Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Forest Floor’s Internship Program.
Forest Floor is seeking open-minded and enthusiastic lovers of the natural world to intern with our children's nature-connection mentoring programs in Asheville, NC. We are a fully experiential, outdoor program where both children and instructors truly engage with the natural world, practice earth-based skills, and come alive with curiosity!
There are two purposes for this application. Firstly, it is to make sure that an internship is a good match for you, both for your sake and Forest Floor's. We reserve the right to accept or not accept any applicant. The second, and primary, reason for this application is to invite you into a self-reflective process that will help to initiate the learning journey so that you’ll gain the maximum benefit from your time spent with us.
As an intern you will gain direct in-the-field experience as a Deep Nature-Connection Mentor in the context of a dynamic team of skilled instructors. Additionally interns will occasionally be provided opportunities to try-out leading children in certain activities or other elements of the program. This will be an engaging learning environment, sometimes challenging, and will offer growth opportunities equal to what you bring into it.
Please answer each of the following questions below and return as soon as possible, and at the latest two weeks before the start of the particular program that you’re applying for.
------Our Methods-------
Forest Floor utilizes a highly effective educational approach called Nature-Connection Mentoring, which draws on children's inherent enthusiasm for the natural world as a context to actively engage them in the learning process. Children are guided by the mentor towards the empowering experience of curiosity-driven discovery instead of simply being handed information.
Using the subtle Art of Questioning, children are challenged to step to the edge of their knowledge and awareness, then enticed by a further mystery, to grow beyond that edge. With the help of what we call Universal Childs Passions (think berry picking, secret forts, wild play, exploring, etc.), we create a learning environment that is motivated by the natural inclinations of the children themselves.
Combining a modern understanding of brain patterning and habit creation with these other more ancient methods of mentoring, the children find themselves immersed in an “invisible school” with the forest as their ”classroom”. The goal of such mentoring is nothing short of helping each individual reach their full potential.
-----Core Curriculum-----
Our core curriculum is based on the patterns and cycles of the natural world. This model accounts for the innate rhythms of individuals and their environment, providing a seemingly effortless but remarkably effective trajectory for learning.
Through games, stories and exploration children will learn:
-Outdoor Safety and Sensory Awareness
- Animal Tracking
- Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants
- Wilderness Survival Skills
- Bird Language
- Ancient Crafts
- Ecology, Community, Self-Discovery
- Storytelling and Singing
- Fire, and much more!
-----Internship Dates & Schedule-----
Internships are available during our Summer Camp season as well as Fall, Winter, and Spring semester homeschool programs. Interns will collaborate with Forest Floor supervisors to design a personalized schedule.
For Staff & Interns the schedule is roughly:
9am to 5pm for School Year Programs
and
8am to 4pm for All Summer Camps
(This includes the morning staff planning meeting and the after-program staff debrief which we consider crucial to the internship experience)
Check our website for exact dates & times:
www.ForestFloorAsheville.com-----Expectations of the Intern-----
- Commitment of 5 days minimum (either in a weekly program or 1 week of summer camp)
- Ability to communicate clearly and compassionately
- Ability to work closely with others in a cooperative setting
- Willingness to try new things
- Eager to develop their capacity as a mentor
- Genuine love of the natural world
- Enjoys working with children
***Interns are NOT expected to fulfill the roles and duties of a paid staff person***
------Bonus qualities of the Intern (ultimately necessary for employment with Forest Floor)-----
- General knowledge of local plants (ID, uses, medicinal/edible, ecological indications, etc.)
- General knowledge of local animals (tracks and/or sign, diet, habitat, etc.)
- Knowledge of and experience teaching local edible and medicinal wild plants
- Some experience tracking animals and basic animal tracking
- Some experience doing and teaching outdoor survival skills such as fire-making, primitive shelter building, orienteering, etc.
- Some experience with a primitive/earth-skills such as friction-fire making(bow-drill or hand-drill), natural - cordage, wood carving, primitive pottery, blacksmithing, archery, etc.
- Some experience with a traditional hand-craft such as basket-making, weaving, felting, tool-making, etc.
- Experience leading songs and telling stories with groups of children
-----Benefits-----
- Professional development through Forest Floor trainings, field experiences and meetings with supervisors.
- Opportunity to pursue personal interests and projects that relate to the mission of Forest Floor.
- Increased potential for future employment.
- Opportunity for networking and relationship building within a rich community of passionate naturalists and educators.
- Possible stipend for extensive internships.
-----NOTE-----
Interning with Forest Floor does not guarantee employment.
