Today's Lesson: Lending a helping hand
Water Bottles

Expedition Survival Tip

The key to a perfectly gooey s’more is all in how you toast the marshmallow. For best results, position yours an inch or so above the flames.

Requirements

Big City Mountaineers’ main volunteer opportunity is the need for qualified adults to join us for our weeklong Relate wilderness expeditions as positive adult role models for the urban teens we serve. As a BCM volunteer Team Member, you will be one of 4-5 adults responsible for leading a single-gender group of 4-5 teens on a 7-day backpacking trip in California, Colorado or the Pacific Northwest or an 8-day paddling trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  Your team will include a Youth Agency Leader and will be led by a qualified Team Leader with both outdoor and youth experience.  This may be the first backcountry experience for the teens and youth agency leader.

As safety and the quality of our programming are of utmost importance for these trips, volunteers on our weeklong trips must meet certain requirements.

Relate Expedition Volunteer Requirements

  • be 21 years of age or older (exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for individuals over 18)
  • have the desire to help under-resourced teens
  • are physically fit. BCM backpacking trips average 5-8 miles per day while gaining as much as 2,000 feet of elevation. Canoeing trips average 8 miles and 4-5 portages a day
  • can devote seven days of time for backpacking trips or eight days of time for canoeing trips.
  • are prepared to handle the tough parts of the day in a positive manner so that the youth learn how to handle their own tough obstacles in positive ways.
  • are prepared to work with teens that may be: minimally adjudicated, ethnically diverse, inner city street-wise, low in self-esteem, in need of encouragement and support and leaving their city environments for the first time
  • pass BCM background check (and Motor Vehicles Record check for drivers)
  • pass BCM’s medical screening process
  • be local to one of BCM’s hubs (reside within 200 miles of Denver, Oakland, Portland or Seattle for backpacking trips, and within the states of Illinois, Wisconsin or Minnesota for paddling trips. For more information on this requirement click here (INSERT Link to REGIONAL REQUIREMENT)
  • have their own equipment: backpack, sleeping bag, etc., see the backpacking packing list or the canoeing packing list.
  • pay their own transportation cost to the meeting location
  • pay a volunteer fee of $125. This amount covers food, lodging and a portion of trip expenses. Scholarships and the Change a Life Campaign are available to reduce the amount of this fee.

Desirable Experience (Not Required)

  • Youth development, recreation, experiential education, mentoring, and/or teaching experience
  • Backpacking experience (California, Colorado and Portland/Seattle trips)
  • Canoeing experience (Boundary Waters Canoe Area trips)

Apply to Volunteer

If you are interested in becoming a BCM Volunteer Team Member, please complete the preliminary volunteer application. Once you have completed the application you will be contacted by our staff about the next steps.

If you have any questions regarding volunteering, contact our Volunteer Manager.