Student and Youth Group Volunteer Days

RMFI's availability for group volunteer opportunities is on a first-come-first-serve basis; availability on specific dates cannot be guaranteed. RMFI spends the majority of months between June and September at high-alpine and backcountry locations where we may not be available to host groups; dates available during the Summer months are limited.

RMFI may need up to a 1-month prior to your volunteer day to provide some details regarding your volunteer day, e.g., parking and the exact project site within the park you are working in due to the fluid nature of our work. 

Project Sites/Specific Parks and projects are determined by RMFI and the Land Manager with your group's age, size, and needs in mind.

RMFI has a specific waiver for all participants, youth and adult. A completed and signed waiver is REQUIRED for all participants present on a volunteer day. 

RMFI handles registration for volunteer days and waivers through our online registration system on our website. If your group cannot do online registration, please work directly with Calla to meet RMFI's waiver and registration needs. 

For participants under the age of 18, a parent/legal guardian MUST fill out and sign RMFI's waiver for the participant.

This is moderately strenuous work using tools in the outdoors, we require the following:

• Long Pants (This is required, NO shorts/capris) 
• Sturdy Closed Toed Shoes (This is required. NO open-toed shoes or Crocs)

A participant not in long pants and closed-toed shoes cannot fully participate in the day's activities. 

The following are also required, though if a participant does not have their own, a pair will be provided to borrow during the event.

• Work gloves 
• Eye protection (work eyewear, sunglasses or RX glasses) 

To be prepared for the day's volunteer activities be request that each participant has the following:

• Water bottle(s) or hydration system with plenty of water (2+ liters)
  • We ask that each participant has their own water, we are not always close to a trailhead with the ability to refill easily.
• Sack Lunch 
  • Lunches cannot be kept refrigerated.
• Snacks
  • RMFI has various snacks available for volunteers, though we recommend that participants are prepared with a snack of their liking. RMFI is unable to accommodate all allergies and dietary needs. 
• Weather-appropriate clothing (e.g. rain jacket, hoodie)
• Sunscreen
• Backpack to carry all of your things
  • Each participant should be responsible for their own personal items e.g. water and lunch in a backpack. We are not always close to a trailhead; personal items need to be carried easily into the park. 

Due to the moderately strenuous nature of our work using tools in the outdoors 11 years of age or around 5th grade is the youngest volunteer RMFI is able to work with. If you have any questions regarding our age requirements, please contact Calla Balliett, Community Engagement Coordinator, at calla@rmfi.org.

Parking: Different transportation methods, e.g., Buses, Vans, and carpools, determine where within a park we can park your group. A specific parking location will be provided to the Point of Contact(s) by the Community Engagement Coordinator. Parking lots within our parks DO NOT have street addresses, due to this we rely on using Google Maps to provide you with a specific location; we ask that you use the exact link provided by RMFI. If you, your driver(s), have specific concerns, please get in touch with Calla Balliett, Community Engagement Coordinator, at calla@rmfi.org as well a day-of phone will also be provided to reach our staff directly on the day of your event. 

Group Size: Groups smaller than 10 are welcome to join RMFI on an opportunity available in green on our Volunteer Calendar. If your group is larger than 40 will possibly need your flexibility on splitting into 2 groups or separate days to accommodate your request.

Length of Day/Time: RMFI can schedule group opportunities between 8 am and 3 pm Wednesdays-Saturdays. We request a time commitment of at least 4 hours, though volunteer days can be up to 6 hours. For groups with participants under the age of 16, we recommend (or will cap your day at) 4 hours due to the laborious nature of our work. 

Lunch: If your workday breaks for lunch, we will remain at the worksite for lunch; as stated in our "To Bring," each participant should be responsible for their items, e.g., water and lunch in a backpack. We are not always close to a trailhead, personal items need to be carried easily into the park. Things like coolers are not easy to transport into the park, and participants will need their backpacks and will be responsible for carrying some tools into the work site. 

Bathrooms: Each park where RMFI works has different bathroom facilities or zero bathrooms/porta-lets. Most parks do not have established bathrooms, though if there are bathrooms/porta-lets, we are not typically nearby during the workday and will require a teacher/chaperone to take participants to a bathroom. RMFI staff will not be able to leave the worksite to escort participants to a bathroom. 

What is Leave No Trace?: 7 Principles of Leave No Trace

If you are a student looking to fulfill community service requirements for a class, National Honors Society, Community Service, or other like requirements without having a group, we are happy to assist. 

Please see our Volunteer Calendar and look for opportunities in green that are open to anyone in the community, please note age requirements listed for each project. 15 and younger will always require a parent/guardian to participate with them. Those 16 and older, parent/guardian attendance requirements vary depending on our project location. RMFI is not currently able to offer in-office or one-off opportunities for volunteers, volunteer opportunities with RMFI are limited to those available on the volunteer calendar or with a scheduled group. 

Those 18 years of age and under are required to have a parent/legal guardian fill out their registration and waiver for any RMFI event. 

If you have volunteered and need paperwork for your hours filled out please send via email to Calla Balliett, Community Engagement Coordinator, at calla@rmfi.org

If you have additional questions, please contact:  Calla Balliett, Community Engagement Coordinator, at calla@rmfi.org

Weather: RMFI will work through light rain or other mild weather conditions like light snow, heat, cold, and wind, but in the case of adverse or hazardous weather, RMFI will make the call to cancel your volunteer day or end the day early. We will work directly with the group's Point of Contact(s) to determine any weather cancellations that are predictable the day prior to your volunteer day. RMFI will make the call to ensure safety with the group's leader for any unpredictable, unexpected, or other hazards that arise while on-site. Bus transportation must remain on-site or be available within less than 30 minutes' notice to pick up the groups if requested by RMFI/group. RMFI is unable to provide an indoor activity for weather cancellations.