Hire a Crew

What Project Sponsors Need to Know

From project planning to completion, it’s easy to use a youth corps. Crews are turnkey operations geared to getting the job done! Youth corps are often considered the “third workforce” that agencies can rely on. Many projects don’t lend themselves to the efforts of one to two full-time staff nor are they appropriate for weekend volunteers. Youth corps fill this niche nicely to complete large quantities of work in a short amount of time.

To find the youth corps that serves your area, contact CYCA or view the region map. Before you hire a crew, though, here are some things you need to know.

[Back to top]

Statewide Network

The Colorado Youth Corps Association supports the network of 11 independently operating youth corps programs. CYCA provides a number of services [link to CYCA Service page] to these programs and sponsors to assure the success of work projects. Often, CYCA manages large statewide contracts involving multiple project sponsors and multiple youth corps programs. In other situations, youth corps contract directly with a project sponsor. Either way, sponsors should only use an accredited youth corps program. If there is not an accredited youth corps program in your area, CYCA will find one from another region to complete the work.

[Back to top]

The Value of Accreditation

2006 Accreditation Standards

The annual CYCA Accreditation process is comprehensive and ensures that youth corps programs provide a consistent level of high quality programming and services to youth participants and project sponsors. Major areas for review include service projects and program structure, corpsmembers and corpsmember development, and program management and administration. The Accreditation process involves a self-assessment of the program, a peer site visit, and review by the CYCA Board of Directors. Only CYCA-Accredited programs can receive project contracts through CYCA.

[Back to top]

Appropriate Projects

Projects appropriate for youth corps crews are labor intensive, have an impact that lasts more than one year, and lend themselves to quality education opportunities. For example, a weed eradication project in which corpsmembers can learn about native plants and wildlife, perform weed identification, and learn about the negative effects of invasive species is a high quality project. Trash and lawn maintenance are not quality projects with valuable education potential. Conversely, bridge construction or large cement laying projects are inappropriate because of they are too technical.

Appropriate project examples:

• Trail construction and maintenance
• Habitat restoration
• Tree planting and mulching
• Fence construction and maintenance
• Fire fuel reduction
• Burned area rehabilitation
• Riparian and wetland restoration

If you are unsure about whether a project is youth corps-appropriate, please contact CYCA or your local youth corps.

[Back to top]

Shared Responsibility

Hosting a youth corps requires cooperation, communication, and shared responsibility. Many sponsors ask “what do I need to provide?” The chart below details how youth corps generally share responsibility. Of course, a project may require a different breakdown of responsibilities.

[Back to top]

Project Costs

Youth corps operate using a fee-for-service funding structure and charge a “crew week rate” for their services. This rate often does not cover the full cost of a crew. The youth corps solicits private funds to make up the difference. Frequently, CYCA and the local youth corps program can help find grants and other funding sources to offset the crew week rate charged to the sponsor. If you have a project in mind but do not have the funds to pay for it, please contact us as we may be able to help.

CYCA has set weekly statewide rates*:

Specialty Crew - $6,000

Camping or Backcountry Crew - $5,600

Day (Non-Camping) Crew - $5,200

*These rates may vary depending on the size and type of crew.

[Back to top]

What Youth Corps Are

• Youth employment and training programs
• Programs focused on developing young people through work and learning
• Un-skilled youth workers with adult supervisors skilled in many types of work projects

What Youth Corps Are Not

• Professional work crews
• Volunteer programs
• Recreation programs

[Back to top]

Sponsor Comments

"The youth corps is a helpful resource. The projects that we create for the crews are projects that our staff doesn't have enough time to do. We appreciate the work being done and the opportunity to educate young people." - Brian Egloff, Division of Wildlife - Wray Hatchery, 2005

"The corps finished their projects with little or no supervision. The crewleaders were very well-prepared and had a strong desire to do high quality work." - Rod Larsen, City of Westminster, 2005

"I don't think you could improve the performance of this crew unless you could hire people with superhuman strength. These guys were great." - Tom Jay and Bob Miller, Colorado State Parks - Ridgway State Park, 2005

“The crew impressed me with how they really wanted to learn and how they kept their morale up at all times. It was a fun crew to work with and they should be proud of their work.” — James Leo Ferraro, Division of Wildlife - Roaring Judy Hatchery, 2004

“The crew was always happy and in good spirits. I enjoyed the time I spent with them.” — Dorothy Morgan, Bureau of Land Management, 2004

“The crew was a pleasure to work with. They were polite, willing and cooperative. The leaders did an excellent job of motivating the crew and melding a disparate group of kids into a functioning unit.” — Larry Mast, Division of Wildlife - Radium State Wildlife Area, 2004

“GREAT GROUP! Well organized and motivated. This group built lots of trail and moved lots of material. Also, we had lots of FUN working with them.” — Jess Asmussen, Rocky Mountain National Park, 2004

“Colorado youth corps is a very valuable asset to our work program. There will never be a shortage of projects. It’s good to know that there is help available. I look forward to next season. I already have projects in mind.” — Dave Wilson, Colorado State Parks - Lathrop State Park, 2004

[Back to top]

What Project Sponsors Need to Know

Statewide Network

The Value of Accreditation

Appropriate Projects and Project Examples

Shared Responsibility — Youth Corps and Sponsor Responsibilities

Project Costs

What Youth Corps Are and What Youth Corps Are Not

Sponsor Comments