Ethan Metzger
The Mountaineers partners with Seattle-area youth serving organizations to deliver single or multi-day experiences designed to get youth outside, expose youth to transferable outdoor skills, and impart a desire to explore and conserve the outdoors. We call these programs Mountain Workshops. Through our Seattle Mountain Workshop partner programs, The Mountaineers provides over 1,100 youth experiences a year. We couldn’t provide these programs without the support of our amazing volunteer community!
The Mountaineers youth programs team is always excited to bring on new volunteers to help make these programs a success. In addition to our Qualified Youth Leader Training, this spring we launched a new Youth Programs Volunteer Training. This new course is a prerequisite to instructing for Seattle Mountain Workshops. Content includes tips and tricks for working with youth of different ages, behavior management tools, and an overview of how we run our Youth Programs. The course will also give you the tools to foster an inclusive environment during your activity and provide age-appropriate instruction for youth during programs.
For more information on how to get involved with our Seattle Mountain Workshop programs, check out the linked trainings below.
ON BELAY!
Our biggest volunteer need is belayers for our Seattle Mountain Workshops. Belaying for a Seattle Mountain Workshop is a great way to spend time outside in the summer, introduce a group to a new activity, and be a supportive role model for youth. Most programs have a 1-2 hour time commitment and take place during weekday afternoons.
- Already know how to belay? Our staff will do a quick belay check before the program begins.
- New to belaying and want to learn? Contact us at ethanm@mountaineers.org.
- In addition to a belay check, all volunteers need to complete the Qualified Youth Leader Training and Youth Programs Volunteer Training.
BECOMING A QUALIFIED YOUTH LEADER
The Mountaineers cares about providing a safe and fun experience for all parties during our many different Youth Programs. We ask our volunteers to complete our Qualified Youth Leader training prior to volunteering with Youth Programs. This training will take approximately 1 hour to complete. Please contact Member Services at info@mountaineers.org with any additional questions about this process.
YOUTH PROGRAMS VOLUNTEER TRAINING
In addition to becoming a Qualified Youth Leader, new volunteers are required to complete our Mountaineers Youth Programs Volunteer Training. This training will takes approximately 1 hour to complete. The following training includes modules on equity and inclusion, teaching youth, and more information on how to find youth programs volunteer opportunities. Enroll using the link below to get access to the trainings.
UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
With your newly minted Qualified Youth Leader and Mountaineers Youth Program Volunteer Badges, check out some of the different ways you can volunteer with our Seattle Mountain Workshops! We are always looking for volunteers to belay for our climbing programs with a 1-2 hour time commitment.
We also run a variety of other youth programs in Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia. Checkout all volunteer opportunities and contact the relevant program manager with questions.
THANK YOU!
Few people get into outdoor recreation completely on their own. Most of us have mentors or teachers, people who took the time to welcome us in and share their knowledge. Volunteers do that every day here at The Mountaineers, and thanks to your support, we’re able to help the next generation of Mountaineers experience the joy of a beautiful hike or a challenging climb. Thank you for volunteering with our youth programs helping to grow our community!
