Topic: Volunteering and Hosting in State Parks:
Presenters: Kathryn L. Hampton, Idaho
Joan Hauser-Crowe, Washington
Jill Nishball, Oregon
How does one apply for work in a state park? How many weeks/months does a job last? What type of responsibilities will you be expected to fulfill?
Kathryn, Joan and Jill, volunteer coordinators for the states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, answered these and many other questions in this very informative class. They all stressed the importance of sending in a request for a volunteer information packet, and talking to people who have volunteered in some capacity to learn of their experiences.
The Idaho Dept. of Parks and Recreation runs the program for Idaho. There is a seasonal staff of from 250 to 300 people, serving 2.5 million visitors. Of these visitors, over 300,000 are campers. 200 volunteers assist the seasonal staff – 10% of the park help. Park hosts include anyone who lives in his own RV for a minimum of 30 days. Some of the jobs that Idaho wants to fill include: hosts for a campground, an interpretive center, campground programs, visitor services, or maintenance. Other jobs include research and special projects. The state considers this job on of ambassador for the park.
Before you accept a job at an Idaho State Park, make sure that it is a job you want and are capable of performing. You may negotiate with an individual park concerning what it is you will or will not do, and this is encouraged. Be aware that there is no monetary compensation (although you do receive a free site). You will work 20-24 hours per week, and be expected to provide your own housing (not a problem for RVers).
In return, you may expect the park system to treat you as a co-worker, with a clearly defined job. You will receive volunteer training, supervision and the tools and adequate space to do your work well. Don’t expect to get pay, etc. like you might in a commercial campground.
Kathryn advised prospective job seekers to talk to people who have been park hosts, as competition for these jobs can be tough. About 80 positions are available each year and are filled early. Get an application and fill it out completely. Attach a resume, and send it along, too. Be patient, but also be persistent. If you haven’t heard from the park system within a month or so, a return phone call or email is appropriate. You will be expected to stay at least 30 days, though several hosts stay for up to 5 months. The longer you will stay, the more likely you are to get a job. (The supervisor will not have to train extra hosts).
Applications are accepted year around. Applications will be sent to individual parks in September and October so they may determine what their needs are for the coming year. The hiring each year is finished by early January. Parks need workers from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
A 7 person Commission appointed by the governor is the directing force behind Washington State Parks. These parks operate in largely the same manner as do Idaho parks, but see many more visitors. Washington is 4th in day use, 10th in overnight attendance, but only 47th in funding. To staff its 120 parks, Washington has 450 full time employees, 750 in the summer. They serve 48 million visitors each year, one of which, Deception Pass Park, has more visitors than the Grand Canyon. However, Deception Pass has only a 9 person staff, the Grand Canyon has a staff of 50. Washington is heavily dependant on volunteer help to keep their parks open, and volunteers contributed 285,000 hours in 2003. You will be expected to work 28 hours a week, and volunteers here must stay for at least 30 days, but for no longer than 3 months on the west side of the Cascades, 2 months on the east side.
Host jobs can be at Overnight, Day Use or Marine campgrounds. You can host at an interpretive center, or one for Environmental learning. There are three marine parks, where, if you host, you will need your own boat. At these parks a week is the minimum stay. Other marine parks are accessible by land as well as water, and have a longer minimum stay.
Once a year there is a conference on volunteer host training. Here you learn what your host duties would be in various jobs. You also learn the various “do’s and don’ts” of hosting, including what to do in emergency situations. Individual rangers also attend these meetings with an eye to recruitment. Attendance is not mandatory, but very helpful. These conferences are held alternatively on east and west sides of the state. If you wish to apply for a position in this state, the website is www.parks.wa.gov. The state does a background check before sending out the basic information and forms to be completed. You should completely fill out each form before returning it. If you know at which park you would like to volunteer, this information can also be helpful.
Oregon has 231 parks, including rest areas and waysides. Lottery funds have been allocated to state parks, and they don’t have the monetary problems of the other states. They use 1600 camp hosts a year. You must host for a minimum of 30 days, but you can stay longer. Park host numbers vary, some parks are lightly visited, while Fort Stevens on the northern coast, has 30 sets of hosts, at the same time, in the busy summer months. You can volunteer at one of the 9 lighthouses, giving interpretative talks. Some volunteers have made it a goal to serve at all 9.
The application process is much the same as the other states. They have many more applications than openings. Recruitment officially begins in September, but think about applying at least 6-8 months before you’d like to work. Consider working in the shoulder seasons, spring and fall, or in winter, rather than summer. Background checks are performed when you have an assignment that involves children or handling money. Interviews take place by phone from a ranger representing that park interested in your application. Once you get to the park, you will receive several hours of orientation.
After the presentations, several volunteer hosts described their experiences and answered questions. Among the questions raised was if there were any real “problems” attached to this volunteer job. They responded that the rangers handled the problems, and their job was one of “ambassador-ship”. They enjoy meeting the people who come to "their" parks, and look forward to many more seasons in the state parks' systems.