POSITION: Wilderness and Academic Instructor for 2013 summer, 40-day course.
ORGANIZATION: Adventure Risk Challenge, a UC Berkeley literacy and leadership program
LOCATION: Yosemite National Park or Truckee, CA
APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 26, 2012
DESCRIPTION: ARC integrates academics (English, reading, writing, public speaking, research and environmental studies) with adventure education programming. The model is based on the New York City Outward Bound Center leadership and literacy program and adjusted to target English Language Learner students and to fit local California community needs. We link wilderness to academics, adventure to leadership, environmental science to literacy and confidence to activism.
The summer course includes wilderness components which span three mountaineering/backpacking trips, sea-kayaking, and other short expeditions, including rock climbing and rafting. The base camp components are held at the UC field stations in Wawona and near Truckee. They include daily morning physical fitness, English and Environmental Science class, group reading, and evening leadership classes. This is a summer semester course, which includes 40 days with the students, approximately 20 days of training prior to the start of the course, and a few days of postcourse debrief. Work will begin on or around May 13th and will conclude between August 3rd and August 10th, 2013, depending on the site.
QUALIFICATIONS: This is a very rigorous summer course and requires a high level of professionalism, organization, and skill.
Minimum qualifications include:
o Current WFR and CPR
o Experience leading or co-leading groups of youth backpacking in the wilderness
o Experience teaching (traditionally or non-traditionally) English, Environmental Science, AND/OR Leadership
o 4-year degree
o Ability to work in an innovative, challenging, often-demanding, and exciting work environment
Preferred qualifications include:
o Masters degree or 4-year degree in related field
o Current teaching credential
o Fluency in Spanish
COMPENSATION: Pay depends on experience and typically ranges from $100 to $115 per day. Housing is provided during all of pre-course, 40-day course, and post-course. Meals are provided during the 40-day course. Extensive paid training is provided prior to the course start.
TO APPLY: Please e-mail all resumes and a cover letter answering the following questions to Jennifer Gurecki and Sarah Cupery Ottley: jgurecki@berkeley.edu [1], scottley@berkeley.edu [2]. We will contact you by the second week of December. For more information on our program, please visit our website at www.arcprogram.org [3].
1) What are your strengths as a teacher in the classroom, as a leader in the backcountry and as a mentor working with youth? What skills are you interested in developing?
2) Describe your ideal co-instructor. What qualities would best complement your strengths and your areas of growth?
3) What types of experiences, both personal and professional, have prepared you to manage risk in the backcountry with youth?
4) Why do you specifically want to work for ARC?