Our Outdoor Recreation team creates a learning environment that helps individuals enjoy the outdoors through fun and safe activities. The MetroParks Trails Challenge is a great way to explore the region's trails while staying active outdoors. Participants can complete the challenge on their own schedule and at their own pace, choosing the trails they prefer. Are you a volunteer who enjoys exploring MetroParks and a variety of trails? Our recreation team, along with the support of volunteers, provides personalized attention during scheduled hikes, enhancing the experience for everyone involved. Volunteers help individuals seeking to enhance their physical and mental well-being while connecting with nature and embracing an active outdoor lifestyle. Join us as a program support volunteer to help connect participants with nature, embrace an active outdoor lifestyle, and meet others with similar interests. This opportunity will be at Englewood MetroPark, and hiking the Stillwater River trail (3.1 miles).
Impact
Volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs for all interested in learning. They enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create a better skill-building environment. Volunteers help people make a stronger connection to nature by making it easy to experience the outdoors in fun activities.
Tasks
- Greet and welcome participants.
- Assist with check-in of participants.
- Assist the staff lead during the program to create a better learning environment for this unique group hike.
- Help distribute program materials and supplies as needed.
- Assist participants in staying with the group by hiking with them, observing any participant changes, and keeping the staff lead aware of any participants having difficulty.
- Share Park highlights, nature tidbits, and information the staff shares with participants further back on the hike.
- Assist the staff lead in ensuring all participants feel they are part of the program
- Assist with clean-up and equipment tear-down after the program if needed.
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to individual, long-term, and short-term volunteers, ages 16 and up.
- GET STARTED: This opportunity requires Volunteer Onboarding (Profile, Volunteer Handbook Signature, and for those 18 and up, an eligible background check). Simply click the blue RESPOND button to begin completing the required qualifications, or click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.
Additional Notes
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Englewood MetroPark. Volunteers should park in the West Park entrance parking lot, and meet the staff in the parking lot. Your shift time begins 30 minutes before the program starts for quick review, last-minute prep, and to introduce you to this new program.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place outdoors - Please be aware of outdoor exposure risks (i.e. sun, poison ivy, insects, etc.). Volunteers should be aware of seasonal allergies (i.e., grass, pollen, bees, etc.), and may participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects of 15lbs or more. The trail may have uneven terrain. Volunteers should be able to hike the distance of the trails at a moderate pace.
- Dress: Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, and their MetroParks name badge and volunteer apparel. Items like water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray may help make the hike more comfortable. If you have not yet received your MetroParks name badge, please reach out to volunteer services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org.
Learn more about Programming opportunities with us on the Volunteer Position page! Have questions or need help getting started? Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer.services@metroparks.org or #937-275-7275 or join us at a Volunteer Open House.
Want to Branch Out? Exploring multiple opportunities is a great way to stay involved, build new skills, and experience different parts of the parks! Consider these
opportunities:
