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Presented by Thrive Outside

Term: September 2026 – June 2027 (school year)

Reports To: Executive Director and Workshop Coordinator

Schedule: Facilitator may be offered multiple workshops throughout the school year based on scheduling, school demand, and program needs.

Location: In-person attendance required at workshops

Compensation: $150 per workshop, including preparation, facilitation, and reasonable trave

 

The Birds & Breath Workshop Facilitator is a part-time, school year position responsible for preparing for and leading mindfulness and birding environmental education workshops during the 2026–2027 school year. The Facilitator brings hands-on teaching experience and
subject-matter knowledge to deliver engaging, age-appropriate mindfulness and birding experiences for students. This role works closely with the Birding Workshop Coordinator on logistics and with the Thrive Outside team on curriculum, and is expected to bring the professional judgment and independence of an experienced educator to each session.

 

Workshop Delivery
● Prepare for and lead birding/environmental education workshops over the course of the school year, tailoring content and delivery to the age and experience level of each student group.
● Plan and organize all materials, equipment, and field supplies needed for each session (e.g., binoculars, field guides, activity handouts).
● Deliver engaging, hands-on instruction that builds student knowledge of local birds, habitats, and basic field observation and identification skills.
● Adapt lesson plans in real time to weather, site conditions, group size, and student needs.
● Manage group logistics and safety during outdoor sessions, including maintaining appropriate supervision ratios and site awareness.

Curriculum & Program Quality
● Solidify workshop curriculum in collaboration with the Thrive Outside team, ensuring content is consistent, age-appropriate, and aligned with program goals.
● Recommend updates or improvements to curriculum and activities based on what works well in the field.
● Help document a repeatable curriculum and facilitation guide so the workshop series can be consistently delivered by future facilitators.

Coordination & Communication
● Communicate proactively with the Birding Workshop Coordinator on scheduling, site logistics, and any support needed before each workshop.
● Flag opportunities, concerns, or lessons learned after each workshop to help improve future sessions.

 

Evaluation & Reporting
● Track basic attendance and participation for each workshop to support program reporting.
● Provide brief feedback or observations after each session to support grant reporting and continuous improvement.
● Participate in check-ins with the Coordinator or Thrive Outside team to review progress across the year

Prior experience leading environmental education, outdoor education, or nature-based programming, ideally with school-age youth. Experience with or willingness to lead mindfulness-based activities with students.

Strong working knowledge of birding, local bird species, and field observation techniques. Comfort leading groups outdoors in variable weather and field conditions. Excellent communication and classroom/group management skills; ability to adapt teaching style to different ages and group sizes. Self-directed and reliable. Reliable transportation to travel to partner-school and field sites.