The Community Volunteer Ambassador Program is an innovative partnership between the National Park Service Volunteers-In-Parks Program and the Stewards Individual Placement Program of Conservation Legacy.
As a forty-eight-week professional internship for youth, young adults (ages 18-30 or 18-35 if veterans) who aspire to a future career in service and conservation stewardship are eligible for this program.
Through this unique opportunity, members are placed in park sites throughout the country to provide capacity-building services focused on connecting communities to parks through engagement and volunteerism activities. Upon completion of their term of service, members will be eligible for the Public Land Corps hiring authority and the AmeriCorps Segal education award.
The Community Volunteer Ambassador Program supports National Park Service initiatives to expand community engagement and volunteerism on our nation's public lands.
Meet the current Community Volunteer Ambassadors on cvainternships.org.
Apply to be a Community Volunteer Ambassador
The Community Volunteer Ambassador Program is managed in partnership with the Stewards Individual Placement Program of Conservation Legacy.
Learn more about recruitment periods and apply at cvainternships.org.
Community Volunteer Ambassador Articles and News
Showing results 1-10 of 28
- Type: Article
- Locations: Redwood National and State Parks, Steamtown National Historic Site
In celebration of AmeriCorps Week, meet Community Volunteer Ambassadors (CVA), Arlette Milstead and Emily Haryasz, who serve at Redwood National and State Parks and Steamtown National Historic Site.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Big Hole National Battlefield, Indiana Dunes National Park, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Nez Perce National Historical Park, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, more »
- Offices: Youth Programs, Youth Programs Division
Meet Sarah Sherwood, Park Guide at White Sands National Park, and learn about her career journey from internships to permanent positions!
- Grand Portage National Monument
My Park Story: Ethan Poulin
- Type: Article
- Locations: Grand Portage National Monument
Ethan Poulin came to Grand Portage from Thunder Bay about 13 years ago to live with his grandmother. Living in both Thunder Bay and here is, in the words of his uncle, two wings on the same bird, and describes well the dilemma of the international border within the traditional land of the Anishinaabe. He is working now as the Community Volunteer Ambassador (Conservation Legacy), which will give him resources to put toward education and a stable job.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Boston National Historical Park, Boston African American National Historic Site, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
- Offices: Volunteers
From November 11 to November 15, 29 Community Volunteer Ambassadors (CVAs) participated in National Early Service Training at National Parks of Boston in Massachusetts. For three days, members connected in-person and received robust training to prepare them for their roles in assisting their site’s Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) program and in building lasting connections to local communities.
- Acadia National Park
Portraits of Acadia: Claire Burnet
- Type: Article
- Locations: Acadia National Park
Claire Burnet, community volunteer ambassador
- Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Public Lands Day Recap: Valley Forge National Historical Park
- Type: Article
- Locations: Valley Forge National Historical Park
National Public Lands Day (NPLD), the largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands in the country, brings together communities to help preserve and enhance the nation’s shared natural and historical spaces. Planning such a large-scale event is no small task, and Valley Forge National Historical Park (VAFO) demonstrated how teamwork and careful organization are key to success.
- Type: Article
The Volunteers-In-Parks Program is now recruiting paid interns for the Winter 2025 cohort of the Community Volunteer Ambassador program.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Acadia National Park, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic Site, Denali National Park & Preserve, more »
- Offices: Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers Directorate, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Youth Programs, Youth Programs Division
The primary duty of the Community Volunteers Ambassadors is to encourage local residents, particularly young people, to volunteer for climate-resilience-related projects in the park.
- Type: Article
- Offices: Volunteers
Learn about National Early Service Training for the 2024 Winter Cohort of Community Volunteer Ambassadors
- San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Community Volunteer Ambassadors: National Early Service Training Held at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
- Type: Article
- Locations: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
September 2023 Community Volunteer Ambassadors
Last updated: February 5, 2025