2023 Delaware River Fellowship at Lehigh Gap Nature Center
Start date: June 5, 2023 End date: August 18-25, 2023
The Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a 12-week, paid summer job opportunity designed to introduce young people from local communities to careers in environmental education. Fellows are hired at one of 23 environmental education centers across the Delaware River Watershed. Fellows participate in training sessions to help prepare them for a summer of helping people connect with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for 13 million people living in the region.
Lehigh Gap Nature Center (LGNC), a member the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE), is seeking to hire a Fellow from the Lehigh Valley to help connect with local community members
around protecting the Delaware River Watershed and its waterways.
Position Location: LGNC’s headquarters, the Osprey House, is located alongside the Lehigh River in the Lehigh Gap at 8844 Paint Mill Rd., Slatington, PA 18080.
Compensation: Fellows are paid $15.50/hr, 35-40 hours a week over the summer.
Duties of the Fellow:
• Fellows must participate in a three-day watershed education training at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (overnight, June 14-16). (Depending on COVID-19 limitations, some or all of this training may take place virtually.)
• Fellows will help their host Center lead programs and activities for community members and visitors to their site.
• Fellows will attend virtual webinars, as well as in-person meetings with Fellows from other AWE Centers.
• Fellows will be paired with mentors from AWE Centers, as well as past Fellowship alumni.
• Fellows will check in with their mentors twice a month.
• With guidance from their supervisor and mentor, Fellows will focus their efforts on a specific Capstone Project and present their work at the end-of-program Summit event (August 18).
• Fellows will document their progress by completing a short log report every week.
The Lehigh Gap Nature Center Fellow will specifically:
• Assist LGNC’s Education Team with their efforts to engage residents in the City of Allentown and other Lehigh Valley communities
• Assist LGNC staff with field trips, in-school programs, and after-school programs for a variety of age groups (pre-k through adult)
• Assist LGNC staff with summer camps, club meetings, and community programs
• Develop and implement programs on watersheds and other environmental science topics
• Participate in conservation efforts, including trail maintenance and habitat gardening, on LGNC’s wildlife refuge
• Partner with local nonprofit organizations and state agencies to offer support with education and conservation work
Qualifications and Experience:
• This internship is for individuals ages 18 to 22 who are interested in nature, the outdoors, and working with their community.
• No prior teaching experience or knowledge of environmental science or conservation is needed to apply. All we require is your willingness to learn! LGNC and AWE will provide the
training and resources needed for the Fellow to lead environmental education and outdoor recreation programs.
• Candidates from the Lehigh Valley are preferred, since the Fellow will be working directly with Lehigh Valley communities.
• Candidates who are fluent in Spanish are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Candidates must be responsible, self-motivated, and flexible. They must also have a positive attitude and be comfortable working independently as a leader and also as part of a team.
• Candidates will need transportation to travel to LGNC and various other sites throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Essential Dates:
• June 5-14: Fellow start date at Lehigh Gap Nature Center (Fellows may arrange with their supervisor to begin any time within the first week of the program.)
• June 14-16: Required Watershed Stewardship Training (overnight) at Pocono Environmental Education Center (Meals and accommodations provided; Depending on COVID-19 limitations, some or all of this training may take place virtually.)
• August 18: Watershed Fellowship Summit (location to be announced)
• August 25: Last day of Fellowship (Fellows may finish their term of service any time after the August 18 Summit as needed.)
How to apply:
Complete the online application form at this link: https://forms.gle/6d1gXA7VEAZLnMFHA
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to schedule a Zoom meeting to learn more about the position, please contact LGNC Education & Outreach Coordinator, Riley Davenport, or by phone at 610-760-8889.
Application Deadline: Saturday, April 15, 2023
More about Lehigh Gap Nature Center
LGNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education and conservation organization that maintains a 756-acre wildlife refuge near Slatington, PA. The mission of Lehigh Gap Nature
Center is to improve the quality of life of present and future generations by protecting the wildlife and enhancing the habitats of our Refuge, the neighboring Kittatinny Ridge, and the Lehigh River Watershed through conservation, education, research, and outdoor recreation. We envision a future in which communities and individuals achieve, sustain, and support healthy and connected ecosystems at Lehigh Gap, on the Kittatinny Ridge, and throughout the Delaware River Watershed.
More about the Alliance for Watershed Education
Organized in 2016, the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River is a regional initiative of 23 partnering environmental education centers funded and supported by the William Penn Foundation. Each of these Centers is located along the Circuit Trail or a major connecting trail and on waterways throughout the Delaware River Watershed in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
This position is made possible through the support of the William Penn Foundation.