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Volunteering with the ICO Backpacking and Hiking Section
Will had never seen the stars except from San Francisco nor snow except on TV, and he was already carrying two felony strikes. As the winter night fell near Carson Pass he stood with his eyes wide and his mouth open, staring at the sky. "Wow, oh wow! Wow. . ." he said softly.
Become a Volunteer
As explained on the welcome page, Inner City Outings is the Sierra Club's highly acclaimed all-volunteer outreach program. Getting involved is easy! Come to a new volunteer meeting or email Craig Gordon ICObayarea@gmail.com.
If you have a deserving group that you would like to take outdoors, you can become a Sierra Club ICO leader and use our resources to lead trips for your group.
Our Volunteers and Leaders
There are three ways that you can help out our ICO program:
As a VOLUNTEER: You can best get involved by helping out on trips. Or you can help keep the organization functioning by maintaining equipment, publishing the newsletter, fundraising, etc. As a certified DAY HIKE LEADER: You lead day hikes with small groups of youth or adults, or on overnight car camp trips. You work with an agency to form the group. You plan the trip location, route, the transportation, gear and the ICO volunteer staffing. You work with the agency to plan the day and time, and distribute the permission slips. You are responsible for ICO paperwork for the trip. As a certified BACKPACK LEADER: You conduct overnight trips in the backcountry, with small groups of youth or adults. You plan the trip location, route, transportation, gear and ICO volunteer staffing. The agency is responsible for forming the group, informing participants about trip requirements, and collecting money (as needed) for expenses from participants. You work with the agency contact to plan the trip. You are responsible for ICO paperwork for the trip.
Expenses
Expenses are covered by the agency or by ICO Scholarship.
Five Steps to Becoming a Volunteer
Join the Sierra Club!
Click here to join online. Complete the SFBay ICO Volunteer Applications:
Send the completed application to our Volunteer Coordinator. This will begin the process of running a background check:
Craig Gordon
ICO Volunteer Coordinator
822 Apgar St
Oakland, CA 94608
ICObayarea@gmail.com
Attend a New Volunteer Orientation
All meetings are held at the Sierra Club Office:
85 Second Street - 3rd floor
San Francisco, CA
Check the calendar for upcoming volunteer orientation meetings!
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Join our online community.
Read the
instructions on how to join our online Yahoo group.
Once your application has been received, go on a trip!
You should contact outing leaders directly if you'd like to volunteer on a particular outing. The schedule of outings and the roster of active leaders appears in the online Yahoo group newsletter as well as on our calendar.
Volunteer Expectations
As an ICO Volunteer, you must:
- Attend three or more monthly "ICO get-togethers" each year
- Participate in three or more outings per year or be active in our ICO Community by:
- Being a member of a working committee
- Performing an ICO "administrative job" (such as Chair, Treasurer, Calendar Coordinator, Equipment Site manager, etc.)
- Organizing or participating in an ICO fundraising event or activity
Leader Requirements
In order to have access to ICO resources (i.e., money, equipment, trip calendar, etc.) ICO Leaders must meet the following requirements.
To become a leader, you must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have current and appropriate First Aid certification
- Standard First Aid for Day Hike and Car-Camping
- 16-hour Wilderness First Aid for Backpacking
- All ICO volunteer forms signed and on file:
- Volunteer application
- ICO Code of Ethics
- Sierra Club Outings Volunteer Agreement
- Pass a background check and DMV check (if you are a driver)
- Be familiar with the Sierra Club's Outings Leader Handbook and the ICO Leader Training Manual
- Complete the Outings Leader Training* (see note below)
- Assist on at least one ICO outing
- Provisionally Lead at least two outings and receive a positive evaluation by each Mentor Leader. ["Provisionally Lead" means to lead the trip with two different Certified ICO Leaders ("Mentor Leader").]
- Receive approval to lead outings from ICO experienced leaders
- Have a thorough understanding of the responsibilities of ICO volunteers, agency personnel, and the participants
- Have solid outing participant skills appropriate for the activities of the trip
* Volunteers with significant outdoor leadership experience can lead two trips with certified leaders and get signed off to become a leader.
In order to remain a leader, you must:
- File trip reports in a timely fashion
It is also recommended to further enhance one's leadership skills:
- Have wilderness specific first aid training
- Participate in leader training programs designed to enhance knowledge of interpersonal and behavioral problems that may occur on an ICO trip
Background Check:Passing the background check is required for all ICO Leaders, Day Hike as well as Backpack Leaders.
Questions About Requirements?
Email the Volunteer Coordinator Craig Gordon.
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