About AMC’s Youth Opportunities Program:  The Youth Opportunities Program is an outdoor education, professional development, and social justice program of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Each year, the AMC’s Youth Opportunities Program (YOP) makes the outdoors accessible to over 35,000 youth throughout the Northeast. We do this through collaborative partnerships with organizations and schools in urban and under-resourced communities that historically have faced barriers to outdoor recreation. Through providing outdoor leadership training, trip planning and access to gear lending libraries, YOP supports youth workers and teachers so they may foster impactful and relevant outdoor experiences for their youth. Inspired by the principles of the Civil Rights movement, YOP was founded in 1968 to offer equitable access to outdoor experiences for youth-serving organizations in the City of Boston. www.outdoors.org/yop

This position represents a great opportunity to work closely with Boston area youth agencies, while teaching in and experiencing the outdoors. 

Based in Charlestown, the Local Adventure Instructor position is available May to November, and reports to the Youth Programming Manager. The Local Adventure Instructor designs, plans and leads after-school, daytime, and overnight camping trips in the Greater Boston area. Administrative responsibilities include marketing YOP trips and trainings to Greater Boston-based youth groups via phone and email and collecting/recording data from outdoor programs. 

We seek a dynamic leader with experience working in youth development, ideally in the Boston area. Strong outdoor skills are not a requirement for this position as YOP is prepared to provide outdoor skills training; however, we seek candidates with a strong interest in developing outdoor skills and incorporating outdoor activities into youth development programs.

General Responsibilities:

• - Lead groups of 8-10 youth (ages 11 to 18) on a variety of outdoor adventures with a co-leader from the participating youth agency. Activities include hiking, canoeing, and camping. 
• - Develop calendar, promote and fill Local Adventure trips to Boston-based youth groups via phone and email. 
• - Plan and organize gear, food, and other programmatic needs for each week. Clean and maintain trip equipment, including tents, stoves, sleeping bags, clothing, and cooking gear. 
• - Teach leadership, communication, team building and challenge initiatives, basic outdoor skills, and Leave No Trace ethics, all with safety as a top priority. 
• - Collaborate with and mentor co-leaders (YOP members) in the development of outdoor programming that supports the youth agency goals. 
• - Complete post-trip reporting responsibilities including trip summaries, statistics, and organizing paperwork and photographs. Provide recommendations for program improvement. 
• - Conduct participant pick-up/drop-off from the Boston area driving a 12-passenger van. 

Required Qualifications:

• - Must be 21 years old by June 1st, 2019. 
• - Dedication to YOP’s mission to make the outdoors accessible to all.  
• - Mandatory participation in YOP’s 5-day Outdoor Leadership Training (OLT) in May or June.
• - Excellent group management, facilitation, and behavior management skills. 
• - Interest and experience working with people representing a diverse range of cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds.
• - Experience in establishing and maintaining strong organizational partnerships.
• - Ability to drive 12-passenger van safely and possession of a clear personal driving history. (Must hold valid driver’s license and be able to pass a DOT medical exam.)
• - Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• - Excellent logistical and organizational skills for program planning and implementation. 
• - Wilderness First Aid and CPR (Can be obtained upon hire).
• - Willingness and ability to hike and camp, while carrying a 30-40 pound pack, in all weather conditions. 
• - Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and willingness to learn Efforts to Outcomes, our participant database.  
• - Ability to work several weekends and evenings.
• - Familiarity with the Greater Boston Area and Boston-area youth organizations is preferred. 

Seasonal Benefits of working with the AMC: Here is a list that highlights benefits offered for our seasonal employees. Benefits may vary based on position.

• - Free and discounted rates at AMC destinations and lodges
• AMC membership
• - Pro-deals with major gear distributors
• - Employee discounts on all AMC merchandise