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Community Volunteer Ambassador – First Ladies National Historic Site

Stewards Individual Placement Program
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PLEASE NOTE: All applications must be submitted through this link - https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2027 

Position Title: Community Volunteer Ambassador – AmeriCorps 

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: First Ladies National Historic Site

205 Market Ave South, Canton, OH44702

Terms of Service:

  • Start Date: 2/22/2027
  • End Date: 2/4/2028
  • AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hours (50 Weeks)

 

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a nationalleader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities.

Designated as a unit of the National Park Service in 2000, First Ladies National Historic Site is dedicated to preserve, interpret, and honor the role and history of First Ladies for the benefit, inspiration, and education of the people of the United States, and to provide global public access to information about how the accomplishments of Americas' First Ladies shaped our nation's history. First Ladies National Historic Site consists of two historic buildings: the visitor center and the Saxton House. The visitor center houses a museum with three floors of rotating exhibits as well a documentary film. It also is the home of the sites non-profit partner the National First Ladies Library and Museum. The Saxton House is the ancestral home of Ida Saxton McKinley, but also served as the home of her and President McKinley for over 20 years. The National First Ladies’ Library completely restored the house in the late 1990s, making it one of the unique homes preserved for telling the story of first ladies. Created in 2022, the Volunteer In Parks Program at First Ladies National Historic Site consists of a little over 70 Volunteers dedicated to both the maintenance, visitor experience, education, and the interpretation of the site. The site’s volunteers help to not only serve the public and share the lives and legacies of our First Ladies but also represent the site and the National Park Service in our local Canton community.

 
Description of Duties:

The CVA position is designed to serve closely with their supervisor and will be expected to be a contributing member of our volunteer management team. The CVA will serve collaboratively with park staff and partners and will serve closely with the volunteer coordinator and volunteer supervisors in planning how the park can best use volunteers and help the program continue to grow both in size and in presence. Weekly meetings are held amongst the IEVS staff to access the weeks schedule of events, facilitate conversation and collaboration about projects, and to provide new interpretive training opportunities amongst the division. These are in addition to an all NPS Staff meetings, monthly partner meetings, and digital communication opportunities.  If the CVA desires, they will have the option to serve together with NPS staff and volunteers in learning the operations of the visitor center as well as interpretation principles and how they are applied to the Saxton House Tours. This would serve solely as a professional development opportunity for the CVA to see what the experience is like for visitors to the site, to get a taste for the different types of divisional work within the NPS, and can provide the opportunity for feedback and a new perspective to NPS staff and Volunteers based on the CVAs service with the community. The same could also be applied to other divisions such as Maintenance or the work of our non-profit partner if there is an interest on the CVA’s part.

Responsibilities:

  • Aid in the recruitment, training, and coordination of volunteers within the volunteer program at FILA 
  • Aid in the updating of VIP program training materials     
  • Aid in the updating of VIP position descriptions and JHA’s 
  • Aid in the creation of promotional materials 
  • Aid in the recognition opportunities for volunteers 
  • Aid in the recording of volunteer numbers and hours 
  • Research recruitment opportunities for new volunteers 
  • Research community engagement opportunities for the site 
  • Spend time leading and/or serving alongside staff in local Canton community engagement events 
  • Provide or participate in recruitment events for the volunteer program

 
Qualifications:

  • Interest in History, Political Science, Parks and Recreations, Women’s Studies or Museum Studies
  • United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
  • Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veterans, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.
  • Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
  • Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Comfort with both electronic and interpersonal communication skills 
  • Ability to serve with others in collaborative work environment 
  • Ability to be outgoing and serve with the public 
  • Good public speaking skills and passion for helping others

 

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Vanessa Morrison at vmorrison@conservationlegacy.org

 

 

 

Time Requirements:

  • Typically, this position is expected to serve 40 hours per week, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service 
  • Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term. 

 

Orientation and Training:

  • Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
  • Week-long, in-person training on NPS Volunteer Program Management and leadership schools.
  • Year-long Continuum of Learning supporting participant professional development.
  • $750.00 in Professional Development Funds for travel and training.

 

Additional Position and Community Information:

The CVA should expect to serve 40-hour weeks that could include the occasional evening. Weekly schedule is Tuesday-Saturday, to reflect the operation hours of the park and align with the schedule of the IEVS division. Our site is positioned within easy driving distance of 3 other NPS units, so the opportunity for cross park training and professional development is available. 

Benefits:

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00
  • Living Allowance of $700.00 per week.
  • Additional Benefit of $200.00 per week (if housing is not provided)
  • Healthcare Coverage if Eligible 
  • Childcare Coverage if Eligible
  • Loan forbearance if Eligible
  • Interest Payments if Eligible
  • 10 Federal Holidays, 10 Days Personal Leave, 10 Days Sick Leave

 

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

 

Program Contact Information:

Please contact James Gasaway at the contact information below with any questions.

Stewards Contact information: James Gasaway, jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org

 

 

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.