Wilderness Instructors

BOLD & GOLD Program

Seattle, Washington USA

The BOLD (Boys Outdoor Leadership Development) & GOLD (Girls Outdoor Leadership Development) Program is dedicated to inspiring courage and confidence in diverse groups of adolescent girls and boys through outdoor adventures.  We run, primarily, single gender expeditions and each year we engage over 600 youth on 60-70 different backcountry trips ranging in length from 8 to 22 days in places like the North Cascades, Mt Rainier, Squamish, Smith Rocks and Olympic National Park.  Activities include backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering, fishing, yoga, art, music, literature, backcountry cooking and goofing off.  Our goal is to increase confidence, courage, emotional intelligence, wonder, and community awareness in participants.   We believe these traits are the foundations of leadership and work to inspire participants to develop their own leadership style.  We prepare young people, from middle school on, to be the next generation of leaders through multicultural experiential education in the natural world. Find out more at www.ymcaleadership.org

We are currently hiring Wilderness Instructors for this coming summer and programs are based out of Seattle, WA.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

• Facilitate the learning of outdoor skills during our 8-22 day wilderness-based backpacking, rock climbing or mountaineering courses.
• Ensure both a physically and an emotionally safe environment.
• Create values-forming experiences for adolescents.
• Create an inclusive environment for youth in the outdoors.

Critical Success Factors:

• Professional instructional experience in backpacking, rock climbing, and/or mountaineering
• Commitment to working with diverse groups
• Excellent judgment and decision making skills
• Strong group facilitation, communication, and conflict resolution skills
• Experience facilitating activities addressing issues facing adolescent females and/or males
• Experience making the transference of a wilderness experience relevant to the everyday lives of underserved youth
• Knowing how to have fun!

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current W-EMT, WFR, or WFA (Assistant Instructors only) and CPR
• Clear criminal background check; safe driving record
• Current WA State Food Handlers Permit
• Instructors must be available for training in the Seattle area in early June
• Must pass YMCA pre-employment drug screening
• 21 years of age by time of employment

Dates of Employment: Summer programs operate from June 22^nd - September 1^st with training beginning on June 14^th.   Instructors are contracted on a course-by-course basis including paid time for planning and debriefing.  Opportunities exist for additional work based on interest and availability in beginning of May and continuing into late September. Must be available evenings and weekends. Full summer commitment is preferred, however instructors do not have to be available for all dates.

Compensation: Salary Negotiable, $75- $125/day.  Benefits with full summer commitment include a Y membership, access to pro-deals, training discounts, and professional development opportunities.