Assistant Instructor for Outdoor Education Youth Program

Otsego/Emmet/Grand Traverse range! 

Part-Time/Temporary- Autumn Season

HOWL’s mission is to provide children with positive experience in nature to encourage stewardship of the environment both now and in their future. We believe kids fall in love with nature the same way they fall in love with anything: by having fun! Our program gets children outside, and through games and time exploring in the forest, that joy grows into a genuine, lasting appreciation for the natural world. We’re looking for an Assistant Instructor who can help make this happen! 

The Role – Assistant Instructor  

This position travels to different counties in Northwest Michigan. Applicants can apply for all or just apply for the program closest to home. HOWL will be offering homeschool programs, forest field trips during the school day, and an after school program one day a week. Here is the migration path! 

Mondays in Grand Traverse County– Forest Kindercamp (10am-12pm) Forest Adventurers (12:30-3:30) Full Day is 9:45-3:45. (GT Commons and Optimist Club near Chums Corner) 

Tuesdays in All Counties- Fieldtrips when scheduled (9:45-2:45)

Wednesdays in Otsego County- Forest Kindercamp (10am-12pm) Forest Adventurers (12:30-3:30) Full Day is 9:45-3:45. ( Community Gardens, Aspen Park/Elk View Park)

Thursdays in Otsego- Fieldtrips when scheduled and After school program 3-5:30 (In Gaylord)

Fridays in Emmet County- Forest Kindercamp (10am-12pm) Forest Adventurers (12:30-3:30) Full Day is 9:45-3:45. (Nature areas in and around Petoskey) 

These programs are active from 9/28-11/25

Pay– $16-$18/hour (based on experience)

What You’ll Be Doing

• Help lead games and hands-on activities that get kids excited to be outside
• Support the lead instructor in guiding a group through the program
• Be a warm, playful, dependable presence kids naturally want to be around
• Keep a constant eye on the group and the environment for anything that needs attention and speak up quickly if you notice a safety concern
• Help create and uphold group agreements and expectations

Who We’re Looking For

• 18 years or older
• Comfortable and energetic in an outdoor setting in all kinds of weather
• Experience working with children, ideally outdoors in an experiential setting
• Current First Aid/CPR certification (or willing to obtain one before you start)
• Able to pass a background check

Nice to have: Familiarity with local plants, animals, and terrain; comfort with unstructured or child-led activities; a background in environmental education, recreation or camp counseling

What Kind of Person Loves HOWL!

• You genuinely like kids and it shows
• You bring energy and playfulness without losing sight of safety
• You’re flexible. The best day outside rarely goes as planned and that’s OK!
• You’re a good teammate: reliable, communicative, and easy to work alongside
• You take feedback well and want to keep growing as an educator
• You care about creating a space where every kid feels welcome and included

How to Apply

Send your resume and a short note about why you’d be a great fit to howlnature@gmail.com and click on the link below.

We’ll follow up with next steps within a week.