Youth Empowerment Stewards (YES) – New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Digital Specialist Intern

Stipend: $600/week ($15/hr)

Internship Length: 12 weeks, full time

Number of Positions: 1

Start Date: 5/8/2023

Reports to: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, National Park Service (NPS)

YES (Youth Empowerment Stewards) Program:

Are you passionate about disability rights and accessibility in National Parks and public lands? Do you identify as having a disability yourself? Work with us and help increase access to the outdoors for everyone. Our health, our planet, and our collective future rely on diversity—in thought, ability, experience, and ideas. That’s why we need YOU. Become a Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) intern and help make the outdoors more accessible for all!

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Digital Specialist Intern:

A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.

At New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, we are seeking a YES intern to aid our Education, Interpretation, Social Media, and Visitor Services. Making our digital products 508 compliant will impact students, teachers, park visitors, and anyone planning on visiting the park or interested in learning more about the park virtually. Also, reaching out to Special Needs groups in the community to offer educational and interpretive programming will strengthen the relationship between these organizations and the park.

Stewards Individual Placements (SIP) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health. The YES program members focus on barriers to entry for individuals with disabilities in the outdoor workplace. YES members will focus on improving accessibility (physical, programmatic, website, etc.) in outdoor recreation. Stewards, in partnership with New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, are seeking an intern who will work out of the Conservation Legacy office in Beckley, West Virginia, on projects that will benefit New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and it’s gateway communities. The member will upload digital products to the park website and ensure 508 compliance along with a variety of other tasks that will ensure the park’s digital products meet these requirements.

Duties Include:

• Add digital publications that are currently not on the park website.
• Ensure these digital products are meet all criteria for 508 compliance.
• Audio-describe videos for park digital platforms.
• Develop new mini-videos that are 508 compliant for Appalachian Gateway.
• Establish relationships with Special Population organizations for park programming and potential opportunities for internships.

Benefits:

• Health Care
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Eligible for AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion
• Reasonable Accommodations
• Membership opportunities and affinity spaces
• Opportunity to make a big impact!

• To be a US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident​
• To be between the ages of 18-24, or a Veteran up to the age of 34​
• Adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid environment​
• Ability to communicate and collaborate in a variety of settings
• Able to or capable of learning how to:

• • become proficient at the CMS web authoring used by the National Park Service
  • create 508 compliant web pages
  • use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit videos
  • audio-describe videos

Background (education or on-the-job) experience with graphic design or digital communications

Knowledge and/or experience making digital documents 508 Compliant