Community-based environmental conservation with Americorps

Alex PalmerVolunteer Maryland Coordinator

Chesapeake Education Arts & Research Society

Chesapeake Education Arts & Research Society

There are lots of Green Jobs!

Corporation for National & Community Service

• America has a long history of community service to others

• Americorps founded in 1993 during Bill Clinton’s inaugural

address

• AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 Americans in intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country.

Core Issue Areas: Disaster Services Economic Opportunity Education Healthy Futures Veterans Environmental Stewardship

Community-based Conservation in Greenbelt: A typical week as a Volunteer Program

Coordinator75%

Office work:• Partnership development• Reporting• Publicity materials• Budgeting• Gathering supplies• Project development

25%

Field work!:• Training volunteers• Planning volunteer

environmental projects• Looking at plants and wildlife• Gathering data with a GPS• Planting trees and flowers

Schooling & Skills: What does it take to do volunteer program development in the environmental conservation world?

Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.)

Professionalism – good people and communication skills!

Technical skills (gardening, knowing how to I.D. plants and wildlife, use a GPS, etc.)

Working with people and the environment: Painstakingly challenging but phenomenally fun!

Green it up in Greenbelt!You can get green jobs training now with CHEARS at these

upcoming volunteer workdays!

Greenbelt Green Man FestivalMother’s Day WeekendRoosevelt Center on Centerway in Historic GreenbeltMay 10-11

Three Sisters Demonstration Gardens Schrom Hills Garden Exploration & WorkdaySaturday, May 17th, 2014 from 9am-11:30am

Summer Solstice Bioblitz at Schrom Hills ParkSaturday, June 21st, 2014 from 10am-2pm

www.chears.orgMore info at our website:

Keep it green right here in Greenbelt! ‘Like’ us on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/chearsorg

www.chears.org

Contact Alex! alex@chears.org

240-542-2168