Outdoor Economic Development Fellow – AmeriCorps

Job Overview

Position Title: Outdoor Economic Development Fellow – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: City of Beckley – Office of Outdoor Economic Development

409 S. Kanawha Street, Beckley, West Virginia 25801

APPLY HERE: conservationlegacy:Career Search

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 07/14/2025
• End Date: 12/26/2025 (24 Weeks)
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hour Slot

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and protect our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting the health of natural areas. Stewards, in partnership with the CITY OF BECKLEY, OFFICE OF OUTDOOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, are seeking a service member to support the advancement of the Beckley Outdoors initiative—an ambitious effort to transform Abandoned Mine Lands into vibrant outdoor recreation spaces that foster economic and community revitalization.

The selected individual will assist in coordinating volunteer activities at Piney Creek Preserve, a former mine site. The service member will also support outreach and communications efforts to engage residents and collaborate with a regional coalition of partners to help plan and advance a major project within the Beckley Outdoors Economic Action Plan. This position is ideal for someone passionate about outdoor recreation, community development, and the reuse of historic mining lands for public benefit.

Description of Duties:

•         Volunteer Coordination and Development at Piney Creek Preserve

–       Lead and support volunteer coordination efforts.

–       Organize and manage volunteer workdays, prepare materials and tools, communicate with volunteers, track participation, and assist with site improvement projects.

–       Work to develop a replicable volunteer engagement and coordination model that can be adopted by local trail organizations and community partners.

•        Outreach and Promotion of Beckley Outdoors Projects

–       Help to promote volunteer opportunities, project updates, and events through social media and other communication channels.

–       Create and schedule posts using Meta Business Suite, design graphics in Canva, and assist with storytelling content creation.

–       Attend community events and public gatherings to represent and raise awareness about the Beckley Outdoors initiative.

•         Project Advancement and Coalition Collaboration

–       Assist in performing project research, contribute to planning or early design tasks, and be active in identifying grant and funding opportunities.

–       Collaborate closely with members of the Beckley Outdoors Coalition

–       Attend coalition meetings, assist with partner coordination, and contribute to the next steps in project development and implementation.

–       Help build capacity of local trail organizations

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 17 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Bachelor’s degree in business management, economic development or outdoor recreation focus is preferred
• Experience with trail building
• Experience with community outreach

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve a 35-to-40-hour workday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
• This is a hybrid opportunity.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive on-site training opportunities designed to build their skills in outdoor recreation planning, volunteer coordination, and community engagement.
• Initial orientation will be provided by the Office of Outdoor Economic Development to familiarize the member with the Beckley Outdoors Economic Action Plan, key partners, and ongoing projects.
• Hands-on training in volunteer coordination will occur at Piney Creek Preserve, where the member will assist with planning and facilitating stewardship days.
• Additional on-site instruction will be provided by Active Southern West Virginia through their Community Captain program, which offers experiential training in organizing community-led outdoor activities and promoting inclusive participation.
• The member will be enrolled in the Intro to Trail Building course hosted by the WVU Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative (OEDC), providing foundational knowledge in sustainable trail design, construction, and maintenance techniques that will directly support their role.
• The member will receive practical training in public outreach, including the use of Meta Business Suite for Facebook engagement and Canva for designing event promotions, under the guidance of the mentor.
• Participation in coalition meetings and collaborative partner events will serve as immersive, real-world training environments, providing insight into interagency collaboration, project development, and stakeholder engagement.

These on-site training experiences are designed to not only support the member’s service responsibilities, but also to prepare them for future careers in outdoor recreation, community development, and land reuse.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2817.14
• Living Allowance of $592 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $200 per week.
• No on-site housing available
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

STE Program Staff:

Kahla Stewart

Program Coordinator

Stewards Individual Placements

(423) 402-6004

[email protected]

Service Site Staff:

Mitch Lehman

Director of Outdoor Economic Development

City of Beckley – Office of Economic Development

[email protected]

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.