I CAN PADDLE! CREW LEADER POSITION DESCRIPTION

AmeriCorps Position: I Can Paddle! Crew Leader (ages 18-25)

Living Allowance: Stipend $1352 per month

Service Term: May – early September

Service Schedule: 32 hours per week, Wednesday – Sunday (typical). hours vary; typically scheduled for 32 hours per week. Service will occasionally be scheduled on days outside Wednesday - Sunday, particularly in the beginning of the term to accommodate training.

Reports to: Youth Outdoors Program Manager and Youth Outdoors Assistant Program Manager

Criminal History Check: NSOPR, State and FBI, due to recurring access to vulnerable populations

Location: This is not a residential program; participants must secure housing near the placement location.

  • Saint Paul, MN

Position Summary: The Crew Leader will motivate, direct and coordinate a crew engaged in providing basic front-country camping instruction and environmental education for the I Can Paddle! program. I Can Paddle! is one of several I Can! programs, sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). I Can! programs introduce Minnesota families to a variety of outdoor activities including camping, fishing, paddling and rock climbing.

Youth Outdoors I Can Paddle! Crew Leaders co-lead weekend canoe and kayak paddling workshops. Each pair of instructors teaches basic paddling instruction and guides paddling trips for up to 12 first-time paddlers. Workshops last between 2 and 4 hours and take place on lakes and rivers throughout Minnesota. Leaders are responsible for monitoring river gauges and weather conditions throughout the week to determine if conditions are safe to proceed. Instructors will also handle day-of workshop operations including communicating any necessary workshop cancellations, shuttling participants, properly cleaning and storing all equipment and maintaining regular communication with DNR and Conservation Corps staff. Instructors also provide environmental education, offering information about local ecology and natural resources during each trip.

AmeriCorps Crew Leaders must be able to serve effectively on a team comprised of their peers, helping fellow members achieve personal and program success through the principles of team work and service-learning. Crew Members must be responsive to instructions and feedback delivered by the Crew Leader, Regional Staff, and DNR staff.

Qualifications:

  • Ability to teach basicpaddling strokes and techniques to a diverse group of first-time paddlers
  • Desire to educate and inspire community members by fostering a safe and supportive environment for camping
  • Ability to provide environmental education to members of the public
  • Positive attitude, interest in service and community work and desire to make a difference
  • Prior paddling experience (canoe and/or kayak) on lakes and rivers, prior experience planning and leading trips preferred
  • Prior leadership experience with peers
  • Experience coordinating project tasks and logistics

Requirements:

  • Must be a US Citizen, US National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the US.
  • Must pass the National Sex Offender Public Registry and criminal history check defined as no positive hits on the NSOPW and no history of violent offenses on the criminal history check.
  • Must successfully pass medical review process.
  • Valid driver’s license and safe driving record (no major moving violations or DUI’s in the past five years).

Essential Service Functions: Ability to perform the *Essential Service Functions 40 hours per week

  • Working in extremes of heat or cold
  • Working, eating and camping outdoors in all weather conditions
  • Walking and working on steep or uneven terrain
  • Working long days, including nights and weekends

*Full list of essential functions for service available here:

*Adequately performing essential service functions is a requirement of this position. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

Position Responsibilities and Tasks:

Member must complete service projects to the best of their ability, serving safely, effectively and efficiently to ensure projects are completed to the satisfaction of project hosts and the community.AmeriCorps members are expected to serve a minimum of 450 hours and complete the entire service term per the start and end dates listed on the Member Service Agreement. The service calendar outlines 470 available hours of service, with no service (and thus, no accrual of service hours) on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Therefore, absences (sick or vacation) beyond two excused days for quarter-time 450 hour AmeriCorps members are deemed excessive, jeopardizing the member’s ability to accrue the minimum service hours required for the education award. If a member has excessive absences, the member may need to volunteer with an external organization outside of regularly scheduled service days to earn additional service hours to complete the education award. These additional service hours must be pre-approved by Regional Staff.

  • Provide leadership and support for fellow AmeriCorps members
  • Coordinate daily logistics for a crew of four members (including yourself)
  • Ensure safety practices are followed
  • Provide feedback to fellow members that fosters growth and skill development
  • Develop cohesion within the crew to maintain crew morale and an ethic of service
  • Coordinate and provide instruction for paddling workshops
  • With Crew Leader and fellow Crew Members, coordinate workshop logistics for multiple paddling workshops each week
  • Communicate logistical details
  • Ensure safety practices followed on site
  • Safety
  • Promote and follow all safety requirements of OSHA, project hosts and the Corps
  • Review safety protocols daily with crew members
  • Begin each I Can Paddle! workshop with a safety briefing
  • Ensure workshop participants follow safety protocols and abide by the rules of the park
  • Ensure adequate safety equipment, first-aid kit and functioning communication devices are available on all workshops
  • Administration
  • Track and submit service hours to Conservation Corps staff (note: lunch time does not count toward total service hours)
  • Track attendance at workshops
  • Submit expense reports and receipts to Conservation Corps staff
  • Public Relations
  • Represent the Corps during travels and workshops throughout summer
  • Equipment
  • Keep work areas, offices, shops and vehicles neat and orderly
  • Assure proper use, safety and maintenance of vehicles, tools and camping equipment; communicate equipment needs promptly to DNR and/or Conservation Corps staff

In accordance with 45CFR 2520.65, AmeriCorps members may not perform prohibited service activities directly or indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary purpose of engaging in the activities. Prohibited service activities are outlined in the Service Agreement section VII and AmeriCorps member manual.

Training: Training is provided for all equipment and tools used

  • Boats: canoes, kayaks and associated paddles
  • Safety equipment including personal floatation devices, communication devices (phones, radios, GPS trackers), bailers, pumps and other safety gear as needed
  • Vehicles: 12-Passenger vans, trucks with canoes trailers and other vehicles as needed

Role Clarification: This is an AmeriCorps Corpsmember level position, NOT a staff member. While serving in this AmeriCorps volunteer position, corpsmembers need to abide by the below restrictions:

  • Corpsmembers may NOT sign/approve official documents such as AmeriCorps paperwork, member timecards, performance evaluations, disciplinary contracts, project contracts or any similar documents.
  • Corpsmembers may NOT be directly involved in project acquisition or contracting.
  • Corpsmembers may NOT discipline other AmeriCorps members. While they may provide guidance, facilitate crew meetings, motivate, reward and uphold safety policies on the service site, all policy violations and disciplinary action must be directed to and handled by a staff member.

CONDITIONS OF AGREEMENT: AmeriCorps members will be subject to all state and federal laws, and the rules and regulations of OSHA and Conservation Corps. The member is expected to fully understand and adhere to the rules, regulations and code of conduct as described in the AmeriCorps member manual. Policy violations will result in disciplinary action according to program guidelines, including written warnings, fines, suspension without stipend, and/or termination. The AmeriCorps member is accountable for meeting or exceeding the responsibilities of this position as described above, and will be evaluated at mid-term and end-term by Corps Program Staff, with input from project hosts. Successful completion is contingent on both AmeriCorps education award hours and service through the agreed upon term end date.

This program is available to all, without regard to disability, race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or other non-merit factors. The Conservation Corps engages AmeriCorps members, ages 18-25, as defined under the American Conservation and Youth Service Corps Act, a subtitle of the National and Community Service Act of 1990. Reasonable accommodations available upon request.

I have read and fully understand the above position description that reflects the service activities that I will perform during the AmeriCorps term.

AmeriCorps member Signature: ______Date:

Approval Signature:______Date: