Community Volunteer Ambassador – First Ladies National Historic Site

Position Details:

Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities.

The CVA’s position is designed to work closely with their supervisor and will be expected to be a contributing member of our volunteer management team. The CVA will work collaboratively with park staff and partners and will work closely with the volunteer coordinator and volunteer supervisor in planning how the park can best use volunteers and help the program continue to grow both in size and in presence. Weekly meetings are held amongst the IEVS staff to access the weeks schedule of events, facilitate conversation and collaboration about projects, and to provide new interpretive training opportunities amongst the division. These are in addition to all NPS Staff meetings and digital communication opportunities.

If the CVA desires, they will have the option to work together with NPS staff and volunteers in learning the operations of the Education Center as well as interpretation principles and how they are applied to the Saxton House Tours. This would serve solely as a professional development opportunity for the CVA to see what the experience is like for visitors to the site, to get a taste for the different types of divisional work within the NPS, and can provide the opportunity for feedback and a new perspective to NPS staff and volunteers based on the CVA’s work with the community. The same could also be applied to other divisions such as Maintenance if there is an interest on the CVA’s part.

Site Description:

Designated as a unit of the National Park Service in 2000 First Ladies National Historic Site is dedicated to preserve, interpret, and honor the role and history of First Ladies for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the people of the United States, and to provide global public access to information about how the accomplishments of Americas' First Ladies shaped our nation's history.

First Ladies National Historic Site consists of two historic buildings: the Education Center and the Saxton House. The Education Center acts as a visitor center and museum with three floors of rotating museum exhibits as well as a documentary film. It also is the home of the site’s non-profit partner the National First Ladies’ Library. The Saxton House is the ancestral home of Ida Saxton McKinley, but also served as the home of her and President McKinley for over 20 years. The National First Ladies’ Library completely restored the house in the late 1990s, making it one of the unique homes preserved for telling the story of first ladies.

Created in 2022, the Volunteer In Parks Program at First Ladies National Historic Site consists of a little over a dozen Volunteers dedicated to both the visitor experience and the interpretation of the site. Our volunteers help us to not only serve the public and share the lives and legacies of our First Ladies, but also represent the site and the National Park Service in our local - Canton community.

Position Responsibilities:

• CVA will aid in the recruitment, training, and coordination of volunteers within the volunteer program
• CVA will aid in the updating of VIP program training materials
• CVA will aid in the updating of VIP position descriptions and JHAs
• CVA will aid in the creation of promotional materials
• CVA will aid in the recognition opportunities for volunteers
• CVA will aid in the recording of volunteer numbers and hours
• CVA will research recruitment opportunities for new volunteers
• CVA will research community engagement opportunities for the site
• CVA will spend time leading and/or working alongside staff in local Canton community engagement events
• CVA will provide or participate in recruitment events for the volunteer program

CVA Minimum Requirements:

• Someone with an interest in History, Political Science, Parks and Recreations, Women’s/Gender Studies, or Museum Studies.
• Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in late March/early April 2024 (date TBD)
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
• Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old)
• High School Diploma/GED
• Pass fingerprint-based FBI, state criminal, and a national sex offender checks.
• Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check
• Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position

Preferred Qualifications:

• Comfort with both electronic or interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to work with others in a collaborative work environment
• Ability to be friendly and work with the public
• Good public speaking skills and passion for helping others

Additional Information:

The CVA should expect to work 40-hour weeks that could include the occasional evening. Weekly schedule is Tuesday-Saturday, to reflect the operation hours of the park and align with the schedule of the IEVS division. In the winter season (November -April) there will be the potential for telework two days a week (Tuesday/Wednesday). First Ladies National Historic Site is positioned right in downtown Canton, OH. Although First Ladies does not have any park housing available to interns or seasonals, the city has many affordable housing opportunities, both temporary and long term, within the city and its surrounding suburbs’. The city can be accessed at all parts by the public transportation services of SARTA. First Ladies NHS is located in close proximity to two additionally National Park Service Sites, Cuyahoga Valley and James A Garfield; the CVA, if interested, may have an opportunity to visit these sites to gain a wider understanding of the National Park Service.

Benefits:

• CVA will receive a weekly stipend of $600
• $150/week in housing allowance
• Limited health care/childcare benefits
• The position is eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award $6,895.00 (pre-tax) upon successful completion of the program
• $1,200 in professional development funds for training, networking, conferences, and/or travel.
• Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations
• Public Land Corps Hiring Authority
• Week-long in-person training at NPS site with travel/meal expenses covered.

How to Apply

Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.

The CVA position will start on Monday, January 22nd, 2024, and run for 48 weeks until Friday, December 20th, 2024. Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2024. Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.

Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with diverse populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in.

Applications Deadline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Sunday, December 10th, 2023.

For Application Questions:

Please contact Geoff Elliot, Program Director at gelliot@conservationlegacy.org

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.