Community Volunteer Ambassador - Cesar E. Chaves National Monument

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2025 Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references. 

Position Title:  Community Volunteer Ambassador – Cesar E. Chavez National Monument - AmeriCorps 

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements 

Site Location: Tehachapi, CA 

Application Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Sunday, December 8, 2024. 

Terms of Service: 

Start Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 

End Date: Friday, December 19, 2025 

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour  

 Purpose: 

Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities. 

The Community Volunteer Ambassador position is vital for cultivating a culture of stewardship and support within the park and the broader community by fostering opportunities for community engagement, outdoor conservation, event planning, and educational outreach. 

Site Description 

Cesar E. Chavez National Monument is nestled within the foothills of the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains, outside of Bakersfield, CA. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Keene, CA, Cesar Chavez found inspiration and spiritual connection in this historically significant landscape, which was and still is the headquarters of the farm worker movement. 

 
The volunteer program is made up of a small but mighty team of dedicated volunteers from the local community of Tehachapi.  There is great opportunity to expand the program to include the larger communities surrounding Bakersfield. 

Description of Duties: 

Identify new key target audiences for volunteer recruitment efforts. 

Create an outreach strategy that includes previously underserved communities. 

Identify barriers preventing certain community groups from participating in volunteer opportunities as well as developing and implementing strategies to overcome these. 

Plan and implement volunteer events 

Create volunteer service descriptions, onboarding processes and training materials. 

Develop operational checklist and inventory processes for volunteer program. 

Qualifications: 

Friendly 

Outgoing 

Innovative 

Self-starter 

Team-oriented 

United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien 

Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award  

Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.  

Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in March 2025 (date TBD) 

Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old) 

Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position 

Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check 

Preferred Qualifications:  

Bilingual Spanish language strongly preferred  

Strong oral and written communication skills  

Public speaking experience  

Community engagement/event planning experience  

Strong organizational and time management skills  

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. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager. 

 Time Requirements: 

This position is expected to serve a 40-hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary and will be set by host site.  

Lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hours.  

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. 

Week-long, in-person training on NPS volunteer program management and leadership skills. 

Year-long continuum of learning supporting professional development 

$1,200 in Professional Development Funds   

Additional Information: 

This park celebrates the story of the greatest Latino Civil Rights leader of the 20th Century. This position provides a unique opportunity for the CVA to connect and share about this important story to the surrounding community, most of which are farmworkers. There is ample housing available in the surrounding communities, including Tehachapi and Bakersfield. The commute from Tehachapi is approximately 15 miles, and the commute from Bakersfield is approximately 25 miles. This position will include some weekend and evening work.  

Benefits:  

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395 

Living Allowance of $600 per week. 

Additional Benefit of $150 per week, if housing is not provided. 

Healthcare Coverage  

Childcare Coverage  

Loan forbearance  

Interest Payments  

$1,200 in Professional Development funds for training, networking, conferences, and/or travel.  

Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations 

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority 

Week-long in-person training at NPS site with travel/meal expenses covered. 

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. 

How to Apply 

Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.  

The CVA position will start on Tuesday, January 21, and run for 48 weeks until Friday, December 19, 2025.  

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2025 Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.  

Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with diverse populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in. 

Applications Deadline 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Sunday, December 8, 2024. 

For Application Questions: 

Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org  

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.