Volunteer Programs Individual Placement at Antietam National Battlefield

The Appalachian Conservation Corps: Our Individual Placement program works to connect young people to conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.   Individual Placements gain hands-on experience at their placement site, and ACC supports them through their term, as well as providing a variety of benefits to help them succeed in achieving their career goals. ACC welcomes national applicants but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.

Job Overview

Antietam National Battlefield is a National Park Service-protected area along Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Washington County, northwestern Maryland. It commemorates the American Civil War Battle of Antietam that occurred on September 17, 1862, the bloodiest single-day battle in U.S. history.  This U.S. victory gave President Abraham Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. The area, situated on fields among the Appalachian foothills near the Potomac River, features the battlefield site and visitor center, a national cemetery, stone arch Burnside’s Bridge, and a field hospital museum.

The Volunteer Program and Visitor Services 26-week internship position involves working directly with National Park Service Staff. The IP will be assisting with volunteer program operations including administrative work, organizing and executing service projects, and planning. Particularly, the IP will be assisting with the largest volunteer event in the park, the Annual Memorial Illumination. Each year, between 700 and 1,200 volunteers come together to build and place 23,110 luminaries to represent the casualties of America’s bloodiest day. This is a complex event, and the IP would have a chance to understand planning and execution of events, basic incident command, as well as management of a large number of short-term volunteers.

In addition, the IP will be the face of the park, help at the park visitor center presenting 30-minute Battlefield Orientation talks and greeting visitors as they enter the visitor center and orient them to the park. The Corps Member will hand out park literature, tell visitors about the park, and attempt to meet their informational needs. Over the course of time, the Corps Member is expected to become familiar with the resources available at the front desk, such as park handouts, maps of the area, and monument location guides.

Finally, the IP will also have a chance to table at several local community events to bring awareness to the park and bring new visitors. This will also entail updating existing outreach materials and creating a new, engaging, make and take activity for families.

This position is focused both on recruiting and engaging park volunteers and on engaging the public by sharing information on the history of the park, while developing skills like public speaking and interpersonal communication. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Volunteer Program Management Tasks

• The Member will be responsible for completing a variety of administrative tasks related to the Antietam volunteer program including logging hours, building positions on volunteer.gov, writing website content, and assisting in supervising volunteers in the field.

• In particular, the IP will assist with making changes to our Annual Memorial Illumination to make it safer and more efficient. This is a complex volunteer event.

• Visitor Services Tasks

•  Study assigned research materials. Develop an accurate, in-depth knowledge of 19th century American History.

• Informal interpretation including roving, stationary interpretation in collaboration with our Battlefield Ambassador volunteers, and pop-up programs.

• Assisting with front desk operations including greeting visitors, answering questions, and operating AV equipment.

• Special events duties such as photographic documentation, set-up of chairs and traffic cones, vehicle parking, traffic control, crowd control, and first aid.

• Other interpretive programs such as interpretive walks and talks that cover the history and cultural resources of the battlefield. Corps Members may also do informal or “roving interpretation” at various stops on the battlefield driving tour.

•  Sometimes, the volunteer/Corps Member coordinator and/or visitor center supervisor may ask the Corps Member to help with various office duties, such as making copies, answering the phones, and stuffing envelopes.

• Update and develop materials for outreach. Table at local community events to bring awareness to the park and build community relationships.

The most important factors in evaluating a Corps Member’s performance are: 1) Polite and pleasant interactions with the visiting public and coworkers (volunteers, rangers, and other staff members). 2) Reliable attendance, punctuality, and professionalism. 3) The ability to complete tasks on time, in a quality manner, and somewhat independently. 4) The accuracy of information provided to the public, interpretive/public speaking skills, and adapting information to the needs of the audience.

Special Benefits

• IPs receive formal training in interpretation and volunteer management skills, Civil War History, customer service, first aid/CPR certifications, and safety. Additional training and professional development opportunities may also be available. If you love learning, sharing what you’ve learned with others, and working hard in a team environment, this position will be incredibly rewarding.
• Park housing is available for this position
• $3,697.50 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award upon successful completion of 900-hour service term (award amount varies based on length of commitment and can be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)
• Option to enroll in free health/dental/vision benefits.
• $300 professional development fund
• Eligibility for the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority upon successful completion – noncompetitive hiring status for two years when applying for federal positions.
• Federal student loan forbearance and interest payoff
• Member Assistance Program – 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist
• Subject-specific certifications and trainings
• Depending upon the academic institution and program, positions may fulfill internship requirements
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths

Minimum Requirements

To qualify for an AmeriCorps position, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest and/or knowledge in U.S. History and the Civil War

• Experience with volunteer management and/or event planning.

• Valid driver’s license

• Public speaking and presentation skills and abilities

• Professionalism in working with project partners and park visitors

• Background in customer service or education/teaching/public presentation

• Two-year degree or relevant experience in education, parks and recreation, or history

• Interest in pursuing a career with a public land management agency