Work for BOAT
BOAT is trying to change how organizations access the outdoors ā and we need your help! Weāre looking for guides, instructors, and volunteers for a range of programs.
Interested in joining our efforts to make a more accessible and inclusive outdoors? Check out our mission ā and read on:
The Bus for Outdoor Access & Teaching, or āBOAT,ā strives to empower impact organizations to get more people outside. We put a full-service outdoor program in the hands of community leaders, addressing barriers to remote outdoor experiences.
By honoring and enabling the vision of others, we leverage the power of building community outside to achieve greater goals.
Current Opportunities
Bus Driver
DATES: Ongoing
REQUIREMENTS: Class B Commercial Driverās License with a PassengerĀ and AirbrakesĀ Endorsements required. BOAT can provide training to the appropriate candidate to receive their license.
DETAILS: Daily rate, per trip. Ample opportunities to drive on weekdays throughout the summer and into the fall. Typical days last from 8am ā 4pm, but hours may vary. Itās easiest ā but not required ā to live in or near our headquarters in Milwaukee, WI, or our major areas of service: Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Minneapolis. That said, programs range more widely, and occasional trips may be available throughout the US. Additionally, for those with the spirit of adventure, we can pay for travel if you want to drive for our longer expeditions.
Summer Guide
DATES: June 29th ā August 25th, 2024 (8 weeks), including:
-
- 1 week of staff training
- 7 weeks of backpacking or basecamping expeditions
Weekly Contracts: weekly contracts may be available ā please inquire for availability.
REQUIREMENTS: Wilderness First Responder preferred. Experience working with youth required. Experience with backcountry navigation, outdoor meal preparation, and basic facilitation preferred. See job description for more information.
PROGRAMS & CLIENTS: While details will vary, most programs in 2024 average 5-6 days. We are proud to partner with programs led and designed by leaders for their own communities, with BOAT as a capacity builder. This makes guiding for BOAT distinct, as the ability to flex to the needs of different programs is critical. We are truly āguidesā more than we are āleaders.ā Strong preference for guides with a background in facilitation, social-emotional learning, cultural competence, and humility.
As an example, 2024 program partners include:
Multiple weeks working with the YMCA of Metro Detroit and Detroit Outdoors to support BOLD & GOLD expeditions that connects Detroit youth to public lands and leadership development.
Multiple programs serving a partnership agreement with the US Department of Agriculture, and Forest Service as part of their āurban connectionsā program. As a rule, >80% of BOAT participants in any given year represent historically underrepresented groups in the outdoors. Most, though not all, are high school-aged. Our demographics vary with our partners.
SCHEDULE: Trips will primarily be backpacking, with occasional base camping trips (i.e. car camping from the bus). Most trips are 5-6 days on, with 24-36 hours off. Because we serve the region, some additional days will involve travel to a new city. Housing is primarily in Milwaukee, WI but campsites or residences (i.e. Airbnb) will be provided when serving other areas. Transportation to and from our HQ is provided, or you can opt to transport yourself.
See details in āLearn Moreā section below. Many of our arrangements (clients, trip locations, schedule) are seasonal and will be settled throughout the year, but weāre happy to share more of what we know in the interview process!
The Application
BOATās application process is online ā you can find the full application below. You will be asked to provide basic information about yourself and your skills, to provide a resume, and to provide at least three references.Ā You cannot save information midway through, so have your references, their title, e-mail, and phone number in advance.
Note that each job has a series of brief question statements ā these can be brief, but you may want to prepare answers in advance. OurĀ Job Application ChecklistĀ is the best place to get a sense of the process!
Learn more about working for BOAT
The name is an acronym, but it really is like working on a ship. Our crew is small, the quarters are tight, and everything is on board. We arenāt a camp, and we donāt have our own students ā instead, every program is a partnership, with leaders from the communities and schools we serve directly involved. You may be used to programs that work out of a particular camp or area, or have their own philosophy and model ā we find we can serve more programs, in a more thoughtful way, by focusing onĀ theirĀ approach. Our challenge is to mirror what they already do in an outdoor setting. Each trip can look a little bit different. That can be refreshing for some, but stressful for others.
There are still things we look for in our team. Weāre proud of trying new things, and we think operational excellence, innovative thinking, and a willingness to change will help us make a more inclusive outdoors. Weāre looking for people who want to join us in finding new ways to use the outdoors to fulfill the missions of our partners. We have really robust operational systems, but we want to learn from you too. A commitment to diversity in outdoor spaces is critical; we are often providing the logistical backbone to support leaders from groups who have historically lacked access to the outdoors.Ā
Given the above, we donāt believe in āculture fit.ā We are looking for āculture adds.ā Bring who you are to the work, and we will try to find the right match (both with partner guides, and partner programs!). Review available opportunities and apply in the other tabs.Ā
Because our trips range widely ā both in location and style ā each contract may be unique. We strive for competitive rates and to limit costs to our employees, while also being transparent about our budget and capabilities. At a high level, you can expect the following:
- $150/day base pay with a WFR (+$10/day with lifeguarding)
- Bunk + board covered**
- All program expenses will be paid while working, including travel to and from the trip start and end location, meals, accommodations, and activities (this may not apply during time off, or for travel to BOAT at the beginning / end of the season).
- Access to pro deals and industry discounts
We use a daily rate to help calculate as new trips emerge. Sometimes new trips become available mid-season or end of season. In a typical season, a guide with a WFR will make $940/week before taxes, or >$6,500 in a full seven week season.
** Specifics vary by location. Read on for details.
While in the field, youāll be camping along with participants. Typically guides are in a separate guide tent, and if you prefer to sleep alone in a tent that may be an option. Most trips in the warmer months are tent or tarp-based, but as it gets cooler we may utilize cabins.
While not in the field, there are a few options. Most of the time weāll be in our base in Milwaukee, WI. Guides share a space in theĀ Hawkās Nest Community,Ā an intentional living community, and an urban homestead in anĀ eclectic walkable neighborhood.Ā Out the front door, youāll have access to the city of Milwaukee, with much of downtown within just a few miles (bikes are provided for those without vehicles). Out the back door, the view over the river valley hides any sense of a city, and weekend activities can include walking miles of trail connected to the property, borrowing a boat to paddle down to Lake Michigan, or enjoying the breeze on the porch. At night, relax in the hot tub or with one of our many fire pits. And one advantage relative to many youth guiding programs ā no kids on site! Rooms vary based on availability, and range from private rooms to bunks in shared space. Sometimes, we will simply use a local Airbnb.Ā
While in other cities, we typically provide a shared Airbnb for guides. Some opt instead to get their own place or stay with friends.Ā These can vary widely but are typically near the city we are operating in.
Breakfast supplies, lunch, and dinner are provided, though you may opt to eat out instead, or provide your own groceries ā there is a kitchen available for your use in this case.
Some days are travel days, as the bus moves from place to place. In those cases, we may be camping out along the way.
In many ways, weāre the same as many other expedition-based programs. You will lead groups of people, typically youth, through beautiful areas. You will teach them outdoor skills and life lessons. Youāll facilitate activities, help prepare delicious camp meals, sleep under the stars, and encourage social and emotional development.
In other ways, we are quite different. Because we want BOAT programs to enhance the existing mission of our programs, there are some unique aspects of our fieldwork:
- More often than not, an adult mentor, teacher, or chaperone from the program is part of our leadership team. We want to help foster and continue long-term relationships of support with our students.
- Program philosophy or style may vary across trips, to better honor our partnerās efforts. That can mean training between programs on the things that do change.
- Our programs range widely! Rather than a core base of operations we work out of, our base of operation moves.