Join the Five Rivers MetroParks education team and support family programming throughout the year that connects visitors of all ages to the natural world through storytime, history, and farm activities, and meaningful exploration of the connections between the two time periods! This opportunity will focus on a storytime followed by a related activity that follows the theme of the story. Please help us share amazing stories with children, exciting them about discoveries they can find in nature, and encouraging them to get outside and explore. Volunteers will support the unique games available for youth and families to try, and enjoy the simpler activities from the 1880s.
Impact
Program support volunteers help build access, comfort, convenience, and safety into our programs. Volunteers enable more individualized support for first-time learners and create an inclusive skill-building environment. Volunteers help people create a stronger connection to nature and history by making it easy to experience these things in fun activities.
Tasks
- Welcome visitors and encourage them to participate in the day's activities.
- Help staff with program set-up & tear-down, including distributing program supplies.
- Assist the staff lead with the story, take a portion, or read the whole story.
- Assist with and participate with families in program activities.
- Provide excellent customer service to participants and visitors.
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.
- Visit the Historic Interpreter page in our Training Library to see what training is required to become part of the Historic Interpreter volunteers.
Additional Notes
- Parking & Meeting Instructions: Click here for a map of Carriage Hill MetroPark. Volunteers are scheduled to arrive 30 minutes before the start of the program. Staff leads will orient volunteers to the day's agenda and other important information.
- Environment & Physical Demands: This program takes place indoors and outdoors. Volunteers may participate in some bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting objects to 10 lbs or more. There may be sharp objects and other items that require you to be careful and work safely in a small space.
- Dress: No Period Apparel Required! Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear their MetroParks name badge, and volunteer apparel. A volunteer vest will be available upon request.
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:
