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Volunteer Information

Doing Great Things for Wildlife

What is a WILD Facilitator?

Florida's Project WILD program depends on the expertise and commitment of volunteer instructors. Workshops are led by highly trained, talented, and motivated volunteers referred to as facilitators. Facilitators receive specialized training and advanced training opportunities to enable them to teach workshops. The times and location of local workshops are normally set by the volunteer instructors, although they are called on to work with groups who have set their own agenda. These volunteers represent a wide diversity of backgrounds and special areas of expertise. Many of them are classroom teachers in K-12 public or private schools, while others teach higher education courses to pre-service teachers or other college students. A large number of our volunteers work in local nature centers, museums, aquaria, and zoos, or provide interpretive services at state and federally owned parks.

Benefits of Being a Project WILD Facilitator

• Recognition as a leader in Florida's environmental education community;
• Professional development opportunities, including an invitation to the annual facilitator awards recognition weekend - Call of the WILD;
• Professional growth and development;
• Support from and networking with other volunteer facilitators;
• Access to the latest environmental education curricula and the most current information about Florida wildlife;
• Incentive awards;
• Personal and professional pride and satisfaction in your accomplishments.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead

How Do I Become a Volunteer Facilitator?

Volunteers are the backbone of the Project WILD program in Florida. The Commission provides a free training workshop for any educator (formal or non-formal) wishing to become certified as a facilitator. In exchange for this training, we request that each volunteer provide or assist with at least one six-hour workshop during the year in order to maintain active status.

In order to qualify for Leadership Training you must:

1. Attend or have attended at least two K-12 program workshops - one of them being a Project/Aquatic WILD workshop.
2. Complete and submit a Facilitator Application Form (pdf)       Electronic Form (Word)
3. Be recommended by an active facilitator or a supervisor who can attest to your ability to educate and train others.
4. Attend Leadership Training - a three-day weekend (Friday evening-Sunday afternoon) training program offered in the winter. Lodging, meals, and material costs are covered for all applicants. A $50 refundable deposit is required to reserve your space and is returned after completion of the training.

Leadership training consists of learning from the best-experienced, seasoned facilitators. They help you absorb what will seem to be an impossibly large amount of material in a short period of time, sharing the ins-and-outs, tools and techniques of being a successful facilitator. You will learn some proven ways to teach the material as well as the 'how-to's and logistics of putting a successful workshop together.

After training, you will have the knowledge and resources to schedule, plan, and facilitate you own educators workshop. You will become part of the Project WILD family, a large network of experienced facilitators, which you can call upon for help or advice as you learn the ropes. In the end, you and your teacher-students will have had an outstanding learning experience!

Download a Project WILD Volunteer Facilitator Job Description

Commitment to Project WILD

Volunteer facilitators are expected to plan, lead, and conduct at least one workshop per year. The time commitment required would vary depending upon the type of workshop you choose to present. You may partner with other facilitators in some or all aspects of the workshop, thereby dividing responsibilities. 

Training is a continuing process, as is the need to show volunteers appreciation for a job well done. Therefore, the Commission provides an annual retreat/advanced training workshop free of charge to all facilitators who have been active during the preceding year.  Inactive volunteers pay $50 to attend. This annual event, entitled "Call of the WILD" takes place during the fall and incorporates fun, entertainment and relaxation, as well as new ideas and teaching tools, into the weekend.  We encourage volunteers to attend in order to keep current with K-12 programs, environmental education, Florida education standards, wildlife conservation and more.

Dates to Remember

The "Leadership Training" weekend, in which educators are certified as volunteer facilitators, takes place at one of two training centers - the Ocala Conservation Youth Camp in the Ocala National Forest or at the Everglades Youth Camp in West Palm Beach. This training usually occurs annually in December/January depending on program needs and the response of likely candidates. Please contact the Coordinator for more information.

"Call of the WILD" is the annual awards celebration and advanced training to recognize our hard working Project WILD volunteers. Call is usually held in the fall - October/November - at one of the training centers.

Visit the Project WILD schedule for exact dates of training.

Contact the Project WILD Coordinator for more information about training, or to obtain an application package.