Ongoing Opportunities

Volunteers bring fun and excitement to a variety of opportunities across the district.

Volunteers bring fun and excitement to a variety of opportunities across the district.

All of the positions listed below are provided with the training that is necessary to be successful in the position. These positions also require a longer commitment from the volunteer, which is specific to each position.

If you have any general questions or have previously volunteered with THPRD, contact Volunteer Services at volunteer@thprd.org or 503–619–3939 to sign up.

Administration Assistant (Ages 16+)

Administrative Assistants provide a link between the park district and the community, by helping visitors understand and appreciate district programs and facilities. This position provides customer service and general office support to better serve patrons. Positions are available at any district facility. Bilingual Spanish and Vietnamese speakers are preferred.

If you are interested in this opportunity, apply here.

Adoption Program (All ages; youth 13 & under must be with an adult)

Participants in the Adoption Program position work with staff on an ongoing basis to restore and/or improve specific sites, which could include facilities, gardens, natural areas, parks and trails. Potential activities include, but are not limited to weeding, pruning, mulching, planting, collecting seeds, wildlife surveys, litter cleanup, trail maintenance and painting trash cans, picnic tables, etc.

Individuals interested in adopting a site must serve a at least eight hours per month over a period of six months; while groups interested in adopting a site must commit to at least four projects over the course of a year.

If you are interested in adopting a site, apply here.

Childcare Assistant (Ages 16+)

Childcare Assistants help staff with the oversight, setup and cleanup of youth preschool, drop-in child care and afterschool programs. Volunteers help facilitate activities, which could include crafts, dance, hiking, singing, sports and games. Each location may provide a different experience and/or serve a different portion of the community.

• Afterschool programs typically take place from 3 – 6 p.m. on weekdays throughout the school year at Conestoga Recreation & Aquatic Center.
• Drop-in childcare programs typically take place everyday during normal business hours at Conestoga Recreation & Aquatic Center.
• Preschool programs typically take place at Tualatin Hills Nature Center during morning hours on weekdays throughout the school year.

If you are interested in this opportunity, apply here.

Community Scientist (Ages 14+)

This position performs wildlife surveys and may assist with non-native species collection at designated natural area sites throughout the district. Wildlife survey programs include:

• Amphibian Egg Mass Surveys require wading into the water to count, identify and record the species and quantity of egg masses in district ponds. Volunteers must be able to perform four surveys (a minimum of two hours every two weeks) over the course of two months. The survey season is weather dependent, but generally runs February – April.
• Snapping Turtle Management focuses on walking shoreline surveys to search for, identify and trap or collect nesting snapping turtles and their eggs. Volunteers must be able to perform six surveys (a minimum of two hours every week) over the course of six weeks. The survey season is weather dependent, but generally runs May – June.
• Turtle Surveys focus on stationary shoreline surveys to search for, identify and count native and non–native turtles with binoculars. Volunteers must be able to perform 12 surveys (a minimum of one hour every week) over the course of three months. The survey season is weather dependent, but generally runs May – August.

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, apply here.

Coaching (Ages 18+)

District Coaches and Assistant Coaches provide an enjoyable learning environment for youth athletes involved in a variety of athletic programs, while promoting participants’ physical, social and personal development. Volunteer coaches support a variety of sports throughout the year, including:

• Basketball – Tualatin Hills Athletic Center recruits coaches and assistant coaches to support 5th grade and middle school basketball leagues. Seasons run April – August and October – March. Apply here!

• Volleyball – Tualatin Hills Athletic Center recruits coaches to support 4th grade through 12th grade summer and fall leagues. Apply here!

• Track & Field – Cedar Hills Recreation Center recruits assistant coaches to support track & field activities. These activities take place at Beaverton-area middle schools on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, from late February – early May. Apply here!

• Swimming – Beaverton Swim Center recruits coaches to support Special Olympics aquatic tournaments for five to six weeks each fall. Apply here!

• Tennis – The Babette Horenstein Tennis Center conducts a training program for volunteer instructors in the spring and fall of each year. Applicants must play at a 3.0 level. Apply here!

Internships (Ages 18+ or qualified Returning LITE/NEWT volunteers)

Internships offer opportunities to gain valuable work experience while helping the district provide fun and engaging nature education programs to youth and the general public. Interns must typically commit to serve at least 200 hours over the duration of their position. The following internships are available each year:

• Nature Kids Preschool Internship (September – June) – Nature education staff are recruiting interns to work with preschool classes and assist with the preparation of program materials at the Tualatin Hills Nature Center and Cooper Mountain Nature House. Interns must have some experience working with children and be available to volunteer at least two weekday mornings or afternoons each week for at least 3 months. These positions are available September - June and are open until filled.
• Community Engagement Internship (June – September) – Gain valuable experience in environmental education as a Community Engagement Intern! This position assists in providing engaging activities, preparing materials and supervising program participants of all ages to provide a safe, enjoyable and educational experience. Community engagement programs are scheduled weekdays, weekends and evenings over the summer months. Flexible schedules are available.

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, apply here.

Junior Camp Counselor (Ages 16+)

Junior Camp Counselors assist with the leadership, setup and cleanup of summer recreational camps. Activities could include crafts, dance, hiking, singing, swimming, drama, sports, games and field trips. Volunteer positions are available at the following locations. Each location may provide a different experience and/or serve a different portion of the community. The application period for these opportunities has closed for 2019, but if you are interested, you can complete volunteer interest form here.

• Camp Rivendale provides a day camp for children and adults with developmental disabilities, behavioral challenges and at-risk youth. This particular camp requires compassionate volunteers with an interest in developing the skills to support children and adults with special needs. Applicants must also submit a letter of recommendation for this position, which can be found in the forms section at the top of the page. The application period for 2019 has closed.
• Tualatin Hills Athletic Center provides day camps for children focused on a variety of sports disciplines. The application period for 2019 has closed.

Junior Lifeguard (Ages 12+)

Youth are encouraged to train to become a paid lifeguard at any THPRD aquatic facility and this program is where that all begins! To become a Junior Lifeguard, you must complete a Junior Lifeguard course. If you serve 20 or more hours as a volunteer with the district through other opportunities, the district will waive the fee for this course. This training is offered year-round. Please see the Activity Guide for class times.

If you are have already completed the junior lifeguard course, apply here to volunteer as a junior lifeguard.

Leaders in Training Experience (Ages 13+ & must complete 8th grade by July)

Leaders in Training Experience (LITE) is a summer training program for teens interested in the outdoors who want to develop the necessary leadership and communciation skills to join the workforce. Teens interview for positions and are coached in camp safety, volunteer expectations, group dynamics, age appropriate learning, and more. They gain valuable work experience, earn school community sevice requirements and have lots of fun! A number of previous participants have gone on to become interns and camp staff.

LITE volunteers are expected to commit to a minimum of 80 hours of service over the summer. These hours can be acquired over the course of two full weeks (Monday - Friday) of summer camp and/or volunteering at any public outreach event scheduled throughout the summer. Please note that scheduled camp weeks do not need to be consecutive. A program fee of $28 is due at the workshop session. Fee waivers for the program are available upon request.

Volunteer positions are available in the following programs and locations:

• Aquatic LITE at Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center
• Nature LITE at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, Cooper Mountain Nature Park and with the Nature Mobile at various sites throughout the district

Aquatic & Nature LITE Volunteers - The 2019 application process is closed. If these types of programs interest you, please complete a volunteer interest form here.

Questions? Contact Melissa Marcum, mmarcum@thprd.org, 503/619-3941

Park Steward, formerly Park Watch (Ages 18+)

Park Stewards provide a positive presence on district trails, while welcoming and providing information to visitors on the site, local wildlife, habitats and programs. Training is provided and the schedule is flexible. This is a great opportunity to get some exercise and get to know the community while volunteering.

If you are interested in this opportunity, apply here.

Photographer (Ages 16+)

Photographers attend a variety of district events and programs to photograph or video record activities, which are then used for outreach purposed by the district. Volunteers must have their own equipment and some experience using this equipment.

If you are interested in this opportunity, apply here.

Program Instructor (Ages 18+)

Instructors and Assistant Instructors provide an enjoyable learning environment for program participants, while promoting participants’ physical, social and personal development. Volunteer instructors lead and/or support the following recreational activities throughout the district.

• Beaverton Swim Center recruits instructors to support therapeutic swimming classes for people with a need to improve their range of motion. Volunteers must have a group exercise or related certification to qualify.
• Cedar Hills Recreation Center recruits instructors and assistant instructors to support a variety of fitness and recreational activities, including EmpowerTeen.
• Elsie Stuhr Center recruits instructors to run bingo activities and a variety of health and wellness support groups for seniors. Current groups include Alzheimer’s, compassion, friendship, diabetes, legal discussion and technology use.

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, apply here.

Safety Town Leader (Ages 12+)

Safety Town Leaders assist summer camp staff in implementing activities and supervising groups of youth, ages 4 – 6 years who are enrolled in the Safety Town Program at Cedar Hills Recreation Center. Activities could include crafts, hiking, singing, swimming, sports, games and other recreational activities. Volunteers gain valuable work experience while developing basic leadership skills. They gain valuable work experience, earn school community sevice requirements and have lots of fun!

Registration is closed for the summer of 2019. If you are a teen and interested in volunteering on a regular basis, we are still accepting applications for our Junior LIfeguard Program, which you can check out and apply for in the sections above. You can also complete a volunteer interest form here.

Stewardship Leader (Ages 15+)

Stewardship Leaders provide a positive and motivational presence while supervising volunteers, of all ages, at service projects focused on restoration of local natural areas. Some leaders may work specifically with local youth involved in the district’s service learning program. Volunteers are encouraged to develop and use their leadership skills, knowledge of local ecosystems and interpretation skills.

If you are interested in this opportunity, apply here.

Therapeutic Recreation Volunteer (Ages 16+)

Therapeutic Recreation Volunteers support staff by providing leadership for teens and adults with developmental disabilities. These particular programs are year-round opportunities for compassionate volunteers who can engage program participants in games, crafts, dance, swimming and other activities that enhance participant socialization and personal well being.

A variety of recreation-oriented activities take place on Monday evenings at the Elsie Stuhr Center, plus the Tualatin Hills Athletic Center has an all-star basketball activity on Thursday evenings.The Beaverton Swim Center and Harman Swim Center provide therapeutic swimming opportunities for patrons, and require volunteers who are comfortable providing assistance to patrons in the pool.

If you are interested in this opportunity, apply here.