Guided Outdoors (GO) Youth Educators are responsible, energetic people who are excited to share their knowledge and love of the outdoors with young people. During the spring and fall months, educators primarily work with public, private, and home-schooled students and other youth groups. These 1 – 5 day programs are based at Pinkham Notch, The Highland Center, Cardigan Lodge, the AMC’s backcountry huts, and in local schools and communities. 

Academic lessons on forest and watershed ecology, map and compass, geology, weather and climate, outdoor skills, community building and leadership development are integrated and taught in a nature- and student-centered hiking-based program.  

During the summer months, GO Youth Educators primarily work with a co-leader to facilitate 5-12 day backcountry  trips for teenagers age 12-17. These multi-day, single- and multi-element outdoor experiences take place on public lands in the backcountry. Educators are responsible for delivering outdoors skills instruction in hiking, backpacking, and canoeing, and environmental ethics as well as positive youth development activities on trips that are safety-focused and meaningful. 

Throughout their employment, GO Youth Educators are supported by office-based Supervisors who seek to both assist Educators in providing great programming and foster a culture of professional growth. 

The AMC’s Guided Outdoors Program values diversity, equity and inclusion. We are working to create a team that is representative of the student populations that we serve and thus welcome hardworking individuals from all backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. 

Responsibilities (including but not limited to):  

- Prepare thematic, place-based environmental education, leadership, and community building lesson plans that meet the needs of diverse student populations, are culturally relevant, transferable for students and incorporate the learning objectives of the program. 
- Create and foster an inclusive group culture and learning environment among participants and co-workers. 
- Work long days including overnight courses and evening programs. 
- Work independently on projects such as curriculum development, the creation of teaching tools, and logistical tasks. 
- Work independently on projects such as curriculum development, the creation of teaching tools, and logistical tasks. 
- Facilitate day programs within local communities and at schools and front country and backcountry multi-day programs that travel to AMC huts and backcountry tent sites, and from AMC’s roadside lodges throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. 
- Ensure the physical, emotional, and social safety of 8-12 student and teen participants on programs – providing supervision for groups around-the-clock for hut trips and for summer teen programs 
- Manage incidents in the backcountry; communicate effectively with on-call team and facilitate evacuations when necessary 
- Model responsible behavior in the outdoors and Leave No Trace ethics 
- Perform logistics functions for the program including: issuing, collecting, cleaning and maintaining gear, preparing teaching supplies, organizing food, and evacuations 
- Plan menus and handle food requisitions 
- Drive 12-passenger vans carrying participants 
- Maintain professionalism through lesson planning, personal appearance, and communication with other staff, chaperones, and/or participants 
- Work weekends (primarily during the summer months with occasional weekend work during the fall) 
- Collaborate with other AMC Guided Outdoors Staff to guide day-long or multi-day adult and family workshops