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Wilderness Summer Camp instructor

Position Description: 
Primitive Pursuits is not your typical summer day camp. We are seeking gregarious, enterprising individuals to join the area’s premier wilderness skills mentoring team! Our radical approach to education fosters a meaningful connection to the outdoors through nature awareness, primitive skills, curiosity, community and the mystery of the natural world. Youth aged 3-15 spend their entire days immersed in the fields, forests and waterways of undeveloped nature – gathering resources, crafting tools, navigating the landscape, mastering fire skills and surviving limitless challenges together. Instructors will help craft our nature-based programs, facilitate positive group energy, and keep kids safe and engaged. 

Wilderness Field Instructors facilitate the core aim of Primitive Pursuits; bringing groups of youth into natural areas, away from facilities and without modern gear, and engaging them in a self-directed inquiry into basic, personal and group survival needs. Her/his key role in this task will be to assist and instruct youth on survival skills in the wild including but not limited to: primitive technology, fire making, shelter construction and procurement of food and water. Field instructors also mentor youth in naturalist skills and knowledge, promote stewardship and build healthful relationships in the outdoor environment. Wilderness Instructors may teach Growing Wild (3-5 yr old), Day Camp (6-14 yr old), or overnight camp (11-15 yr round)

Employment Period: 9 -10 weeks, end of June – end of August 
Summer season: Week long Staff Training for new staff and pre-camp preparation. Applicants will not need to commit to the entire season.

Responsibilities: 
• Creating and implementing experiential environmental immersions for diverse groups of youth in the context of wilderness survival, living skills, naturalist skills and knowledge
• Role-modeling passion and enthusiasm around engaging with the elements of nature
• Mentoring staff on a path to comfort and success among their peers and in potentially adverse environments
• Facilitating group energy and responding swiftly to group needs in order to effectively manage and engage each participant in a positive experience
• Actively contributing to efforts of leadership team in planning, preparing, delivering and evaluating each week and each day of programming
• Representing the high caliber of the organization when speaking to parents, staff and participants
• Delivering high-adventure experiences while keeping an unfailing eye on the safety of each activity and each participant and co-worker in accordance with risk management protocols
• Working with ages between 3-15, day camp and overnight






QUALIFICATIONS - LEAD INSTRUCTORS
• Must have RTE First Aid or WFR Certification, and CPR for the Professional or higher 
• Driver’s license and/or ability to arrange transportation to various camp locations. 
• 1-2 years’ experience as a naturalist/wilderness instructor working with youth ages 6-14 in an undeveloped setting and skilled in specialized areas pertaining to wilderness living and primitive skills. Experience in eight shields mentoring preferred. 
• 1-2 years’ experience in mentoring staff members in problem solving, organization and day to day coordination
QUALIFICATIONS - ALL INSTRUCTORS
• Willingness to work in a changing environment and tackle new problems each day
• Ability to learn and convey skill sets efficiently 
• Demonstrate a high level of comfort and curiosity in the natural world
• Passionate about learning new material and practicing skills outside of work
• Demonstrate ability to inspire and relate positively with youth and teens
• Reflect on a range of personal experiences working independently and within a team 
• Be a highly functioning communicator with past experiences working with people of diverse educational and cultural backgrounds
• Demonstrate ability to thrive in rigorous outdoor physical education activities
• Previous experience with primitive technologies and wilderness survival skills