Field Staff Position Posting

Job Description

Crew Orientation

Field Instructor

Background

New York City Outward Bound is a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to bringing Outward Bound’s approach to teaching and learning to the young people of New York City and their public schools. With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the New York Department of Education, New York City Outward Bound is a partner with ten new Expeditionary Learning public middle and high schools. All incoming students of these schools participate in a four or five-day immersion course at Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, NY.  The course outcomes include developing communication and leadership capabilities in each crew, building character through challenging experiences, developing a positive school culture, and facilitating and deepening the advisory relationships between crew advisors and students.

Position Responsibilities

• Instructors for this course are expected to work Monday through Friday in a wilderness camp setting from September through early December, and occasional weekends. Training will be mandatory and paid and will begin approximately August 20^th, 2012.
• Instructors should have a commitment to working with urban youth and improving public education.
• Instructors should have skills that enable them to:
  Lead short backpacking trips and facilitate challenge course activities.
  Sequence activities that are appropriate for the group based on an assessment of group skills, abilities, development stage, goals, program objectives and social cultural needs.
  Recognize the inherent risks involved in each activity and continually assess and adjust programming accordingly.
  Understand and recognize common group dynamics.
  Apply knowledge of learning styles to instruction with participants.
  Provide appropriate opportunities for participants to identify and reflect upon their experiences.
  Provide opportunities for assessment of goals and identified outcomes.
  Facilitate a learning environment that incorporates emotional and physical safety.
  Facilitate and mediate conflicts and other difficulties that may arise with individuals and/or the group during the program.
  Practice all national and local operating procedures and conduct activities according to the policies, procedures and practices that guide the program plan.
• Current First Aid / CPR, Wilderness Advanced First Aid, or Wilderness First Responder
• Instructional work slows down significantly during the winter. Recruiting and training for fall 2012 begins in February/early March.  Spring work includes challenge courses, backpacking, canoeing, urban expeditions, and rock climbing for public schools and other groups.
• Instructors must be able to fulfill the Core Competencies (see page two).

Please send resume and cover letter (include salary history) to mailto:fieldstaff@nycoutwardbound.org.

INSTRUCTOR CORE COMPETENCIES

PHILOSOPHY

Instructors will:

Understand and practice OB methodology and experiential education.

Articulate OB philosophy, history and objectives.

TEACHING SKILLS

Instructors will have the ability to:

Design course activities based on the assessment of individual and group needs.

Engage in a variety of teaching styles.

Present information in coherent and engaging progression.

Assist students in transferring OB experiences and lessons.

INTERPERSONAL/COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Instructors will have the ability to:

Demonstrate and facilitate effective communication and feedback skills with staff and students.

Assess and address individual and group physical and emotional needs, motivate and counsel to promote individual and interdependent competence.

Show respect and compassion for others and create an emotionally safe environment for students and staff.

RISK MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Instructors will:

Maintain, as a minimum, current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and CPR certifications and training to manage anaphylactic emergencies. (WFR is the minimum for instructors working one hour or more from definitive care).

Demonstrate the ability to anticipate and manage potential hazards, both emotional and physical.

Demonstrate proficiency in managing all “risk” activities as demanded by the terrain, the student population and the weather.

Have knowledge of and adhere to all local operating procedures, safety policies and emergency procedures.

Demonstrate sound judgment and the ability to manage a group effectively under stressful conditions and in crisis situations.

Demonstrate proficiency in managing a variety of potentially challenging group behaviors.

Have American Red Cross Emergency Water Safety training and/or appropriate competence for courses that incorporate water activities.

GENERAL OUTDOOR SKILLS

Instructors will be proficient in:

Leave No Trace (LNT) practices.

Navigation, search and rescue.

Use and maintenance of all applicable equipment.

Back country sanitation, hygiene and nutritional needs.

Instructors should have a working knowledge of local natural history, flora and fauna.

GENERAL ABILITIES

Instructors must be capable with or without accommodation to participate in all activities on course and maintain ample energy, strength and focus to assist students with physical and emotional obstacles.

Instructors must know their own strengths, limitations and needs, and can productively manage personal stress.

Instructors must have the ability to assess the needs of co-workers, provide training and evaluate constructively.

Instructors must attend appropriate staff training or equivalent orientations prior to supervising students in the field.