Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund Caribbean Region approves funding
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) St. Maarten provides standardized Environmental and Natural Heritage Education classes, presentations and excursions for primary, secondary and tertiary schools, community groups, church groups and other organizations on Sint Maarten free of costs to the participants and has worked with thousands of school children and numerous community groups since 2007.
The Foundation’s Environmental Education program covers a wide-range of topics and includes classes on and excursions related to St. Maarten’s forests, ocean pollution, the environmental challenges St. Maarten faces and the wildlife and ecology of St. Maarten’s wetlands.
The program was managed by one staff member from 2007 to the ending of 2008 but has since become the most sought after environmental education program on the island. Because of the substantial interest from schools and community groups to participate in this program, EPIC started taking on Environmental Educators from the U.S and the Netherlands on a voluntary basis for two periods of three months each year since 2008.
EPIC now aims to move towards ensuring the continued viability of Environmental Education on Sint Maarten by staffing the only full-time Environmental Educator for the island for an initial period of 12 months. Hiring a full-time educator will allow the Foundation to offer environmental education on a more consistent basis through-out the school year.
As coordinator of EPIC’s Environmental Education program, the Environmental Educator will further develop, market and carry-out EPIC’s environmental education program, be assigned with increasing awareness of environmental issues, promoting sustainability and conservation initiatives and enhancing the general public’s understanding and appreciation of the natural environment through lectures, presentations, classes, excursions and related activities.
Applicants for the Environmental Educator Position must meet the following qualifications:
· Hold a Bachelors Degree or higher in (Environmental) Education, Biology, Geography, Natural Resource Management or related field and have a minimum of two years experience in related work;
· Have a strong command of both the English and Dutch languages, written and verbal communication skills, including persuasive and effective communication techniques that compliment the mission and purpose of Environmental Protection In the Caribbean- Sint Maarten.
Interested parties can review the Job Description for the Environmental Educator Position at www.epicislands.org, www.facebook.com/epicislands or contact Project Manager Rueben J. Thompson at rj********@ep*********.org for additional information. Preference will be given to candidates who are from the Dutch West Indies and meet the requirements as set forth in the Job Description.
EPIC secured initial funding for the Environmental Educator Position through a grant by the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund Caribbean Region www.pbccaribbean.com . The Foundation has submitted requests for long-term sponsorship of the program to a number of local businesses and is currently awaiting the outcome of these proposals.