Adventure Careers - Wilderness Work



Do you want to be part of the toughest and most rewarding job you’ve ever imagined?



New Job Posting - 10-13-2016  - Guide/Challenge Course Manager

Join a Family Create a Legacy Change Lives… yours, too!

Be the Challenge Course Manager or one of the Lead Guides during the 10-week summer adventure camp program for youth in residential treatment and youth in state custody. Throughout the rest of the year, design and lead adventure trips and backcountry expeditions with all types of different groups, including youth in residential treatment, wounded warriors, youth on the autism spectrum, and many others.

Who we are:
The Meramec Adventure Learning Ranch is the therapeutic wilderness and adventure arm of Great Circle. Using the transformative power of the wilderness and adventure, the Ranch is dedicated to serving individuals and families whom much of the world has given up on, including youth struggling with traumatic pasts, youth in residential treatment, youth on the Autism Spectrum, and Wounded Warriors. In ten years, the ranch has grown to be one of the most extensive adventure bases in the Midwest and recognized on a national level. Located on 1,200 acres in Steelville, last year the Ranch served over 8,900 participants in programs running all but a few days of the entire year.

What you get to do:
The ranch is a unique program; the only one of its kind in Missouri and one of the few therapeutic adventure programs left in the country that serve youth in the state system. These youth will come to the ranch for anywhere from 1 to 14 days multiple times throughout the year. During these trips adventure activities such as Adventure camps, ropes courses, team challenges, backpacking, climbing, primitive skills, kayaking and rafting, and the wilderness itself is used as a catalyst to build relationships and produce victories that grow awareness, efficacy, connection, purpose, and hope.

Adventure experiences are not an escape from the daily grind. They are reality where, in an “off-balance” environment, the true self always eventually surfaces and must be faced, concrete victories are earned, natural consequences are plentiful, roles and gifts are discovered, and positive relationships are built. Evidence bears out that these experiences become defining moments for young men and young women growing to become the people they were created to be.
You can be a part of shaping and growing this developing program and play a vital role in the life stories of the incredible individuals we are honored to stand alongside each day!

What you would get to do in this position:
•  Assists the Camp Manager with operation of the Adventure Camp program, conducting all responsibilities of Guide or Course Manager.
•  Camp on-site with the guide staff during Adventure Camp
•  Coordinate, plan, and facilitate day and multi-day trips to the Ranch throughout the rest of the year .
•  Maintain equipment and courses as well as plan and build more.
•  Assist the Director in facilitating specialty and backcountry trips
•  Take every opportunity to tell others about the Ranch, our mission, and about the young men and women we serve.
•  Become an engaged and active part of the Ranch Family as well as the local community.
•  Recruit, Supervise, Mentor, and Grow the Camp Guide Staff.
•  Become a trainer in several specialty skill areas that the Ranch offers.

Challenges:
•  Kids who are extremely challenging to build relationships and trust with, and many times will act out in extreme ways to find out if you really are who you say you are.
•  60-90 nights/year in the woods with bugs, snakes, ridiculously long hours, and no showers…hey that rhymed!
•  The Ranch is a young program that is constantly growing and improving. Our team has created what the Ranch is today and our team will create what it becomes tomorrow.
•  Quality performance is not primarily based on the greatness of your techniques or strength of your skills, but on the quality and character of person you are.

Benefits:
•  Never have two days that are the same.
•  The whole month of December OFF!—Merry Christmas!
•  PRODEALS, PRODEALS, PRODEALS!
•  Free stickers for your Nalgene Bottle...if you still have room…
•  You can bring your hammock to work…though we won’t guarantee that you’ll spend much time in it.
•  Looking up a night sky from your sleeping bag and saying to yourself, “This is where I’m supposed to be!”
•  Get to be part of a unique small town.
•  All those “challenges” mentioned above! We live our belief that challenges are truly opportunities!!!
•  Stand beside people who have seen incredible adversity, hurt, and pain, and be a part of their stories as they grow to change the world!

Experience Needed:
•  A Calling/Passion to be HERE!
•  GRIT
•  Disciplined Work Ethic
•  Honesty
•  Willingness to have fun and act silly
•  Creativity and Ideas
•  Self-Awareness
•  Wisdom and Discernment
•  Willingness to learn
•  Humility
•  Unconditional Care, Unwavering Belief, and Consistent Accountability for yourself, the Ranch Family, and those we serve
•  It’s also nice if you have experience in Adventure activities and Residential Care and at least a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Salary and Benefits:
•  Starting at $28,000-$31,000
•  Health, Dental, and Vision Plans
•  401K
•  1-3 Weeks Vacation
•  December Off
•  Prodeals

For more information, visit www.meramecranch.org, email brett.bailey@greatcircle.org, or call 573-775-5513.

If you are passionate about being part of what is happening at the Meramec Adventure Ranch, send your resume to brett.bailey@greatcircle.org  or apply online at https://www.greatcircle.org/careers/current-openings.html.