Sub-arctic Adventure Volunteer

Description:

The Churchill Northern Studies Centre is located at the junction of three distinct ecosystems and provides a unique insight into life in the tundra, boreal forest and marine environments. The CNSC, a charitable organization, is open year-round to provide support for ongoing research projects, as well as offering University credit courses, Elderhostel, Earthwatch and our own Learning Vacations. In June 2011 we moved into a brand new, state-of-the-art building adjacent to our former building which is being re-purposed for our growing research needs. The new building boasts a gym, a recreation room, an audio-visual room, several classrooms and laboratories, a large commercial kitchen and a new aurora viewing dome!

Volunteers have always helped the CNSC to function smoothly and efficiently. The CNSC is currently actively seeking volunteers for January-March during our Northern Lights and Earthwatch Programs and mid-May to the end of September for our dynamic summer field season as well as October and November for the busy polar bear season.

In exchange for working approximately 36 hours per week (6 hours per day with one day off per week) the CNSC provides meals and dormitory style accommodation. We offer transportation to the airport and train station on your day or arrival and departure. We regret that we are not able to provide re-reimbursement for the cost of travel to and from Churchill. Volunteers are welcome to participate in the educational courses and social activities whenever possible.

Volunteer Duties: Duties revolve around the kitchen, such as salad and dessert prep, baking, lots of dish washing and general cleaning and housekeeping. Other duties could include work in some of the following areas: office, housekeeping, or maintenance, but mostly our volunteer's work in the kitchen and dishwashing is a big part of this position unless otherwise negotiated.

We would like to be very clear that this position is not a research position, although you will have every opportunity to interact with researchers, scientists, credit and non-credit course participants and many other interesting people.

Typical Volunteer: Our volunteers range from new graduates wanting a new experience, students enjoying a gap year, those enjoying a much needed career break and retirees that are looking for an adventure. Typically our volunteers are at ease in social situations, fairly fit and energetic. Experience in the hospitality industry is an asset but not a requirement.

Highlights

Summer (Field Season)

In the summer (mid-May to the end of August) there is so much to do! The arrival of researchers and their summer field staff heralds the arrival of spring in mid-May. Research is conducted on a variety of areas; climate change, tundra wetland ecology and bird surveys and population dynamics to name few. There are many University credit courses here as well as researchers, so many evening there is a different lecture on the natural history of the area. Our adult learning programs highlight birding, beluga whales, wildflowers and the general sub-arctic ecology. In the summer Churchill lives up to its reputation as a birding hot-spot with the arrival of migratory and nesting birds by the hundreds of thousands. Churchill is also known as the "Beluga Whale Watching Capital of the World" as we have thousands of beluga whales in the area so there is no shortage of whales to view. You can see them (and hear them) from the shore! We may also see caribou, arctic hare, arctic fox, red fox, ptarmigan, lemmings, ermine and the occasional polar bear. Other highlights; July 1st is a big national celebration and you don't want to miss the parade down the main street or the popular polar bear dip into the bay! Join Parks Canada in mid-July for their Parks Day celebrations! Experience the sub-arctic summer when the days are long and beautiful and the sun sets late in the evening and rises again a few hours after midnight. The best kept secret in Churchill is the arrival of the polar bears off the ice sometime in early July! This dynamic season has much to offer and has, so far remained an undiscovered gem. We need approximately 8-10 volunteers over the summer and typically have 2-4 at any one time.

Fall

The autumn (October and November) is by far our most popular season and one of our shortest and most intense as the Centre is filled to capacity. We routinely have to turn volunteers away so consider some of our other seasons as an alternative. The main attraction is, of course, the arrival of the polar bears in larger numbers. The CNSC offers programs to the general public and the volunteers can join in some of the evening lectures and outdoor activities including bear viewing. Volunteers will have an opportunity to visit the dog yard and meet the dog sled teams as well as participate in a town and area tour. We need approximately 4-6 volunteers over the course of the season and typically have 3-4 at any one time.

Winter

In the winter season (January - March) We spend much time learning about the night skies, the northern lights and many of the mysteries of the universe are explained! When the northern lights (aurora borealis) are visible we are usually outside with our eyes towards the skies. If it is too cold we can observe from the heated observation. We do spend some time on outdoor excursions around the Rocket Range and to the dog yard to visit the dog sled teams, so good quality winter gear is important. Volunteers will have an opportunity to participate in a town and area tour. Our instructors can help you learn the settings for impressive digital shots of the northern lights so bring your camera, the instructions for your camera and a tripod if you have one! This season tends to be at a more leisurely pace and is great for those that do not enjoy crowds as this is the season where the visiting groups tend to be smaller. Typically we need 2-4 over the course of the season with approximately 2 volunteers at a time.

Qualifications: No special skills are needed but we are looking for energetic, relatively fit, congenial people with excellent social skills. The ability to get along with others is essential as this is a remote location and we most of our time around others. If you are not comfortable in a highly social setting or sharing a dormitory room with other volunteers you may wish to reconsider this opportunity. In addition, when polar bears are around in the mid-summer and fall, there may be limited access to the outdoors unless you are with an armed bear guard. That means no walking without an escort which some volunteers find restricting. The CNSC is very remote and not accessible by a bus service, so access to the town can be limited unless you catch a ride with staff or researchers that are going that way.

The minimum age is 19 years old. Applicants must be able to read, write and speak fluent English.

Cost $25.00 CDN membership fee. This will enable you to receive the newsletter "The Birdfish" which will keep you up to date on the research and activities at the CNSC. This need only be paid once you have arrived on site.