Dakota County Parks Trail Ambassadors

General Description

Have an extra excuse to enjoy the outdoors – become a Dakota County Parks Trail Ambassador! Our park ambassador teams provide a vital service to our trail programs by providing trained assistance with directions, FAQs, rule compliance and first aid care. Qualified candidates are enthusiastic and frequent users of our parks and that want to serve as friendly ambassadors to other park visitors.

Volunteer on your own time (no set schedule - you go out when you want), while personally enjoying the trails, it doesn’t get better than that. A variety of recreation can be performed with our Greenway & Park Trail team including:

• Bike
• Mountain Bike
• Hike
• Jog
• Roller skate
• Run
• Scooter
• Skateboard
• Snowshoe
• Ski
• Dog walk
• Walk
• Wheelchair

Locations

Be a part of the Greenway & Park Trail Ambassador team at all of our county parks and greenways.

Click here to learn more about our county parks.

Click here to learn more about our greenways.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Help provide a safe and enjoyable experience to all park visitors.
• Provide directions and help answer questions.
• Assist in an emergency if you are onsite.
• Carry a cell phone with you while on patrol to be accessible to visitor center contact.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years old or older.
• Good physical fitness and customer service skills.
• Must provide your own equipment (snowshoes, hiking gear, bike, rollerblades, etc.).
• Completion of all required training.
• Complete a background check with the county (if applicable).

Benefits

• Free CPR/First Aid training.
• Great way to gather hours for school requirements, professional development, etc.
• Set your own schedule and times. Volunteer as much as you want throughout the year.
• Great opportunity to grow personally in customer service, emergency prep, and people skills.
• Join a great community full of people who love what you already like to do.

Time Commitment

Dakota County Trail Ambassadors is a yearlong program. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 30 hours per year.

Required Training

Volunteers must complete all training before volunteering on our patrol teams.

• Trail Ambassador Training (Required for new volunteers and a great review for returners) Training link will be sent by email. Please complete by December's social.
• Trail Ambassador Social (Optional)
• December 2 at 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (In-person): This event is not mandatory but we welcome everyone to come and enjoy dinner and a chance to mingle with other patrollers and learn more about the program. We also are giving away free swag!
• CPR & First Aid Certification (Required)
• This training will be hosted online and can be completed by the volunteer on their own time. If you are in need of a renewal, you will be notified by email.

Activity Level

• Active Involves physical exertion for an extended period of time; can involve rough, uneven or steep terrain. Not recommended for volunteers with physical limitations.

Contact Information

Garrett Zaffke | Community Relations and Volunteer Services Coordinator

Dakota County Communications

1590 Highway 55| Hastings, MN 55033

Direct: (651) 438-4635 | Fax: (651) 438-4405 | Email: garrett.zaffke@co.dakota.mn.us