WV Ready Member with Harrison Co. Parks & Rec.

 

 

Position Title:  WV Rural Engagement Ambassador for Development and Youth (WV Ready) – AmeriCorps Member at Harrison County Parks & Rec.

Conservation Legacy Program:Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Harrison County Parks & Recreation
43 Recreation Drive, Clarksburg, WV 26301

Terms of Service: 32 week AmeriCorps Service Member position

•    Start Date: 05/04/2026 
•    End Date: 12/11/2026
•    Application Deadline: 03/28/2026
•    Number of Positions Available: 1
•    AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1200 Hours

 
Purpose:
Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural and cultural resources.

The West Virginia Rural Engagement Ambassadors for Development and Youth (WV READY) is a new collaborative AmeriCorps program sponsored by Stewards Individual Placements.

Stewards, in partnership with Volunteer WV, and local community organizations such as the City of Smithers, is working to support West Virginia’s developing tourism, and outdoor recreation economies.

Stewards, in partnership with Harrison County Parks & Recreation, is seeking a WV Ready Service Member who will lead the development of a comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Rail Trail system.

The plan will identify programming opportunities along the trail to boost local economic development, strengthen small business participation, and unite the community around trail use and stewardship.

This is a hands-on role with field engagement, stakeholder facilitation, data collection/analysis, and clear deliverables culminating in a presentation to agency leadership and elected officials.
 
Description of Duties:
To achieve the goals of this WV Ready position, the member will:

•    Conduct baseline assessment of the Rail Trail network (segments, conditions, amenities, connectivity, usage patterns, and safety considerations)
•    Benchmark programming models from peer trail systems (events, health & wellness, outdoor education, cultural/historic interpretation, art installations, volunteer programs, youth engagement, adaptive recreation)
•    Analyze local demographics, tourism trends, and business landscape to identify opportunities for trail-linked economic activity (pop-up markets, trail promotions, guided walks/hikes/rides/tours)
•    Map assets and needs (access points, parking, signage, lighting, restrooms, water stations, ADA accessibility, wayfinding, public art)
•    Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement plan (public workshops, intercept surveys on the trail, online surveys, focus groups)
•    Facilitate meetings with public officials, advisory groups, local businesses, chambers of commerce, tourism entities, schools/universities, health systems, law enforcement/EMS, and community organizations
•    Build partnerships that support programming and cross-promotion...