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Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) AmeriCorps Member at Acadia National Park

Stewards Individual Placement Program
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Position Title:  Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) AmeriCorps Member with Acadia National Park

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Acadia National Park
20 McFarland Hill Dr., Bar Harbor, ME 04605

 

 Terms of Service: 20 weeks

  • Start Date:  09/15/2025
  • End Date:  01/30/2026
  • Application Deadline:  08/11/2025
  • Number of Positions Available: 1
  • AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hours

 

Stewards Individual Placements & Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) Initiative:
Stewards Individual Placements provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural and cultural resources.  The Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) initiative aims to increase access to the outdoors for everyone.  Are you passionate about disability rights and accessibility in National Parks and public lands? Do you have a personal connection to the disability community?  Our health, our planet, and our collective future rely on diversity – in thought, ability, experience, and ideas.  That’s why we need YOU.  Become a Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) member and help make the outdoors more accessible for all!

 

Role of YES Member at Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. At 4 million visits a year, it's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. Visitors enjoy 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads.


The Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) AmeriCorps Member at Acadia National Park will contribute to the development of programmatic accessibility improvements across the park. Product and project possibilities may include creation of "equitable alternative experiences" through place assets, tours and itineraries for visitors on the park website and NPS app. The YES member may also contribute to resources and training opportunities for frontline interpretive staff and supervisors to raise awareness about the perspectives, preferences, and life experiences of people with disabilities which will help staff appreciate and incorporate more appropriate tradecraft and techniques in their interpretive ranger walks, talks, and campground programs.

 

Description of Duties:

To achieve the goals of this YES position, the member’s main responsibility will be to research and create detailed site descriptions and still image photo galleries of all significant park facilities and destinations that are crafted to the perspective(s) of individuals with disabilities. Collecting, documenting, and communicating these features will better assist individuals with disabilities in knowing what to expect as they prepare to visit Acadia National Park.  Duties include:

  • ·       Research and write descriptions of park destinations from the perspective of individuals with disabilities
  • ·       Further develop maps, reference video clips, and descriptions of accessible parking across the park
  • ·       Collaborate with members of other park divisions and partner groups to develop an important new resource of “Family Friendly and Approachable Trail Experiences in Acadia”
  • ·       Support other day-to-day operations of the Interpretive Media Team

o   Social media and website updates

o   Outreach events

o   Interpretive messaging initiatives

 
Qualifications:

  • United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
  • Be between the ages of 18-30 (or up to age 35 with Veteran status)
  • Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate
  • Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
  • Able to commit to 20 weeks of service
  • Have a connection to the disability community

 Preferred Qualifications and Skills

  • ·       College degree preferred
  • ·       Previous work experience in busy professional settings
  • ·       Demonstrated career interest in public lands mission
  • ·       Self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively

 

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager (contact information listed below).

 

 Time Requirements:

  • Typically, this position is expected to serve M-F, 9:00-5:00, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service
  • Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

 

Orientation and Training:

  • Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities
  • Trainings on accessing and utilizing NPS web and social media pages
  • Seasonal Interpretive staff training

     

Benefits:

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2817.14, pre-tax
  • Living Allowance of $600 per week
  •  
    • Additional Benefits of $100 per week
  • ·       Housing included on-site while in service
  • ·       Access to all member and alumni benefits of Conservation Legacy
  • ·       Opportunity to make a HUGE impact on your community
  • ·       Learn about interpretive media and programmatic accessibility while simultaneously learning about the National Park Service (NPS) as a career path
  • ·       Service opportunities can help propel your career forward with intentional experience and professional connections

 

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

 

Application, Resume and Cover Letter:
When uploading and attaching your resume to this application, please also upload and attach a cover letter.  In your cover letter, please note your interest and qualifications in this position.

 

How to Apply: 
To apply, please click on the green “apply” button in the top right corner of the page.  In addition to uploading your resume to this application, please also upload and attach a cover letter.  In your cover letter, please address your experience with the disability community.  

 

Recruiter & Program Coordinator Contact Information:
Susie Schroer
Stewards Individual Placements Program Coordinator
sschroer@conservationlegacy.org
970-317-9131 

 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, 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 reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.