Position Description
BEAR Summer Camp Program Assistant

Posted on 03/06/24

• Full Time / 35 hours/week average
• Work Monday through Friday w/ weekends off
• $16 - $18 hourly wage, and overnight trip wage to start; opportunities for increases based on performance reviews
• Start Date: Mid May
• Seasonal through summer
• Benefits include: paid federal holidays

Send resume, cover letter and list of three professional references to Mallory Ijames at mallory.ijames@bearmt.org. We will call you if we would like to set up an interview

Duties and Responsibilities

Program:

1. Work with youth during summer day camps to help them reach their goals, build outdoor and interpersonal skills and focus on their strengths. Strive to positively connect youth to their culture, their community, their families, and their own self-efficacy.

2. Lead/co-lead a diversity of trips for youth during summer day camps. Occasionally lead/co-lead Ropes Course challenge activities (no climbing required). Activities may include, but are not limited to: hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, rock climbing, white water rafting, search and rescue activities, life skills, teamwork, leadership and communication initiatives and more (guides are used for trips such as white water rafting, rock climbing, and others that require specific expertise our leaders do not have).

3. Work with the Program and Site Coordinator to plan, recruit for, lead, publicize, record, and evaluate a diversity of group experiential mentoring activities for youth in Ravalli County.

5. Assist Program and Site Coordinator in recruiting youth/families by building partnerships with other community organizations and schools that may provide referrals/linkages. Recruitment activities include facilitating activities for school and community organizations, distributing program materials, placing public service announcements in local media, pitching stories to news organizations, participating in BEAR outreach and fundraising events, and calling/texting/emailing individual youth and families to recruit them for specific groups/activities, etc.

6. Work with the Program and Site Coordinator to ensure youth mentoring guidelines/goals are being met.

7. Carefully record youth activities, inventory usage, and time worked by completing activity logs, activity summaries, participant spreadsheets, inventory check-out/check-in lists, and time allocation logs, as well as taking trip photos .

9. Work closely with the team to plan, evaluate, revise, and implement new strategies for meeting program goals .

10. Prepare and break down activities, and maintain and organize equipment and supplies .

12. When applicable, manage volunteers (i.e. assist in prioritizing tasks, provide orientation and training, facilitate them in completing tasks and provide support depending on needs of volunteers).

Financial:
1. At a small non-profit organization, every employee contributes to, and spends time to varying degrees, on fundraising goals. Contribute to overall fundraising success by providing excellent service to participants, working effectively with community partners, contributing to fundraising events, and alerting the Executive Director to funding opportunities, if applicable.

2. Follow all agency financial procedures including completing accurate time sheets and reimbursement forms. Work with the Program and Site Coordinator for records of funds spent and purchase orders before spending any of the organization’s funds . Trip Leaders must get direct permission from the Program and Site Coordinator before spending any money.

3. Work with the Program and Site Coordinator to stay within program budgets and cash flows .

4. Strive to provide activities as cost effectively as possible.

Community:
1. Increase Venture OUT's positive representation in the community, schools, media, and educational events/organizations whenever possible.

2. Collaborate with other BEAR staff and programs as well as other community organizations on projects and programs to encourage networking, work sharing, and positive community relations .

Organizational:
1. Contribute to team and overall success of organization by having a strengths-based attitude with all staff and volunteers, by prioritizing what issues to spend time and energy on concerning team dynamics, and by taking responsibility for seeking team-oriented solutions to issues at every level of the organization.

2. Work to lessen the organization’s negative effects and increase its positive effects on the environment (i.e. buy locally, reuse material and supplies, recycle, reduce use of non-renewable resources, etc.) .

3. Communicate with the Program and Site Coordinator when any safety, legal, ethical, or moral concern arises and before representing BEAR in the media .

4. Follow all BEAR policies and procedures: personnel, activity, and financial. Maintain strict client confidentiality in accordance with BEAR policies.

Qualifications:
1. Proven success working with youth and their families required
2. Experience in a mentoring program preferred
3. CPR (can be completed upon hire) and excellent safety assessment skills required
4. Outdoor experience required
5. Excellent ability to build rapport with youth quickly
6. Ability to set appropriate boundaries and discipline while maintaining positive relationship
7. Excellent communication skills with diverse groups: participants, parents, staff, community partners
8. Ability to openly give and receive feedback
9. Proficiency working on a team as well as independently
10. Ability to be flexible and creative
11. Strong organizational skills
12. Ability to calmly handle stressful situations

*Other duties may be assigned related to the functioning of the BEAR office and its programs.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made, if available, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee is required to lead the following activities: low ropes challenge course use, hiking for up to eight miles/day, and swimming in non fast-moving water. The employee may also be required to participate in rock climbing, rafting, kayaking, and horseback riding activities. All employees assist in the care of the office and ropes course grounds, and may be required to mow lawns, weed whack, shovel snow, and rake leaves. The employee is occasionally required to sit for extended periods and balance, stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crawl, and crouch. The employee may be required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Duties typically require close vision, distance vision, and adjusting focus as well as continuous talking, hearing and seeing including the ability to hear and talk by phone.

In addition, duties typically require manual dexterity for the operation of office equipment including computer, copier, and phone.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

B.E.A.R., Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. B.E.A.R., Inc. does not discriminate against or act in favor of any employee, applicant, or program participant because of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, religion, creed, marital or veteran's status, age, health, the presence of a disability, sexual orientation or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal laws.
BEAR, Inc. recognizes the value of a culturally diverse work force and program participant group and is committed to equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees, as well as non-discrimination of all program participants and other community partners. Every employee has the right to work in surroundings that are free from all forms of unlawful

discrimination. Engaging in any act that discriminates against or constitutes harassment against an employee will not be tolerated.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $16.00 - $18.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Childcare: 2 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• First Aid Certification (Preferred)
• CPR Certification (Preferred)

Work Location: In person