Programs

2023 Summer Nature & Science Camp leader positions – apply now!

Jane Kilthei News, Programs 0 Comment

We are hiring a Summer Camp Coordinator and 2 Camp Leaders for our upcoming 2023 Nature and Science Summer Day Camps! You don’t want to miss an opportunity to be part of this amazing team!

30 hrs/week from mid-June through August.

Our summer nature and science camps creatively engage participants from 5 to 9 years-old (groups of twelve 5-7 or 7-9 year-olds over a 5-day camping experience)i n fun hands-on learning, including arts, crafts, games, mud-digs, beach seines and other science-based activities related to nature, our local estuary, watersheds and ecosystems, conservation and restoration, and citizen science. Games and activities are mostly outdoors, including on the beach, along our estuary interpretive trail and up on our wildlife viewing tower. Indoors we have aquariums and an observation tank with marine and intertidal creatures, microscopes, telescopes. and interactive displays. We have camp curriculum materials and resources, and there’s also lots of room for our summer camp leader team to get creative. Respect for local Indigenous care for the land and wisdom is also foundational.

Click here for our Summer-Nature-Science-Camp-Coordinator-2023

Click for find our Summer-Nature-Science-Camp-Leader-2023

How to Apply:  Please submit a cover letter and resume by May 15th via email, mail or in person to:

Alison Adamson

Coordinator
Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre

Box 5 Cowichan Bay Rd
Cowichan Bay, BC V0R 1N0

Email: alison@cowichanestuary.ca

IMPORTANT NOTE: Positions are contingent on Canada Summer Jobs funding and may change in response public health directives on group activities related to Covid 19.  This may affect employment contracts. 

We look forward to hearing from you and the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre thanks all applicants for your interest.

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.  Job interviews may be conducted online via Zoom.

Contract Educator positions – hands-on nature & science programs – Apply by March 30th

Jennifer Erickson News, Programs
Contract Educator positions – hands-on nature & science programs – Apply by March 30th

 

We’re lookiing for Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre Educators (contract position with fexible term): Do you have a background in nature education and enjoy transmitting your knowledge and love of nature to children and youth? Perhaps you are a retired or part-time teacher who enjoys leading hands-on learning with children from grades K-9? We are looking for nature educators to join our team and bring the Cowichan Estuary to life for school groups in K-9 at our Centre on the shores of the Cowichan Estuary this spring. Join us and get inspired working in an amazing ecosystem and community here in the Cowichan Valley. Our educators may also be invited to co-lead restoration programs for high school youth working with Anna Scounten, our Restoration Program Lead. Contract rate: $20 – $23/hour.

As a Nature Centre educator you would lead or co-lead (dependent on class sizes) 1hr – 1.5 hour nature and ecology programs for learners in Grades K-9. Our programs focus on hands-on experiential learning, include time outside in nature and cover topics such as: estuary intertidal creatures, birds and wildlife, watershed health, climate change, environmental science, nature conservation, biology, etc., and may include social studies and historical content, including respect for the knowledge and care of the Quw’ustun have brought to the estuary and its watersheds from time immemorial to the present day. At low tide activities may include mud digs, micro-plastic surveys and beach seines in the intertidal zone to explore resident sea life.  Hours are dependent on school and restoration programming bookings, typically 2 – 3 hrs weekday mornings or afternoons (usually a 1 to 1.5 hr program plus set up and take down time).  

Applications due by March 31st. For the full job description: Nature Educator Position Description 2022

To apply for Educator Positions: Email your resume and references to admin@cowichanestuary.ca with the subject heading of “Nature Centre Educator 2023”.

We thank all those who apply for your interest!

July 2nd – Natural Leaders – Youth Leadership Training

Jennifer Erickson Programs 0 Comment

2019 Youth Leadership and Team Building Training

On Tuesday, July 2nd, we will be hosting our annual Youth Leadership and Team Building Training for youth ages 14-18. Training will take place at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre from 9-4pm. Lunch is included. The cost is $25-$45 (sliding scale).

This day-long interactive workshop for budding change-makers will provide lots of opportunities to learn and practice leadership and team building skills. Our focus this year is “engagement for healthy watersheds and climate action.” The day will include First Nations perspectives and stories from elders. There will be opportunities to explore and practice group leadership and team-building skills in a natural setting. Our facilitation team includes Laura Cuthbert from Organize BC and Kim Lagimodiere, Cowichan Watershed Board educator and Cowichan Tribes biologist.  It’s going to be an amazing interactive day.

There will also be pre and post-workshop opportunities to put leadership and team building skills into action on water conservation and watershed restoration projects in the Cowichan and Koksilah Watershed.

How to Register

If you would like to pay $45 on the sliding scale, you can pay online through Eventbrite (to choose another amount on the sliding scale or ask for a bursary, see below):

  • Please indicate your preferred payment method on the application form below and email the completed form to Karlie at camps@cowichanestuary.ca, drop it off in person at the Nature Centre, or mail it to:                     Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre, Box 5Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, Canada V0R 1N0
  • You can pay online here through the Eventbrite page  or pay in person at the Nature Centre by debit or cash, or by cheque made payable to Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre.
  • Eventbrite doesn’t offer a sliding scale option, so to pay less that $45 on the sliding scale you’ll need to mail your application or come into the Centre to register (or ask us about an e-transfer).

If you would like to apply for a bursary it’s easy:

  • Please check “yes” when you fill out the application form below to apply for a bursary. Tell us in a sentence or two why a bursary would be helpful to you.  We want this workshop to be accessible, so please ask, and get your application to us as described above!!

Application Form: Youth Leadership Training Application

NEW Program! Sea Squirts: Stories & Activities 11:00-12:00pm Feb 7 – Mar 7,

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The Nature Centre is so happy to announce our new nature program, funded in part by Our Cowichan Communities Health Network!

Sea Squirts is a FREE, drop-in nature program where parents and their pre-school aged children and infants can come together to connect with each other, learn about nature in fun and engaging ways, and support the development of early literacy skills.

Lead by our amazing, superstar Nature Centre volunteer Kerrie Talbot, a retired Early Childhood Educator and Library Assistant. It’s grounded in nature stories and learning with a strong social and emotional health component.

Hope to see you there!

2018 Summer Science Camps

Jane Kilthei Programs 0 Comment

Our popular five-day marine biology science summer day camps introduce children to the birds, animals and plants of the Cowichan Estuary. We’ll explore the clam beds, eelgrass mudflats, and the beaches at Hecate Park. Campers will use scopes on the observation tower, beach seines, plankton tows, shovels and buckets to find out who lives here. They’ll get to know the region’s intertidal and sea creature in our water and up close in our touch tank, and have an opportunity to get acquainted with young Coho salmon in our fresh water aquarium. There will also be other fun age-appropriate hands-on science activities, games, hikes, and crafts, as well as a chance to explore our microscope stations, giant maps, interactive exhibits and ecology library.

All Camps run from 9 am to 3:00 pm

Schedule for 2018 Marine Biology Summer Camps:

July 9-13 Children Ages 5 to 7
July 16-20 Children Ages 8 to 11
July 23-27 Children Ages 5 to 7
July 30-Aug 3 Children ages 8 to 11
Aug 6-10 Civic Holiday Monday – no camp – Centre open to the public
Aug 13-17 Children Ages 8 to 11
Aug 20-24 Children ages 5 to 7

Fees:

Camp fees are $215 per child for a total of five days. Single Day Attendance: $40 per day per child only if the camp is not fully booked. Please register by phone or in-person for single days.

Some Bursaries are available to eligible children from the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Society.

Details

All Camps run from 9 am to 3:00 pm.  You may drop off your child between 8:45 am and 9 am.

As our camp leaders are busy setting up for the day, we cannot offer early drop off or late pick up. Parents will be charged late fees for not adhering to drop of and pick up times.

All camp participants must to be able to eat, dress and toilet independently.  For children with special needs, contact camps@cowichanestuary.ca to discuss possible accommodations.

How to Register

Registration is a two-step process:

  1.  The Eventbrite link for registrations is COMING SOON!! Then you can select a camp, sign up, and make payment. Payment can be through a credit card on Eventbrite or cash/cheque dropped off at the Cowichan Land Trust office.
  2. Download and complete the required registration information and return by at least 2 weeks prior to camp start:
    – in person or mail to the Cowichan Land Trust at #5-55 Station Street, Duncan BC, V9L 1M2

IMPORTANT: Your registration is not considered complete until we have received the medical information and waiver forms. Payment and forms must be received at least 2 weeks prior to camp start date or your registration will be forfeited.

Questions?  Contact camps@cowichanestuary.ca.

Or phone: CLT: 250 746 0227 or CENC: 250-597-2288

Summer science camp

Jennifer Erickson News, Programs

 

Our popular five-day marine biology science summer day camps introduce your children to the birds and animals of the estuary. We’ll explore the beach, clam beds, eelgrass mudflats, and Hecate Park. Campers will use scopes on the observation tower, beach seines, plankton tows, shovels and buckets to find out who lives here. The region’s only sea creature touch tank and a salmon aquarium are accessible in our facility along with microscope stations, multimedia presentations, giant maps and an ecology library. There will also be other fun age-appropriate hands-on science activities, games, hikes, and crafts.

We are again excited to offer a  four-day Marine Biology Leadership Camp for youth aged 12-18 who are interested in leadership in the marine biology and/or child and youth care field. Participants will learn how to identify the plants and animals of the estuary and the bay and about their life histories. They will learn how to engage younger children in activities and games around the topics of eelgrass beds, intertidal mudflats, and the surrounding shore and sky of Cowichan Bay.  Once youth complete the four-day leadership training, they may apply to volunteer with one or more summer camps and earn our Estuary Leader Certificate.

All Camps run from 9 am to 3:30 pm

Schedule for 2017 Marine Biology Summer Camps:

July 4-7 Teen Leadership Camp, Ages 12 to 18 yrs
July 10-14 Children Ages 8 to 11
July 17-21 Children Ages 5 to 7
July 24-28 Children Ages 8 to 11
July 31-Aug 4 Children ages 5 to 7
Aug 7-11 Civic Holiday Monday – no camp – Centre open to the public
Aug 14-18 Children Ages 8 to 11
Aug 21-25 Children ages 5 to 7

Fees:

Camp fees are $215 per child for a total of five days (or the four-day leadership camp, which also covers the cost of first-aid certification). Single Day Attendance: $40 per day per child, and only if the camp is not fully booked. Please register by phone or in-person for single days. Sponsorship may be available to eligible children from the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Society.

Details

All Camps run from 9 am to 3:30 pm.  You may drop off your child between 8:45 am and 9 am.

As our camp leaders are busy setting up for the day, we cannot offer early drop off or late pick up. Parents will be charged late fees for not adhering to drop of and pick up times.

All camp participants must to be able to eat, dress and toilet independently.  For children with special needs, contact camps@cowichanestuary.ca to discuss possible accommodations.

How to Register

Registration is a two-step process:

  1.  Click here to select a camp, sign up, and make payment. Payment can be through a credit card on Eventbrite or cash/cheque dropped off at the Cowichan Land Trust office.
  2. Download and complete the required registration information and return by at least 2 weeks prior to camp start:
    – in person or mail to the Cowichan Land Trust at #5-55 Station Street, Duncan BC, V9L 1M2

IMPORTANT: Your registration is not considered complete until we have received the medical information and waiver forms. Payment and forms must be received at least 2 weeks prior to camp start date or your registration will be forfeited.

Questions?  Contact camps@cowichanestuary.ca. 250 746 0227,

or in July and August 250-597-2288

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