Position Description
Challenge Course Lead Instructors facilitate full-day programming for a variety of groups including schools, community organizations, and companies. This role is responsible for maintaining safety, mentoring co-instructors, planning curriculum and flow of day, facilitating students through the program. The ideal candidate will be skilled in facilitation on high and low ropes activities, mentoring co-instructors and working with a variety of students and ages.
Who We Are
Outward Bound California (OBCA) is a non-profit that uses challenging experiences in outdoor settings to create social-emotional learning opportunities for our students. At the Challenge Course, we offer 1-day experiences for students aged 12+, including adults. We serve a variety of participant groups including schools, community organizations, and companies. To learn more about our course elements, check out the video tour. OBCA is deeply committed to increasing access for students and schools that have traditionally been excluded from outdoor spaces. We do this through our 40+ community partnerships and offer partial or full scholarships to over 2/3 of our students.
Equity and Inclusion Statement:
We believe that all people should have safe access to the outdoors and culturally relevant and responsive educational programming. OBCA is also striving to create an equitable and inclusive internal culture where all staff members feel represented and honored for their identities and lived experiences. We examine how power, bias, race and other aspects of identity impact our organization. We work to build a culture where we are always learning and improving toward a vision for equity and belonging for all staff. We are looking for team members who can actively join us in this process. We are also committed to reflecting the diverse communities with whom we work and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ identifying folks, and women to apply.
Who you are…
Outward Bound California does not expect every applicant to have every skill and qualification listed here, and we are committed to the professional development of our employees. A strong candidate who is interested in growing and learning in this role will possess at least 75% of the following qualifications. If this is you, then we strongly encourage you to submit an application for consideration.
An Educator
- Passionate about working with youth, especially teens and middle schoolers
- Lived experience or experience working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds including age, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic class and members of the LGBTQ+ community
- Have a deep understanding and personal commitment to equity and inclusion in the outdoors
- Experience providing trauma informed care
- Comfortable giving and receiving feedback
Challenge Course Facilitation
- Uses good judgment while making decisions regarding safe use of the challenge course
- Adaptable to the different learning style needs of students and being able to adjust activities as needed
- Have prior facilitation experience on Challenge Courses
- Familiar with belaying and spotting low and high ropes course activities
- Able to work weekends and nontraditional hours (earlier than 9am and later than 5pm)
Physical Requirements
- Sufficiently fit to participate in all course activities while maintaining ample energy, strength, and focus to aid students and instructors
- Able to lift and transport 20-50 pounds of gear several times a day
- Can be on feet most days – sometimes for up to 8 hours a day
- Comfortable working outdoors, regardless of weather or season
- Comfortable climbing to height and efficiently moving own body to perform rescue and repair
Current Certifications & Licenses (Required by Start Date)
- First Aid & CPR/AED or higher (must meet EMSA requirements for childcare providers [i.e. requires an in-person assessment]; please consult this list to find examples of acceptable providers or check compliance with [email protected])
Additional Requirements (Upon Hire)
- 20 years of age or older by start date
- Able to pass a federal & Live Scan background check, MVR check (if you have a driver’s license), and provide current (within the last 4 years) negative TB screen or test results upon hire (cost of all screening paid for or reimbursed by OBCA)
- Up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines as defined by the CDC
Bonus if you…
- Lived experience or experience working with communities often underrepresented in the outdoors
- Speak Spanish, Mandarin, or Cantonese
- Hold an ACCT level 1, 2 or equivalent experience
- Have held a valid US or Canadian driver’s license for at least 3 years
Responsibilities
Ropes Course Operation
- Facilitate students through 1-day challenge course programs, including fitting personal safety equipment, teaching and monitoring student belayers, spotting low elements and debriefing
Program Design & Delivery
- Plan programs in conjunction with Outward Bound values and partner’s desired outcomes
- Assess students to ensure all activities are appropriate for experience level and social/cultural needs
- Role model inclusive behavior and build a positive group culture
- Demonstrate cultural responsiveness and an ongoing desire to work with students from diverse backgrounds
- Role model a positive culture of feedback with co-workers and supervisor
- Mentor co-instructors in program delivery while sharing the space for co-facilitation
Safety & Risk Management
- Adhere to all operating procedures, safety policies, and emergency procedures outlined in the staff handbook
- Recognizes and proactively addresses emotional safety needs of the group and co-instructors.
- Clearly establish limits and boundaries for student behavior and independence
- Manage a student group in emergencies as needed and as appropriate
- Able to safely and efficiently perform high angle rescue in training and as needed
- Role models proper self-care and energy management while working outdoors
- Uphold Outward Bound’s zero-tolerance policy for incidents of child abuse and neglect. Protecting our minor students against abuse and neglect is of the highest priority.
Benefits, Compensation & Location
Compensation & Schedule (Full Time)
- Starting hourly wage is $25/hour with opportunities to move up to Lead Instructor role
- This is a full-time, hourly position, 36 hours/week, Tuesday-Saturday
- Program operates Tuesday-Saturday, January 20, 2023 through November 3, 2023
- Paid training week begins January 20 – Feb 3, 2023 (8hrs/day)
Benefits (Full Time)
- All required trainings are paid
- Competitive benefits package, including comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance with generous employer contribution, long-term disability, life insurance, 401K with employer match after 1 year and Employee Assistance Plan. Flexible Spending Account, Paid Time Off (PTO)( Accrue 1 hour for every 13 hrs worked), unpaid Time Off (UTO) (Accrue 1 hour for every 13 hrs worked) and paid designated holidays.
- Pro Deal, the opportunity to purchase outdoor gear at discounted rates
- Access to professional development funds and recertification reimbursements
- Access to free youth development training
Compensation & Schedule (Part Time)
- Starting hourly wage is $25/hour with opportunities to move up to Site Manager role
- This is a part-time, hourly position, typically 2.5 days a week (~20 hrs/week)
- Program operates Tuesday-Saturday, January 20, 2023 through November 3, 2023
- Paid training week begins January 20 – Feb 3, 2023 (8hrs/day)
Benefits (Part Time)
- All required trainings are paid
- Paid Time Off (PTO) – Accrue 1 hour for every 13 hrs worked
- Unpaid Time Off (UTO) – Accrue 1 hour for every 13 hrs worked
- Pro Deal, the opportunity to purchase outdoor gear at discounted rates
- Access to professional development funds and recertification reimbursements
- Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP), free of charge for staff and family members
- Access to free youth development training
Location
Most program days take place at the McLaren Park Ropes Course in southeast San Francisco.
Outward Bound California is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. Outward Bound California also promotes respect for all people, and will not tolerate harassment based on any of these characteristics
