Sustainability Program Facilitator

Working at Sustainable Summer:

Sustainable Summer designs and facilitates environmental leadership programs for high school students. Our programs focus on project-based learning, applied sustainability, and personal growth and discovery. Our program staff is key to both our organization’s and our students’ success.

If you have a deep commitment to progressive education, developing youth leadership, and sustainability, we’d love to hear from you. 

Sustainable Summer is searching for program staff to facilitate our 2023 programs held in NYC; Shepherdstown, WV; and Ithaca, NY. This is a seasonal position commencing on June 18th and ending either July 15th or August 5th, 2023.

If you’re looking for summer employment and share our passion for experiential learning, youth leadership development, and sustainability, we encourage you to review the below job description and apply.

You:

• Are a highly responsible and energetic educator passionate about environmental leadership
• Are professional, adaptable, resourceful, proactive, and independent
• Are knowledgeable of and committed to addressing environmental, social, and economic justice issues
• Are capable of performing with poise under sometimes intense physical and emotional demands 
• Are capable of working long days and without a routine schedule or set of tasks
• Are comfortable leading, but recognize opportunities to enable and empower others to lead
• Enjoy spending time with motivated high school students
• Enjoy working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Enjoy being challenged and learning
• Have strong organizational and time management skills
• Have demonstrable experience managing risk within the contexts of our learning environments 
• Have outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with youth
• Value diversity, both human and planetary

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree. 
• Prior experience as a teacher, youth wilderness guide, mentor, education professional, camp counselor, or coach is required. Preference for at least one year of experience working with high school age students in an experiential capacity.
• Demonstrable knowledge of sustainability and sustainable development. A professional or academic background in an environmental field is expected.
• Current CPR/Basic First Aid certifications are required and we will reimburse for candidates needing to certify/recertify. Wilderness First Aid or WFR is desirable. 
• Demonstrable experience serving as a positive role model for youth.
• Legally permitted to work in the United States.
• A criminal background check will be required prior to employment.
• Willing to work a non-traditional schedule, including evenings and weekends. 

Essential Responsibilities:

• Facilitate positive group dynamics and foment a culture of risk awareness, inclusivity, and mutual respect;
• Live in student residence hall during the entire course of the program(s);
• Directly supervise, support, and mentor high school-age students during the program(s); participate in activities; facilitate discussion about curricular concepts; deliver instruction from core curriculum including sessions on sustainability concepts and human-centered design (training provided);
• Be familiar with program regulations, risk management protocols and enforce program policies as necessary (training provided);
• Serve as a positive role model to students;
• Attend mandatory staff orientation and training;
• Prep for and lead at least one workshop session on either a sustainability content area (energy, agriculture, etc) as well as assist other staff with other course areas and support students with project-based work;
• Complete student and program evaluations at termination of each program session;
• Attend daily staff meeting;
• Be punctual and aware of programming logistics and details;
• Be an active and visible member of the program team, including and specifically, during student free time and evening hours;
• Participate fully in all course activities as represented on our website;
• Provide students with physical and emotional support as needed;
• Able to carry loads up to 20 lbs; and
• Ability to perform a variety of tasks outside in various weather conditions.

Compensation: 

Compensation package includes: 

• Wages of $5000 for the entire summer term (June 18 – August 5) or $2800 for the 4-week term (June 18 – July 15).
• Accommodations in a private room.
• Three meals daily.

Employment Dates & Details:

This is a seasonal position commencing on Sunday June 18th and ending either Saturday July 15th or Saturday August 5th, 2023. We are hiring for both 4-week (June 18 – July 15) and 7-week (June 18 – August 5) employment terms. Employment begins on June 18th with a one-week orientation and training. Student programming begins June 25th. Staff should anticipate flying in and out of a NYC airport on the first (June 18) and last dates of employment. All out-of-pocket travel expenses are reimbursed. Staff working through August 5th have July 16 – 18th off with no responsibilities. Housing and meals will be provided during this mid-summer “break.” Otherwise program staff are expected to be on and available. 

Important Note About Work Hours and Conditions:

Specific responsibilities will vary from day-to-day and can be irregular, and are shared by all staff members operating as a team. You should anticipate being committed to the program from 8am to 10pm every day with few exceptions. Working conditions include outdoor environments in various weather conditions and busy urban contexts. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

We value diversity — in background and lived experience. A healthy ecosystem is incredibly biologically diverse. We similarly believe that a healthy community respects and values human diversity. Sustainable Learning Inc is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability.