Sept. 11, 2020 | By Claire Barber| Photo by Patil Khakhamian
The fall semester announcement last Tuesday, Sept. 1, threw everyone for a loop – with students making sudden decisions to drop blocks and in some cases, to take off the year. But whether you are taking off the semester or are doing online class, there are plenty of ways to stay connected to your community, volunteer, and land jobs outside. Here are some of my favorite resources I have used during COVID-19 to find opportunities and organizations that are looking for support.
While volunteer openings are limited because of COVID-19, check out RMFI and TOSC to get outside and give back to trails and open spaces in Colorado Springs. Concrete Couch is also offering trail and conservation events, though opportunities are limited to groups of five.
Not in Colorado Springs? Below are some job boards and Facebook groups to get you connected.
AmeriCorps: Serve communities around the United States, while receiving a living stipend and a scholarship upon completion. Plus, members can apply for student loan deferment. Terms of service put you to work in non-profits and a variety of organizations to build homes, trails, assist with disaster relief, and more. Most positions last a year, but AmeriCorps state and national opportunities vary in length.
Conservation Job Board: This job board slaps pretty hard for finding environmental jobs. You can filter by location and job type. Currently posted (among other gigs) are Conservation Corps Member positions located in Arizona, Montana, and Texas. Two other great job boards include Texas A&M Jobs (especially for biology and conservation jobs) and Backdoor Jobs.
Basecamp Outdoor Jobs and More: This is a worthwhile group to be a part of on Facebook. You can ask any question about the outdoor industry and folks will answer (seriously, people are active on the page and there’s some Colorado College alumni hidden in the group). Plus, frequent introduction posts will keep you connected to outdoor professionals around the world, you can share success stories or creative pieces on the “Friday Brag” discussion page to get reads and views, and of course, there are frequent job posts.
This is especially a great page for environmental and outdoor oriented writers, creatives, and journalists (pitch calls and graphic design work is pretty frequent).
Women in Outdoor Work: This is another great Facebook resource for female-identifying outdoor industry enthusiasts. Posts are usually introductions, but it is a great space to network and ask questions in a more niche space. The founder of the group, Olivia Deihs, also made a TikTok, @womeninoutdoorwork, if you’re into that.