POSITION TITLE: OWLS Facilitator (Full or Part time, Seasonal)

FUNCTION OF POSITION

Provide direct instruction and technical support for Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School (OWLS) programs that serve youth and adult participants engaged in educational and/or recreational experiences. Provide administrative support as needed.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

  • Maintain established standards of program content quality and procedural safety for all activities.
  • Facilitate groups of 8-15 participants during challenge course, leadership development, teambuilding, environmental education or outdoor recreation experiences – programs typically range in length from 1/2 to 3 days.
    • Create activity progressions based on specific group goals.
  • Provide technical support for climbing elements (high ropes courses, climbing tower, jump poles) requiring technical safety systems.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

  • Additional work (required for full time Facilitators and optional, first come, first serve for part time Facilitators) assisting with program administration duties such as:
    • Assist with marketing and coordinating logistics of programs.
    • Assist with the organization and preparation of program materials and resources.
    • Assist with the maintenance and cleaning of equipment and resource areas.
    • Assist with cooking when meals are provided.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • High School graduate or equivalent
  • Previous work experience planning program curriculum based on specific group goals and objectives.
  • Previous work experience leading youth or adult groups in educational or recreational programs.
  • Select, facilitate and evaluate activities for people of different ages, backgrounds and interests.
  • Lead, without support: group games, problem solving initiatives, trust sequences, low ropes elements and/or environmental education lessons.
  • Demonstrate safe spotting techniques, the ability to provide spotting for participants and the ability to teach spotting techniques to participants.
  • Effectively lead program participants through meaningful processing sessions.
  • Provide technical support and assistance at OWLS high ropes course and climbing tower in accordance with OWLS procedural guidelines.
  • Climb and move safely at heights using appropriate self-belay techniques
  • Ability to fully participate in OWLS staff training (if above competencies are not met by previous work experience) and to demonstrate (by the end of the training period) the required competencies for leading activities used within the OWLS program.
  • Current Basic 1st Aid/CPR certification or higher (on site training may be available).
  • Proven organizational and communication skills (oral and written).
  • Ability to work weekends
  • Ability to walk over uneven terrain.
  • Ability to work in a variety of weather conditions.
  • Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 lbs.
  • Ability to read, write and speak at a college level.
  • Detail oriented, service oriented, safety-minded
  • Strives for the highest quality job performance with available resources
  • Acts in a professional manner, values diversity
  • Tolerance for stressful situations
  • Desire to work with people of different age groups and backgrounds including “at-risk” populations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • College graduate of an outdoor leadership, recreation, education, psychology or other related degree program.
  • Experience with general maintenance/construction techniques and power tools if additional maintenance work is desired.
  • Lifeguard certification (Occasionally lifeguards are needed for swimming or boating)

DATES & SCHEDULE

The busy season is April through October, with minimal work available November through March.  Staff trainings begin in mid March, early/mid June, and mid August.  Mid-season trainings can be arranged as needed.

  • Full time Facilitators will work 40 hours per week and get two days off in a row when possible. Some weekend work is required.  There may be some overtime during busy weeks, but we try to avoid it.
  • Part time Facilitators will be notified as dates become available.

BENEFITS

Rate of pay is based on experience and starts at $10.00 per hour.  Free, co-ed, shared housing on site on the night preceding a program may be available for part time Facilitators.  Full time housing may be available for full time Facilitators for a small fee.  Paid, in-house training opportunities are available.  Meals are provided free of charge when groups are eating in the dining hall.  Pro-deals are also available.

TO APPLY

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  Positions are open until filled.  To apply, send a cover letter, resume and contact information for at least 3 professional references to:

Mark Feldman

Associate Director, Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School

[email protected]

P.O. Box 10 Williams Bay, WI 53191

POSITION TITLE: OWLS Intern (Full or Part time, Seasonal)

FUNCTION OF POSITION

Provide technical support and instruction for Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School (OWLS) programs that serve youth and adult participants engaged in educational and/or recreational experiences. Provide administrative support to OWLS through program operations assignments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

  • Maintain established standards of program content quality and procedural safety for all activities.
  • Provide technical support for climbing elements (high ropes courses, climbing tower, jump poles) requiring technical safety systems.
  • Facilitate groups of 8-15 participants either with another staff member or solo, depending on intern’s experience, during challenge course, leadership development, teambuilding, environmental education or outdoor recreation experiences – programs typically range in length from 1/2 to 3 days.
    • When facilitating, create activity progressions based on specific group goals.
  • Assist with program administration duties.
    • Assist with marketing and coordinating logistics of programs.
    • Assist with the organization and preparation of program materials and resources.
    • Assist with the maintenance and cleaning of equipment and resource areas.
    • Assist with cooking when meals are provided.
  • Assumes other duties as agreed upon in consultation with the Associate Director of OWLS, the Program Director of OWLS, or the Executive Director of the Lake Geneva Fresh Air Association.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • High School graduate or equivalent
  • Ability to fully participate in OWLS staff training and to demonstrate (by the end of the training period) the required competencies for leading activities used within the OWLS program.
  • Current Basic 1st Aid/CPR certification or higher (on site training may be available).
  • Proven organizational and communication skills (oral and written).
  • Ability to walk over uneven terrain.
  • Ability to work in a variety of weather conditions.
  • Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 lbs.
  • Ability to read, write and speak at a college level.
  • Detail oriented, service oriented, safety-minded
  • Strives for the highest quality job performance with available resources
  • Acts in a professional manner, values diversity
  • Tolerance for stressful situations
  • Desire to work with people of different age groups and backgrounds including “at-risk” populations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Current student or recent graduate of an outdoor leadership, recreation, education, psychology or other related degree program.
  • Course work or previous work experience leading youth or adult groups in educational or recreational programs.
  • Course work or previous work experience planning program curriculum based on specific group goals and objectives.
  • Experience with general maintenance/construction techniques and power tools
  • Lifeguard certification

By the end of the internship, the intern should be able to

  • Select, facilitate and evaluate activities for people of different ages, backgrounds and interests.
  • Lead, without support: group games, problem solving initiatives, trust sequences, low ropes elements and/or environmental education lessons.
  • Effectively lead program participants through meaningful processing sessions.
  • Demonstrate safe spotting techniques, the ability to provide spotting for participants and the ability to teach spotting techniques to participants.
  • Provide technical support and assistance at OWLS high ropes course and climbing tower in accordance with OWLS procedural guidelines.
  • Climb and move safely at heights using appropriate self-belay techniques

DATES & SCHEDULE

Start and end dates are flexible but the internship should be a minimum of 12 weeks.  Staff trainings begin in mid March, early/mid June, and mid August.  Interns are welcome to start before a staff training and/or stay to help run a later training.  Full time Interns will work 40 hours per week and get two days off in a row when possible.  There may be some overtime during busy weeks, but we try to avoid it.  Part time Interns will work a set number of hours per week, determined upon hiring.

BENEFITS

Interns receive a valuable learning experience from skilled professionals in an environment that promotes personal growth.  Interns are paid $8.00 per hour and are provided rent-free, co-ed, shared housing on site, if desired.  Paid, in-house training opportunities are available.  Meals are provided free of charge when groups are eating in the dining hall.  Pro-deals are also available.  We love to hire our Interns as Facilitators once they successfully complete their internship.

TO APPLY

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  Positions are open until filled.  To apply, send a cover letter (including desired start and end dates), resume and contact information for at least 3 professional references to:

Joseph Gierke

Director of Programs and Trainings, Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School

[email protected]

P.O. Box 10 Williams Bay, WI 53191