Volunteer Opportunities: Education

Teach People about Nature …

Teach the young and old about the natural world through interactive hands-on programming.

  • Share your knowledge and passion for nature
  • Teach guests of all ages about the exciting and magical world of plants, trees and wildlife

Holden Guides are specially trained volunteers who lead educational programs and tours that introduce our visitors to Holden. Guides are interested in learning and are excellent communicators, with a love of natural history and a genuine desire to share that knowledge with our guests.

 

Flexibility is essential in order to adapt to changing subject matter and guests with different backgrounds, interests and learning styles.

Holden guides provide tours for visitors

 

A school guide works with a group of students from an area school

 

 

Opportunity

Season

Preparation

Commitment

Description

Highlight Tour Guide

(tram tour) (outside)

Spring

Summer

Fall

(May-Oct)
  • VIP Guide training (14-16 hrs)
  • Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)

4 hrs every other week

Enhance our guests experience by conducting tours that provide an overview of Holden

Highlight Tour Guide

(walking tour) (outside)

Spring

Summer

Fall

(April-Oct)
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • VIP Guide training  (14 hrs)
  • Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)

4 hrs every other week

Enhance our guests experience by conducting tours that provide an overview of Holden

Holden Butterfly Garden Guide

(walking tour) (outside)

 Summer
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • Training (3 hrs)

Tuesday

weekends

2-4 hrs every other week

Enhance our guests experience by leading tours of the Arlene eand Arthur S. Holden Jr. Butterfly Garden

School Guide (outside)

Year Round
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • Spring and or Fall School Guide Training (4.5 hrs)
  • Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)

2-4 hrs per week

Lead student through one of Holden's forests and help them discover first hand some of the many components that make up a forest or pond community

Facilitate students’ experience by making careful observations of nature

Nature Play Facilitator (outside) Summer
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • Facilitator Training (3 hrs)
2-4 hrs per week Facilitate guests experience by engaging them in nature play
Bird Feeders

Late Fall

Winter
  • Ability to hike in snow and be in freezing temperatures for up to an hour
2 hrs per week or bi-weekly Help keep our feathered friends from going hungry by hiking out to fill the bird feeders by Buckeye Bud's Nature Area

Girl/Boy Scout Guide (outside)

Year Round
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • School or VIP Guide Training (4.5-14hrs)
  • Scout Training (2.5 hrs)

2-4 hrs

per week

(late afternoon or weekends)

Connect scouts with nature through programs geared toward allowing the scouts to earn “try-its,” “badges” or a Holden fun patch

Natural Areas Guide

(outside)

Year Round
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • School or VIP Guide Training (4.5-14hrs)
  • Natural Areas Training (4-8 hrs)
  • Annual Refresher training (4-6 hrs)

4-8 hrs per month

Lead guests on a hike through spectacular natural areas like Stebbins Gulch and Little Mountain

Snowshoe Guide

(outside)

Winter

(Jan-Feb)
  • Ability to engage in moderate outdoor activity
  • School or VIP Guide Training (4.5-14hrs)
  • Snowshoe Training           (2.5 hrs)

2 hrs every other week

Lead guests on a hike using snowshoes to see winter highlights at Holden

Library

(inside)

Year Round
  • Previous experience helpful
  • On-the-job training

Tuesday – Saturday,

2-4 hrs per week

Assist visitors, cataloging and filing