Position Title: Stewards VISTA: Gateway National Recreation Area- AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East
Site Location: Gateway National Recreation Area
City, State or Full Address: 210 New York Ave. Staten Island, NY 10305
Terms of Service:
Start Date: 07/14/25
End Date: 07/13/26
Must serve a 365-day (1 year) service term
Living Allowance: $82.51/day ($30,116.15/year)
*In-park housing may be available!
Purpose:
This is an AmeriCorps Program at Gateway National Recreation Area, created in 1972 to provide urban communities in New York and New Jersey with access to America’s parks. Gateway offers opportunities for outdoor learning and family-friendly recreation near one of the nation’s largest population centers. Recognizing the importance of connecting youth to nature, Gateway joined with the National Park Foundation and the Open Outdoors for Kids program to engage 4th-grade students. The program introduces students to curriculum-based experiences that promote responsible stewardship. These efforts have helped form a growing network of educators and partners dedicated to strengthening outdoor education.
This is an AmeriCorps Position. An AmeriCorps VISTA member contributes behind the scenes—building partnerships, coordinating logistics, and creating tools that enable educators and volunteers to deliver meaningful programming. This includes developing educational materials, recruiting and training volunteers, and strengthening outreach to schools across the metro area. Through this indirect service, the VISTA member helps extend the park’s educational impact far beyond a single school year, which prepares children for better educational outcomes in impoverished areas of the region. By the end of their term, the VISTA will leave behind tools and systems that promote self-sustaining programming and deeper community connections to Gateway’s parks.
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The AmeriCorps VISTA member will build capacity and develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in underserved communities.
Description of Duties:
The VISTA will expand access to Gateway’s educational programming by strengthening school partnerships and coordinating outreach to educators. They will develop curriculum resources, organize professional development, and build tools for sustained community engagement. The member will design environmental programming, lead volunteer recruitment and training, and help organize student-led initiatives. They will also support grant research and draft a sustainability plan to carry efforts forward after the service term. This indirect service strengthens long-term capacity and community involvement.
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) from 7/14/25 to 7/13/26, 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 $82.51 per day, disbursed every 2 weeks
· Professional Development Funds
· 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 Sam Durbin, sam_durbin@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.