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Teen Summer Volunteer Opportunities

Our summer volunteer internships are a great way for anyone ages 12 and up to get involved, build a resume, gain confidence and valuable skills, and have an amazing summer. If you are interested in hanging out with us this summer, you can sign up using the button below. Special arrangements can be made on the requirements as the situation needs. 

Junior Counselor Intern (JCI)

Our JCI's are a key part of how we can have so many campers. They assist our summer camp educators by interacting with campers, assisting with classroom management (handing out papers, taking campers inside for a drink, etc.), and being a remodel to our campers.
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Requirements:
  • Work at least 20 hours during the summer
  • Mandatory training on May 14, 10am-3pm, or on May 25 and 26th, 5-7:30pm
  • Willingness to help clean and work with kids from K-5th grade
  • Ability to play with campers inside and outside and hike a mile on our flat trails

Gardening and Cultivation Intern (GCI)

GCI's will help maintain garden beds at The Whiteside Garden and/or Friendship Garden by weeding, planting, and watering, but also assist with more unique aspects of running a garden, such as plant identification tags.

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Requirements:
  • Work at least 20 hours during the summer
  • Attend training on June 1st, 9am-1pm at Whiteside
  • Willingness to work outside
  • Ability to hike half a mile over rough terrain, bend, and dig.

Conservation Crew Intern (CCI)

The CCI team work with the Douglas-Hart team to continue improving The Douglas-Hart Nature Center through active conservation management practices. Tasks may include pulling invasive plants, working in the prairie, spreading mulch, and watering.

​Requirements 
  • Work at least 20 hours during the summer
  • ​Attend training on June 6th, 9am-3pm (highly recommended)
  • Willingness to work outside and hike up to a mile on our flat trails

Leadership Clerk Intern (LCI)

LCI's will assist working the front desk at either the Douglas-Hart Nature Center or The Whiteside Garden, as well as working on special projects such as program preparation. These volunteers gain valuable leadership and soft skill experience in customer service, communications, problem-solving, organization, and more.

Requirements:
  • Work at least 20 hours
  • Attend training on May 31, 9am-1pm at Douglas-Hart Nature Center and/or June 2, 9am-1pm at The Whiteside Garden
  • Have completed one of our summer internships before (been a JCI or CCI)
  • ​Ability to talk to the public and complete tasks in a timely manner.

What is happening right now?

Professional Development

Although these internships are through the summer, we are excited to offer year-round opportunities for our interns to connect. From January to May, we are encouraging all of our interns to attend our free professional development courses from 5-7 pm. This is not exclusive to our interns but is highly recommended for those who are interested in working with us this summer. For more information, please check out the link below.

Be a part of our history!

We are currently working on adding on to our Nature Play area at our Nature Center. This is often used by our summer camps as well as worked on by our CCIs. If you would like to help prepare the area for our new equipment or to help us remodel our stump trail, you can sign up below.