Youth Empowerment Stewards (YES) VISTA: Acadia National Park- AmeriCorps

Position Title: Youth Empowerment Stewards (YES) VISTA: Acadia National Park- AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East

Site Location: Bar Harbor, ME 04609

City, State or Full Address: 20 McFarland Hill Road

Terms of Service:

Start Date: August 10, 2026

End Date: August 9, 2027

Must serve a 365-day (1 year) service term

Living Allowance: $68.39/day ($24,962.35/year)

Apply using this link: My AmeriCorps - Home Page

Stewards Individual Placements & Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) Initiative: Stewards Individual Placements provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural and cultural resources. The Youth Empowerment Steward (YES) initiative aims to increase access to the outdoors for all Americans.

Are you passionate about expanding access to public lands and creating welcoming outdoor experiences for all visitors? Do you believe everyone should have the opportunity to explore and enjoy our National Parks? Our health, our planet, and our collective future rely on variety – in thought, ability, experience, and ideas. Join the Youth Empowerment Stewards (YES) program and contribute to strengthening park operations and enhancing the visitor experience by helping to remove barriers to outdoor access—ensuring that our national parks remain open and welcoming to all Americans.

Purpose:

Acadia National Park is a stunning coastal national park located on Mount Desert Island and surrounding areas along the rugged Atlantic shoreline of Maine. Established in 1916 as the first national park east of the Mississippi River, it is known for its dramatic rocky coastlines, granite peaks, dense forests, and pristine lakes. Visitors come to hike miles of scenic trails, drive the historic Park Loop Road, bike the carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain—one of the first places in the United States to see the sun rise during parts of the year. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, peregrine falcons, and harbor seals, making it a destination that blends natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and rich conservation history.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will serve with the park’s education and interpretation team to help expand outreach to underserved groups, with a special focus on reducing barriers so that all have access to public lands. The member will develop educational curriculum for local schools, community organizations, and youth groups—particularly those from lower-income neighborhoods—with the goal to increase awareness of public resources, deepen understanding of environmental and cultural history, and cultivate a strong ethic of stewardship. Through indirect service, the VISTA will build the park’s long-term capacity by developing new interpretive and educational programming (both in-person and virtual), creating outreach materials, and enhancing communications strategies to reach broader audiences.

The AmeriCorps VISTA member will build capacity and develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in underserved communities.

Description of Duties:

The VISTA will collaborate with park staff to design public education programs for a wide variety of audiences, including underserved schools and youth organizations. They will develop interpretive talks and curriculum-aligned programming for K–12 students in science, history, and social studies—both in person and virtually. The member will create new educational content (videos, signage, digital materials), improve outreach to economically disadvantaged communities, and identify ways to reduce barriers to participation for people with disabilities. This role strengthens long-term capacity through relationship-building, resource development, and strategic outreach.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien

• At least 18 years of age

• College graduate

• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check

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 full-time (35-40 hours), but exact schedules may vary.

• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

• Member will receive a Virtual Member Orientation (VMO) from VISTA on their first day of service.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award* of $7,395.00

o or choice of cash stipend of ~$1,800.00

• Living Allowance of $68.39 per day, disbursed every 2 weeks

• Park Housing/Housing Stipend

• Relocation Allowance ($750) if Eligible

• Healthcare Coverage* if Eligible

• Childcare Coverage* if Eligible

• Loan forbearance if Eligible

• Interest Payments if Eligible

• Training and Professional Development Opportunities

• Employee Wellness Program (access to a licensed, professional counselor and 24/7 support)

• Non-Competitive Eligibility* (NCE) status upon successful completion of the term

• Networking and Mentorship

• For more information regarding the Segal Education Award, check out this link as well as alternative uses for the award here.

• For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare.

• For more information regarding the AmeriCorps VISTA Childcare benefit, please visit https://americorpschildcare.com/.

• For details about Non-Competitive Eligibility, please visit https://my.americorps.gov/trust/help/member_portal/non_competitive_eligibility_overview.htm.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed their required year of service; 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, accomplishment tracking, and quarterly reporting.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

For VISTA related information, contact Addie Gilkerson, agilkerson@conservationlegacy.org

For site related information, contact Jay Elhard, jay_elhard@nps.gov

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.