55 AM-5:05 PM
* Fall Break Camp: November 23-25, Mon-Wed, 8:25 AM-4:35 PM
* Winter Break Camp: December 28-31, Mon-Thu, 8:25 AM-4:35 PM

CLASSIFICATION: Non-exempt employee, temporary, seasonal

COMPENSATION: $21.00/hr - $23.00/hr DOE

To see the full job description and learn more, visit Inspire Active Learning, LLC's website. Thank you!