JOIN THE
ALIVE COMMUNITY
A Community Dedicated To Excellence in Education
Working With ALIVE Outdoors
We Are Looking For Dedicated Individuals
- In-Camp Outdoor Educators and Activity Instructors
- Wilderness Canoe and Hiking Instructors
- Workshop Facilitators and Community Builders
- Lead Facilitators
- Nurses, Doctors and Paramedics
The culture of an organization is often difficult to articulate in words. It needs to be felt.
We invite you to join the experience. We are highly dedicated to ensuring each member of our team feels valued and supported to be themselves. We believe that it’s the people that have united over the lifespan of ALIVE that have shaped this organization and helped thousands of young people learn to thrive. We are clear about what we stand for, what we are working to improve and what impact we can have. The world is changing and will continue to do so, but identifying core values, personal strengths and timeless principles, will forever be required to lead a purposeful, content and engaged life.
ALIVE offers various positions designed to help each instructor’s professional growth.
Start with what you are qualified for, then push yourself to expand your skill set. We are always learning from one another.
In this position you will be working in a camp/outdoor education centre environment. Responsibilities include facilitating activities in which you are qualified and connecting them through debriefs to the theme of the program. This position may also include a one night overnight camping experience and helping facilitate workshops.
Sample Fall activities: canoeing, nature connection/small hike, high ropes and climbing wall, team building activities, kayaking, backcountry skills, cooking, artistry, stand up paddle boarding, waterfront activities.
Sample Winter activities: cross country skiing, snowshoeing, winter ecology, building and sleeping out in Quinzee snow structures, tobogganing.
In this position you and your co-instructor will be responsible for all aspects of risk management and program delivery for small groups while on trip of 2 – 8 days. Most canoe and hiking programs are in Algonquin Park and Temagami. Quinzee or Wall Tent programs in the winter are typically facilitated in the back trail and lake systems associated with outdoor centre sites.
- Lead and Assistant positions available
- Required Certifications: Between your instructor pair, there will be a certified First Responder & certified White Water Rescue and/or National Lifeguarding. Having one or all of these certifications will be considered an asset.
In this position you are responsible for facilitating experiential workshops designed to help maximize learning of the program theme. Be trained on our pre-established workshops or be in touch with a unique vision you have. Workshops are facilitated to groups as small as 10 or as large as 200. Depending on design, workshops involve one facilitator or incorporate the instructor team for break-out discussions/activities. Please visit our workshops page to learn more.
In this position you are responsible for all program logistics including training and supporting a program instructor team, being the main point of contact with teachers, risk management and scheduled logistics. It is common for lead facilitators to deliver program workshops.
In this position you will facilitate small groups of students using online platforms such as ZOOM or Google Meet. To learn more about our online programs and workshops please visit www.aliveonline.ca
In this position you will support the larger in-camp ALIVE programs by addressing daily health concerns of students, teachers and instructors. When you are not engaged in health consultation or intervention, this position allows you the freedom to be involved in programming should you choose. We are fortunate to have a number of nurses, doctors and paramedics who are willing to spend a week, a month, or the whole season with us each year.
Reflections From Past Instructor Experiences
Technical skills are important for many positions at ALIVE, however, we value soft skills over hard skills and believe that your ability to reach, read and inspire a diverse group of clients comes with life experience and maturity.
Take A Deeper Look
Take A Deeper Look
Now Accepting 2024 Winter Applications
Be Part of Something Special. We May Be Exactly What You're Looking for Right Now.
Work the whole season or piece together contracts to fit your schedule.
We strongly believe that the outdoors is for everyone
At ALIVE Outdoors we believe that all backgrounds, strengths and talents have a place in the outdoor classroom. We value experienced and qualified instructors to teach technical outdoor skills, as well as people with strong interpersonal abilities. We also value people whose primary strengths are not technical, but have skills, interests, and values that can be weaved throughout our programs, such as artists, musicians, cooks, and naturalists (as examples). The foundation of our unique programming and strength as a team is a result of our approach to hiring and working with instructors who bring more than outdoor skills to the work they do.
We are encouraged and continue to learn from organizations doing critical equity and inclusion work to reclaim and increase representation and accessibility to outdoor spaces for all people.
ALIVE Instructors have open minds and are inspired to collaborate and learn from people who have come to the ALIVE team from various paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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ALIVE does not own a permanent site from which we facilitate our programs. When you work with ALIVE you have the chance to work at one, or possibly many of our thirteen host Outdoor Education Centers for in-camp and/or canoe trip programs. At some sites, ALIVE instructors unite with seasonal Outdoor Centre staff in order to facilitate the program. With other sites, it will strictly be an ALIVE team of instructors. During ALIVE Outdoors’ programs, all of these host sites are in line with or exceed our protocols and procedures.
ALIVE currently uses the following sites to host programs at their properties. While at the site we use their facilities, equipment and often unite with a select group of instructors.
- Camp Arowhon, Algonquin Park
- Camp Timberlane, Haliburton Highlands
- Cedar Ridge Camp, MacArthur’s Mills
- Onondaga Camp, Minden
- YMCA Camp Wanakita, Haliburton
- YMCA Camp Pine Crest, Torrance
- Madawaska Kanu Centre, Barry’s Bay
ALIVE runs programs throughout the school calendar year meaning we contract instructors for all seasons except summer. Fall is our busiest season, with a team of over 100 instructors facilitating canoe trips, and in-camp programs. Winter typically sees us running 7-8 weeks of programs, and Spring, 5 – 6 weeks.
All instructors (both trip and in-camp) start at the same base pay rate of $165.75 and are required to have Standard First Aid and a clear criminal reference or vulnerable sector screening. Experience, specific certifications, and position will increase this base rate.
Additional certifications that are considered an asset and will raise your daily rate of pay:
- First Aid: Wilderness First Responder
- Water Safety: National Lifeguarding (Pool or Waterfront), White Water/ Swiftwater Rescue Technician, or Wilderness Water Safety
- Ropes/Climbing Facilitation: Ropes, Climbing Wall, and Challenge Course Certifications
Other than personal bedding and belongings, Instructors are not required to bring any gear to the program. Some instructors prefer to use their own equipment such as a PFD, paddle, snowshoes, cross country skis, tent, or the like. Instructors are encouraged to bring any props or materials they feel brings magic to programs or helps with their unique facilitation style.
We understand it can be difficult to gain experience when you are first starting out in the industry or transferring from another line of work. At ALIVE, we have positions for applicants looking to gain more experience in the field or exercise their skills and talents in a new setting. These positions are reserved for applicants who exemplify maturity, professionalism and a keen interest in growing in the industry while sharing their strengths.
We value experienced and qualified instructors to teach technical outdoor skills, as well as people with strong interpersonal abilities. We also value people whose primary strengths are not technical, but have skills, interests, and values that can be woven throughout our programs, such as artists, musicians, cooks, and naturalists (as examples). The foundation of our unique programming and strength as a team is a result of our approach to hiring and working with instructors who bring more than outdoor skills to the work they do.
Helping students’ re-ground and build community throughout the pandemic requires many skills and talents and above all, good role models. Your strengths are needed, and we will shape programs around our instructors’ unique skills and talents.
A Day In The Life Of An ALIVE Instructor
We have included two sample “Day In The Life” for our In-Camp Programs and Canoe Trip Programs to help you better understand what working with ALIVE Outdoor will entail.
We believe that small moments have big impacts.
There is great power in the “small things.” We believe smiles, learning names, and quiet one-on-one conversations to be important parts of all our adventures.
Lantern Posts From & For ALIVE Instructors
Creating a Pathway Forward – Reflections on Building Connectival
What are ALIVE Instructors Reading?
ALIVE Instructors Embark on a 2600km Arctic Paddle Dream.
Bring your skills to a virtual platform. It works!
I just finished working my first Connectival program and I have really good news. It was fantastic. If you were like me, and feeling a little skeptical about “Online Outdoor Ed” work. Don’t be. Today all my skepticism was pushed aside. All of the instructors were able to created fun and strong connections with our groups! It’s more than possible to make this meaningful! ~ ALIVE 2020 Virtual Program Instructor