Summer Positions
Head Cook
Head Cook is responsible for creating menus, ordering food, preparing and cooking meals for 15-30 people and coordinating volunteers for kitchen help.
Assistant Cook
The Assistant Cook is responsible for assisting the Head Cook in daily kitchen and meal tasks and working with any volunteers.
Head Instructor
Responsible for the implementation of Ancestral Knowledge Programs for groups for two to fourteen youth. Implementation includes; running program activities, group management, risk management and providing leadership to the group teaching team.
Instructor
Instructors are responsible for the implementation of Ancestral Knowledge Programs for groups of two to fourteen youth. Implementation includes; running program activities guided by Head Instructor, preparing materials for group activities, instruction of skills, working with group dynamics to ensure the best learning flow, and supervision of students.
Instructor in Training (volunteer position)
Responsible for assisting in the implementation of Ancestral Knowledge Programs for groups of two to fourteen youth, teens, and adults. Implementation includes preparing materials for group activities, supervision of students, instruction of skills, working with group dynamics to ensure the best learning flow, and assisting with special projects. Eligibility: Must be age 16 or older and completed the Woods Wise, Wisdom of the woods, Wilderness Experience, and Earth skills programs or have had formal training elsewhere and prove proficiency with several wilderness skills.
Intern (volunteer position)
Responsible for assisting in the implementation of the Ancestral Knowledge Programs for a group of two to fourteen youth or teens. Implementation includes preparing materials for group activities, assisting with the supervision of students, Fire Keeper duty, adventure tasks, HOSSA and general up-keep of camp. Eligibility: Must be age 16 or older and have taken the program that you want to intern for.
Volunteer Program
There are two ways to volunteer:
1. Once you have participated in one of our workshops you are eligible to come back to that same program as a volunteer. Volunteer help has become a crucial part of our programs. It is a wonderful way to be able to support Ancestral Knowledge and at the same time be exposed to the lessons once again. This is a great way to focus on parts of the program that slipped by and seek further instruction. Your job as a volunteer is to help with class set up, assist students and instructors as needed and to inspire by working on the skills at hand.
2. Most of our need for volunteers is during the summer programs. The bulk of the volunteer work revolves around the kitchen. We rely on our helpers to assist the cooks in food preparation, kitchen clean up, and dish washing. There are also other tasks having to do with keeping the program area clean and sanitary. This help is greatly needed, and greatly appreciated. In exchange there are opportunities for volunteers to observe or participate in the programs, with some guidelines for conduct so that the learning experience of the students is not impinged upon. Volunteers might get involved in helping instructors prepare for the days activities, possibly gathering materials needed for a workshop, or fun things like camouflaging in at a site where the kids will be brought. There are also times when they are able to join in fully on the activity of the moment. As a volunteer there is often ample free time to work on skills or just enjoy the beautiful setting of our camp location.
You do not need to have children in the program in order to volunteer. It is helpful to have participated in other AK workshops or the MAPS Meet before volunteering. Volunteers are accepted for individual or multiple weeks.
Thanks for your interest in working with Ancestral Knowledge!
Please contact us for more information.
