VOLUNTEERS
Let your hands be a force of nature.
Volunteer.
There is no better time to help our environment than today! Connect people with nature, teach people about nature and help protect nature. Volunteers at The Holden Arboretum are a precious resource that make our program and services possible. Volunteers bring their energy, knowledge and style to Holden and make each guests visit to Holden fresh and unique. Volunteer involvement at Holden assures engagement with the natural world through meaningful and rewarding experiences.
Whether in our gardens, our natural areas, our visitor center or our offices, volunteering at Holden is a way to give back to your community, meet people with similar interests, learn new skills and have fun! Time commitments vary, however, on average, volunteers contribute 4-6 hours per month to Holden.
As diverse as nature itself, a variety of opportunities exist to suit your interests, talents and abilities. Specialized training may be offered to prepare you for your volunteer role. In other cases, experience may be necessary.
Your interests, skills, abilities and availability guide initial placement. New volunteers attend an orientation and based on the volunteer opportunity additional training may be required. Volunteers whose duties may involve the care and/or custody of children and vulnerable populations are required to submit to a background information check with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Contact the volunteer office for more information and a volunteer application.
Phone: 440.946.440 ext 157 or ext. 138.
E-mail: sgalbreath@holdenarb.org
Current Volunteer Opportunities
Wild Child Wonders
Do you remember spending afternoons after school playing outside, exploring, and being called home for dinner as it was getting dark? Or, leaving the house on a Saturday morning to wander in the neighborhood fields or woods watching the world go by? Many young people today don’t have these same opportunities and are not encouraged by their parents to go off exploring and get “down and dirty” as they interact with the natural world. This disconnect of today’s youth with the natural world has been recognized as a potential health and wellness issue and has gained momentum with a national movement entitled No Child Left Inside.
Wild Child Wonders, our program for the summer of 2008, will provide opportunities for children to explore the natural world. Holden will establish four exploration areas bringing back the best of the programs and activities from past summers, along with a few new ones, which will engage children in outdoor experiences designed to allow them to discover the fun and excitement provided by the natural world. Each area will have hours of opportunities that can be experienced during one visit or over the course of the summer. In addition, an important component will be learning opportunities to engage and empower parents to continue these types of activities with their children long after they have left Holden.
Volunteers will be key in ensuring our guests have a great experience. Helping children explore, encouraging them to try something new and watching the excitement on their faces, will all be part of the volunteer position descriptions. Make this a summer where no child is left inside!
Learn more about our Wild Child Wonders volunteer opportunities. Call the Volunteer Office at 440.602.8003 to RSVP.
Saturday, April 12, 10-11am
Monday, May 5, 10-11am
Wednesday, May 7, 6:30-7:30pm
Location: Corning Visitor Center
Opportunity
Season
Preparation
Commitment
Description
Nature Concierge
Spring
Summer
(June-Sept)
· Training (4 hrs)
3-4 hrs per week or
every other week
· Greet guests when they arrive at Holden
· Encourage both adults and children to participate in activities and answer questions
· Hand out maps and direct guest to the areas
· Check out discovery packs and maintain chalkboard observations/sightings
· Coordinate scavenger hunt (starting point of)
Explorer
Spring
Summer
(June-Sept)
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· Training (4 hrs)
3-4 hrs per week or every other week
· Greet guests when they arrive at exploration area
· Encourage both adults and children to participate in activities and answer questions
· Maintain the exploration areas; make sure items are stocked, tidy, and working properly
Assistant Explorer
(15-17 years old)
Spring
Summer
(June-Sept)
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· Training (4 hrs)
3-4 hrs per week or every other week
· Greet guests when they arrive at exploration area
· Encourage both adults and children to participate in activities and answer questions
· Maintain the exploration areas; make sure items are stocked, tidy, and working properly
Trail Monitor
Spring
Summer
(June-Sept)
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· Training (4-6hrs)
4 hrs per week or every other week
Create a proactive, positive interface with the Holden guest to facilitate good guest relations and guest safety and security, as well as promoting Holden and providing basic nature or garden interpretation
Buckey Bud Mascot
Spring
Summer
(June-Sept)
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· Training (4-6hrs)
1-2 weekend shifts per month
Volunteers will be trained to perform as our costumed mascot, “Buckeye Bud” and his friend, Nature ‘Nick’ or ‘Nina’.
The performance includes teaching children a simple dance routine and leading a nature-related activity
More Opportunities
Teach People about Nature…
Teach the young and old about the natural world through interactive hands-on programming.
· Share your knowledge and passion for nature
· Teach our guests of all ages about the exciting and magical world of plants, trees, and wildlife
Holden Guides are specially trained volunteers who lead educational programs and tours that introduce our visitors to Holden. Guides are interested in learning and are excellent communicators, with a love of natural history and a genuine desire to share that knowledge with our guests. Flexibility is essential in order to adapt to changing subject matter and guests with different backgrounds, interests and learning styles.
Education
Opportunity
Season
Preparation
Commitment
Description
Highlight Tour Guide
(tram tour)
Spring
Summer
Fall
(May-Oct)
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· VIP Guide Training (14-16 hrs)
· Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)
4 hrs per week
Enhance our guests experience by conducting tours that provide an overview of Holden
Highlight Tour Guide
(walking tour)
Spring
Summer
Fall
(April-Oct)
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· VIP Guide Training (14 hrs)
· Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)
4 hrs per week
Enhance our guests experience by conducting tours that provide an overview of Holden
School Guide
Year Round
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· School Guide Training (4.5 hrs)
· Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)
4 hrs per week
Lead student through one of Holden's forests first-hand and help them discover some of the many components that make up a forest or pond community
Facilitate students’ experience by making careful observations of nature
Girl/Boy Scout Guide
Year Round
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· School or VIP Guide Training (4.5-14hrs)
· Scout Training (2.5 hrs)
2-4 hours
per week
(late afternoon or weekends)
Connect scouts with nature through programs geared toward allowing the scouts to earn “try-its,” “badges” or a Holden fun patch
Girl Scout Day
May 17, 2008
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· On-the-job training
3-4 hrs,
1 Saturday shift
Help junior girl scouts and Brownies earn a badge while facilitating a nature activity
Sugarbush School Guide
March
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· School or VIP Guide Training (4.5 hrs)
· Sugarbush Training (2.5 hrs)
2-4 hours
per week
Teach children about the history of maple syrup production and tour of our sugarbush
Natural Areas Guide
Year Round
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· School or VIP Guide Training (4.5-14hrs)
· Natural Areas Training (4-8 hrs)
· Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)
8 hrs per month
Lead guests on a hike through spectacular natural areas like Stebbins Gulch and Little Mountain
Snowshoe Guide
Winter
(Jan-Feb)
· Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
· General Guide Training (2 hrs)
· School or VIP Guide Training (4.5-14hrs)
· Snowshoe Training (2.5 hrs)
2 hours per week
Lead guests on a hike using snowshoes to see winter highlights at Holden
Garden Partners
Summer
(June-Aug)
· Gardening experience helpful; ability to bend, stoop, kneel and work outside
· Orientation
· On-the-job training
Thursdays,
2 hours per week
Partner with challenged volunteers to complete gardening tasks
Library
Year Round
· Previous experience helpful
· On-the-job training
Tuesday – Saturday,
2-4 hours per week
Assist visitors, cataloging and filing
Connect People with Nature…
Holden sponsors several major special events each year, each requiring volunteer help. These events produce revenue and a growing interest for Holden and depend on the volunteers to ensure their success. Volunteers may also take on leadership roles in planning these events.
·
