Westport River Watershed Alliance Commonwealth Corps Environmental Educator The mission of the Commonwealth Corps is to engage Massachusetts residents of all ages and backgrounds in service to strengthen communities, address unmet community needs, and increase volunteerism. Commonwealth Corps members with Westport River Watershed Alliance will serve 10.5 months in a full-time capacity. What they have in common is a desire to put their talents and ideas to use in the service of their communities and the Commonwealth. Westport River Watershed Alliance’s mission is to restore, protect, celebrate and sustain the natural resources of the Westport River and its watershed. WRWA has been a leading environmental agency for over 40 years with three overarching goals- preserve and improve the watershed, advocate for wise use of natural resources, and educate the public about the interrelationship of water, soils, plants and living species. WRWA is seeking 2 full-time Commonwealth Corps members as Environmental Educators to expand upon and deliver our Watershed Education Program to students in grades PreK-12, to strengthen a high school volunteer program, and to encourage family involvement in outreach programs.

Responsibilities:

Essential

• Complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of service, serving through June 30, 2018.
• Attend all required Commonwealth Corps trainings and service events held by MSA (minimum of 6 total, post orientation) and Westport River Watershed Alliance, including a new member orientation on August 15 & 16, 2017.
• Participate in a minimum of 1 hour of MSA-related activities each week (in person or virtually).
• Help deliver and teach the Watershed Education Program (WEP) to over 2,000 children in grades PreK-12 in local community schools
• Plan and teach the field study component of WEP
• Plan and launch a weekend series of student and family education events that are modeled after the WEP curriculum topics
• Engage, train and organize 50 high school volunteers to assist with education programs
• Complete 6th grade curriculum update with supervision from the Education Director Qualifications:

Required:

• Massachusetts residency and legal authorization to work in the United States
• 18 years of age or older
• Experience with or interest in volunteerism and community engagement
• Ability to balance service commitment with other family/work/school/community commitments in a sustainable way
• Environmental/Science knowledge
• Ability to multi-task and to tackle a wide range of tasks at the same time
• Professional organizational skills
• Energy and enthusiasm and ability to communicate with all ages
• Commitment to the mission of WRWA
• Ability to communicate publically with groups of 25-30
• Driver’s License
• Ability to frequently move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds for various classrooms and event’s needs.

Preferred:

• Experience with outdoor learning, informal teaching settings
• Knowledge of natural history of South Eastern Massachusetts
• Prior experience teaching, working, or volunteering with youth

Term of Service:

• Position Start Date: August 15, 2017
• Position End Date: June 30, 2018
• Service commitment will average 38 hours per week, generally Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30
• Days and times will vary occasionally based on school schedule and weekend family programs (approximately 1 weekend program a month with advanced notice for scheduling).