Rouge Park Photo/Video VolunteersOrientation Package

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation Package

Welcome!In this package you will find:

• Introduction to Rouge Park• Introduction to the HAVE Program• The photo/video team; part of the HAVE Program• Impact of photo/video team• Volunteers show the way to a great outing in the Park• Your commitment to Rouge Park• Rouge Park’s commitment to you• Let’s get on board!• Training Schedule

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageAbout Rouge Park• Rouge Park is over 40 km2 within the Rouge River, Petticoat

Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds

• The Park forms part of Ontario’s Greenbelt, and it represents Canada’s largest natural environment park in an urban setting

• Rouge Park was formally established in 1994, by the Province of Ontario, following years of citizen support for the preservation of the Rouge River valley

• Rouge Park offers a unique brand of local, low-impact tourism that will inspire our visitors to become involved in conservation, preservation and sustainable activities

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation Package

• The only place in the GTA for Torontonians to easily and conveniently access the Greenbelt

• Rouge Park is an important part of the GTA’s green infrastructure, providing ecological services such as clean air and abundant clean water; we aim to encourage our visitors to embrace these values

• Rouge Park is home to 16 kilometres of walking on 9 trails, in the Toronto section, frequently accessed by a variety of visitors with positive and supportive feedback

• Rouge Park offers approximately 7 million people in the GTA a near-urban wilderness experience, within an hour’s drive

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageHeritage Appreciation and Visitor Experience (HAVE) Plan• Education, interpretation and activity programming, signage

and communications

• Inform, Involve and Inspire visitors and volunteers toward active stewardship of the Park

• Enhance public awareness of our relationship to and dependence upon the natural world, and our connections with the past

• Increase visits to the Park, and with that, tourism to this important area of the Greenbelt

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackagePhoto/Video Team – Part of the HAVE PlanRouge Park’s media team is a volunteer-driven group supervised by

Rouge Park andToronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) staff that will:

• Capture images of the Park’s guided walks, stewardship events, landscapes, wildlife and plant life

• Enhance, improve and increase the Park’s inventory of images for promotional and educational use

• Share their expertise with other volunteers and visitors to capture strong images of nature

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackagePhoto/Video Team Overall ImpactThrough the team’s visual expression of Rouge Park, you will:

• Create a link between the Park and our visitors to promote awareness of the Park’s special place and function in the GTA, the Greenbelt and the province

• Spark the flame toward active involvement and care of the Park - Stewardship

• Make Rouge Park a destination for a fun, informative, safe and social outing anytime of year

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackagePhoto/Video Team: Your RoleAs a photo/video team member, you will:

• Capture lively, diverse and appropriate images of guided walks and stewardship events

• Capture images of ambassadors engaged with visitors

• Capture striking images of the Park’s landscapes in all seasons

• Capture detailed images of the Park’s wildlife, taken from appropriate areas like parking lots and trails

• (off trail work with a partner may be organized with Rouge Park staff)

• Inventory and upload images/videos to the Rouge Park Picasa site

• Be a general Rouge Park Ambassador, promoting the Park, its activities and events and presenting a positive, consistent image to Park visitors that can be modeled; uphold and help apply the Park’s Code of Conduct

• Work within the parameters set forth in the TRCA’s volunteer policy

• Liaise with appropriate supervisors from Rouge Park and TRCA

• Wear applicable Rouge Park uniform/ID items while on shift

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageVolunteers Show the Way to a Great Outing in the Park!

• You may be the first Rouge Park face a visitor sees – a smile starts it off!

• You set the stage for their visit • You help shape a visitor’s impression of the Park • You share your enthusiasm about the Park – why is it so special? • You reinforce why a visitor chose to come to the Park, so they come back • You show them how to best appreciate the Park through teaching and modelling

• You talk with and listen to visitors

• You offer or suggest how to best ‘shoot’ the Park

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageVolunteers build or improve skills, character and connections

• Confidence in yourself

• Speaking in public/working with groups

• Learning about others visiting the Park or attending walks • Improve your photo/video skills and techniques

• Learning from your peer volunteers with different knowledge/skills

• Expanding your perceived limits

• Extending your social circle and increasing your social capital

• Becoming an inspiration for others

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageWhat We’re Looking for in Our Volunteers:

• Active trail hiker/walker• Able to drive (Class G licence)• Able to function well in all weather• Professional or strong hobbyist photography and/or videography skills• Have your own equipment for shooting and for the trail• Attention to detail and accuracy in conveying photo inventory

information• Appreciation of/experience with natural spaces/conservation areas• Know Rouge Park or are getting to know Rouge Park • Want to share the importance of the Park with others• Assertive, friendly, enthusiastic, inviting, inspiring and personable• Able to work for success with others• Students of Media Arts, Environment or relevant courses very welcome

to apply

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageYour Commitment to Rouge Park

• A 1-year promise, year-round

• At least 1 walk, event or shift a month based on walk and ambassador schedules, event dates, plus meetings/training as needed

• Successfully complete all training and orientation sessions

• Maintain an easily accessible photo inventory, posting quickly after your outing

• Enthusiasm to promote the Park off-trail as well as on-trail

• Available to substitute for another volunteer, and provide ample notice if you need to swap or have your walk or shift covered (it is desired that walks/shifts missed will be picked up later)

• Available for Rouge Park special requests

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageRouge Park’s Commitment to You

• Staff support, supervision and mentoring - Trail Coordinator • Training/Resources:

– Trail Day with other volunteers in training– Rouge Park interpretation– Rouge Park Action and Reporting Protocols– Approach, Assertiveness, Resolution Guide

• Team meetings/socials and regular communications• Special development opportunities, recognition and progress

check-ins• Our thanks!

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation PackageLet’s Get on Board!• Please apply online. Make sure to highlight skills,

experience and other connections relevant to the volunteer profile on page 11 ‘What We’re Looking for in Our Volunteers’

• Include 2 references we can contact by email

• Rouge Park Volunteer Walks Leaders will be part of the TRCA Volunteer network http://www.trca.on.ca/get-involved/volunteer/

• All volunteers must register• Full volunteer policy and coverage – for everyone’s benefit

• Vulnerable Sector police reference check – mandatory – must be completed before you are on the trail officially

Rouge Park Trail Volunteers – Orientation Package

Stage 1: Trail Day with other trail volunteers – role playing, learning how to interact with visitors, try out your photo skills within the guided walk context

Stage 2: Familiarize yourself with Rouge Park online resources, join a walk as a guest to see how you would photograph it officially

Stage 3:NEW VOLUNTEERS START/MENTORING PERIOD:Join 2 walks and/or ambassador shifts with another photo volunteer to help you get adjusted

OFFICIALLY ON THE TRAIL following 2 mentoring shifts as the ‘official photographer’

TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ACCEPTED APPLICANTS –

Thanks!

We hope you will confirm your interest in joining the team, so we can quickly review your application.

We will be in touch to let you know officially about joining the Rouge Park team.

Questions: Contact Diana Smyth at hike@rougepark.com.