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The IDNR headquarters at 1 Natural Resources Way in Springfield are closed today, Friday, June 12, 2026, as cleanup and recovery continues from severe storms this week. The agency expects to reopen the building to the public on Monday, June 15, 2026.

Volunteers

How to Become a Safety Education Volunteer Instructor

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is always looking for qualified individuals who would like to become volunteer instructors in the safety education programs. The following are the qualifications and certification process for volunteer instructors:

Instructor Requirements

An eligible applicant must:

Certification Process

  • After all forms have been submitted, they will be reviewed by the Regional Volunteer Services Coordinator (VSC).
  • The VSC will assign the applicant to work and train with a certified master instructor or instructor.
  • The applicant must instruct a minimum of five different classroom topics/sessions in order to fulfill the student teaching requirement.
  • The applicant must attend a safety education instructor policy and procedure training.
  • An evaluation of the applicant's student teaching performance will be completed by the assigned certified instructor.
  • The VSC will review the evaluation and certify the applicant on the certified instructor's recommendation.