Bluefreight
traveling
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Joined: 06/03/2006
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How do you handle NPS inability to make a decision in a timely fashion. We volunteered for GTNP and were able to get in one year. This year we applied to 4 NPS parks. They woun't make a decision until March or April. We accepted a paying job at a private campground.
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LEN Retired
SW Michigan ( Two Paws )
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Joined: 02/24/2009
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Good Sam RV Club
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They wait to see if previous years volunteers are coming back and yes its a bummer to not know til the last minute if they'll take you. Then again they really go over the apps. with a fine tooth comb and in most cases check you out first too! Bill
06 GMC 2500HD Duramax, 2007 Holiday Rambler Alumascape Suite 32SKT,3 slide 5th wheel " SEMPER FIDELIS "
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Eycom
Fl to NY
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Joined: 09/12/2004
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Hey! You're the conductor of your train rollin' down the tracks towards that destination called Prosperity. You can slow it down a little going through the station to give them a chance to come on-board. But, if they don't hit the floor running, it's pedal to the metal to a paying gig. Sounds like you handled it just fine. Not to say you can't give 'em another chance down the line, but for now, I'd flush 'em.
F-350 PSD
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I am still wayne_tw
everywhere
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Joined: 06/18/2009
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Each park is different with different rangers handling the volunteers at their park. Some rangers are very efficient, and manage the volunteer program quite well. Then other rangers are so over burdened with many responsibilities that the volunteer program gets little attention. You can always prod the ranger volunteer coordinator, even call them directly with an answer. Of course, applying at several parks works to your advantage as well. Mentioning that fact to the ranger has worked for me in the past.
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JUrban
Delaware
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Joined: 06/28/2004
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Another highly efficient government program. Guess where the folks who are forward looking, hard working and more than willing to do a superior job will end up? And you know it won't be in our NP's.
Ouch!! It really hurts when you get to shoot yourself in the foot---again and again.
John
2008 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40' QSP
2006 Chevrolet Colorado Toad
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Mike and Claudia
Canyon, TX
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Joined: 01/22/2007
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I "handle" it by finding some other state or Corps park to volunteer in. We don't really want to work 36 hours/week EACH as many of the National Parks require.
We enjoyed the two instances that we HAVE worked for NPS, but when going to work and going to bed are the only two things you have time to do, then something is wrong.
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Kirk
Livingston, Texas.
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Joined: 06/17/2001
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Bluefreight,
As one who has done a lot of volunteer for site positions now over the past ten years, I agree with some of what has been said, but not all. We have volunteered in three national parks and in nine national wildlife refuges. One of the reasons for the big difference is the difficulty in getting a confirmation with the Park Service. I have found that the better known that a park is, the more difficult it usually is to get a position there.
There are reasons for this. The very popular and well known national parks nearly always have a waiting list of people who have applied for a position there and many are willing to work very long hours to get them. Since there are people waiting in line, the staff are in no rush to make selections because by waiting they may get a resume that look better than what they now have.
There is a major difference in attitudes of the Park Service in general toward volunteers as compared to the US Fish & Wildlife Service(wildlife refuges). To a Park Ranger the volunteer who does interpretive work and is good at it is a threat to his job. The mainstay of a career in the Park Service is the interpretive ranger which is often what a volunteer wants to do.
On the other hand, with the USFWS the main career paths are biologists and wildlife specialists and interpretation is a pretty new thing to the refuges and the service has never had many career positions in that area. They are now making a major effort to expand their visitor and educational areas and have little by way of employees or money to do this, and so the rely on volunteers and as such have a much greater appreciation of them. At a wildlife refuge it is not uncommon for a volunteer to be in charge of a project or a program with even paid employees deferring to him. At a national park that is not going to happen. It is a completely different culture of appreciation for volunteers with the FWS than it is for the NPS.
For that reason the parks tend to be much later in making a commitment. At the same time, there are parks that are operated by the NPS which have limited budgets and which do not have the mane recognition of the best know ones and in some of those the staff do treat volunteers better and do make a real effort to accommodate the volunteers. In places run by the NPS, it varies quit widely from location to location.
There are two things that I consider with considering a position to help in this choice. First is, what is the position of the volunteer coordinator? Is that duty relegated to the newest employee, or is it handled by the deputy manager of the facility, or someone in between? The value that a location puts in their volunteers is often indicated by the rank of the person who serves as volunteer coordinator.
We normally apply with several facilities in the area we are looking for a spot and then we select from those who reply favorably in a reasonable period of time.
Good travelin! ........Kirk
Professional Volunteer
www.adventure.1tree.net
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Dolph
USA
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Joined: 05/04/2007
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Kirk,
"There is a major difference in attitudes of the Park Service in general toward volunteers as compared to the US Fish & Wildlife Service(wildlife refuges). To a Park Ranger the volunteer who does interpretive work and is good at it is a threat to his job. The mainstay of a career in the Park Service is the interpretive ranger which is often what a volunteer wants to do."
To me, this statement is unfounded. Having been a Vistor Center Host I can say that there is much more in the job of a Ranger than just interpretation. My being there and doing all the things a volunteer does, oft times book sales, meet and greet as well as some interptation for 3 months nowhere comes near what a Ranger does. The volunteer has nothing to do with arranging for Volunteers, Park PR, budgets, educational programs, etc. Don't think that the 3 month volunteer is much of a threat.
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Kirk
Livingston, Texas.
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Dolph,
We have volunteered for the NPS too and there is a major difference between what you will experience with the Fish & Wildlife Service and the NPS, if you get out and try it. We have enjoyed work with the NPS and some locations are great, but the culture is much more favorable with FWS than the NPS.
How many times have you worked with the FWS to compare? We have done both.
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Dolph
USA
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Kirk, You missed the point of my post.
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