Mentor Coordinator (September 10, 2021 - September 2, 2022)

The Mentor Coordinator acts as a coach for Trackers Teams of youth and Guides. You engage in program pre-production, prep materials, teach in programs, and manage Trackers Guides. After reading the entire description, if you know this is a fit for you, apply at this link.

Compensation

• $44,250 per year (with CDL)
• Health insurance
• Discretionary Training & Kit Fund (all training and kit items must align with Trackers Teams curriculum must be approved by supervisor) - $235 per season (9/1 - 12/1, 12/2 - 3/1, 3/2 - 6/1, 6/2 - 8/31)
• 2 weeks of pre-scheduled paid time off (December of January)
• Accrued sick leave (up to 40 hours per year) can also be used as flexible paid time off. If unused, this is paid out at the end of every year on September 1.

Commitments

• Applications & Interviews opens June 10, 2021 and close July 28, 2021. Roles announce August 3, 2021.
• Duration is September 10, 2021 - September 2, 2022 (additional opportunities likely available beyond yearly end date).
• Calendar See draft Calendar - Portland 2021-2022 for prospective schedule.

Remember

Remember, not so long ago, when we expected (and allowed) kids to contribute to their family, the more than human world, and many generations beyond us? Kids survived by observation, being curious, and pitching in. They were resilient because they had no choice.

In those times, youth learned essential life skills through stories and myths connected to the place they lived. Every day “play” meant foraging, fishing, and building campfires in the forest. Kids returned to share what they discovered, letting elders know what animal tracks they found, what plants were ready to harvest, and what moved at the water's edge. Everything kids learned on their adventures contributed to critical knowledge that helped the Village survive.

Today, many have forgotten the real work (and play) of youth once part of all our past. Modern schools ask kids to prepare for far off futures disconnected from family. Media defines their hopes and dreams through unreal worlds removed from nature. Our culture no longer inspires them to care for elders, find more-than-human connections, or to be truly helpful in their day-to-day lives. Instead, we charge youth with inaccessible aspirations that divide us rather than building bridges for our communities.

Your Mission

At Trackers, our goal is to inspire, motivate, and energize youth to contribute in meaningful, accessible, and real ways. We define the great work of childhood as play and the great play of childhood as work caring for others. This means we must strengthen the bonds between kids, their families, the more-than-human world, and many generations beyond them. Through the Game of Tracking youth organize into a Trackers Team: a cohort of peers living by the Trackers Code while training the Trackers Elements. This is your Mission when you choose to work at Trackers.

The Trackers Teams Code

The Trackers Code is a set of values leading to deeper connection. It's made up of the Purpose, Compass, and Action Call.

Purpose	Compass	Action Call
Care for Family Care for the More Than Human World Care for Many Generations Beyond Us	Pay Attention Be Truly Helpful Respect the Flow Remember Our Story	Be Ready Be a Caretaker Be Gritty Be a Team

Arts of Tracking

From wilderness survival to fishing, from story camps to blacksmithing, the timeless Arts of Tracking defines how we share these skills. Tracking develops incredible observational awareness. Tracking maps lost puzzles and unseen connections. Tracking changes how we see the wilderness and our relationship with it. Through Tracking, kids rediscover and remember their natural connection to the family, nature, and multiple generations beyond our lifetime.

More About Trackers Earth

Since 2004, kids and families in all their forms have adventured with Trackers Earth. We share the Arts of Tracking through stewardship and outdoor skills. We are committed to creating diverse, equitable and inclusive environments for all participants and staff. We endeavor to grow with families, communities and individuals for the greater advancement and accessibility of real connection based in caretaking. We define ourselves by multi-generational values and an ever-deeper kinship to nature and the more than human world.

Role of a Mentor Coordinator

As a Mentor Coordinator, you manage and guide for a team of Trackers youth and Guides. Before camp, you help plan for programming that aligns with the Trackers Teams curriculum. You prep materials, operations and equipment. You work with leadership to train an A-Team of incredible Trackers Guides.

During camp, you oversee that team of Guides and youth. You guide and support independent learning and caretaking in the field, ensuring a quality camp experience. You track and report the team’s progress to Team Coordinators and the Regional Director. You communicate with other Mentor Coordinators, Guides, campers, and parents and guardians. With families and Trackers leadership to deliver the highest quality experience for kids.

You are responsible for mentoring Specialist and Program Guides to develop their best selves in alignment with the Trackers Teams curriculum. You invite Trackers leadership and elders to align and grow the program. You mentor Intern Guides to grow professionally and you foster personal success both in and beyond the field of outdoor education.

Responsibilities (What You’ll Do):

• Encourage safe independence in Guides that progressively aligns with Trackers Teams format, the Game of Tracking, and the higher purpose of Trackers Earth. Train, oversee, and evaluate Lead and Assistant Guides for optimal safety, quality, operations, and culture.
• Develop our Guide culture that is focused on can-do attitude, positive discourse and solutions based collaboration. Maintain professional standards within the group. Engage, manage, and mentor Guides and Trackers Teams in a manner that is positive for Trackers Earth and our families, and that elevates the Mentor Coordinator role. Model and maintain professional standards within the group.
• Plan and prepare for all programming: fall, winter, spring, and seasonal. Guide and supervise Trackers Teams while managing and coaching up to two subordinate Guides on your team. Ensure group activities for each age group are developmentally appropriate and engaging. Be a mentor, and remember what it’s like to be a kid.
• Implement Trackers Core and Guild elements and Core Program Schedule. Energize Trackers Teams and Guides to finish one Trackers Journal each week.
• Thoughtfully follow and enforce all Trackers policies and procedures. Be accountable for program safety, quality and standards. Be responsible for administering risk management and governance frameworks, as well as Trackers Earth policies across all teams and locations.
• Direct staff in proper usage, maintenance and storage of program gear. Help create a culture of effective and deliberate organization and tidiness. Investigate when this deviates even to the slightest degree.
• Provide fun, engaging, and safe experiences for program participants and co-workers. Exceed the expectations of Trackers Earth customers and families
• Organize, analyze, and respond to customer/guardian communication, providing a high level of effective communication with kids, adults, and families, in group and individual settings.
• Defer to Directors, Supervisors, and Tony Deis in matters of safety, quality, operations, and culture. Report to the management and leadership teams on a daily basis. Communicate health and safety information clearly and effectively to the Director, Office Camp staff and coordinators Coordinators.
• Read and watch all assigned content , folding it into your understanding of how to be the best coach Trackers Teams and Guides. Seek out resources that will improve your coaching, management, leadership, and Trackers elments and outdoor skills.
• Fulfill assigned duties in an emergency situation.
• Maintain and safeguard confidential information.

Qualifications & Requirements

• 1+ year experience in education and/or outdoor education.
• 1+ years experience leading and managing adult teams
  • Implementing systems and processes with a team of adult colleagues of more than 5, with a commitment to organizational governance (incl. safety, risk management, and quality)
  • Implementing organizational frameworks, trainings, objectives, and value.
  • Identifying, synthesizing, and effectively communicating objective (organizational) feedback to colleagues with measurable, positive outcomes
  • A high level of communication effectiveness with customers, managing solution oriented best practice.
• Proven ability to exercise discretion and independent judgement that reflects high-level thinking while managing campers and staff in remote locations with limited support.
• Experience with summer camps similar to Trackers and/or skills relevant to the Camp Team you are assigned to.
• Class B CDL license (large bus with passenger endorsement) and driving experience. You will have 6 weeks from September 1 to obtain this license if you do not already have it.
• Pre-employment checks: criminal background, references, and requirements in MVR Policy.
• Passing required Alcohol/Drug Test for drivers.

Apply at this link.