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Youth Corps FAQHow do I find a program that’s right for me? How do youth corps recruit youth participants? Is there an income or “at-risk” eligibility requirement for youth participants? What kinds of projects do youth corps perform? How do youth corps differ from other environmentally based youth programs? How are youth corps programs funded? How do I find a program that’s right for me?You can search for a youth corps on this website by geographic location, by program offerings, or by program name. How do I apply for a program?Once you have decided which youth corps is right for you, contact that program directly for more details and an application. The Colorado Youth Corps Association does not hire young people, we simply serve as an umbrella association for the independent youth corps in the state. Are participants volunteers?No. Youth corps participants are paid for their work, at about minimum wage or slightly higher, and may be eligible for between $1,000 and $4,725 in an AmeriCorps Education Award depending on their term of service. How do youth corps recruit youth participants?Programs recruit youth from a number of different sources including schools, community groups, religious institutions, the internet, and local youth-serving organizations. A majority of the youth come from the local communities in which they serve. On average youth corps receive twice as many applications as positions available. Is there an income or “at-risk” eligibility requirement for youth participants?No! The only eligibility requirement involves age. In general, youth corps recruit 16-25 year-olds, but several programs operate “junior corps” of 14 and 15 year olds. All of the programs strive to engage both “at-risk” and “mainstream” youth in their programs in order to balance the crews and provide a level of diversity. Many programs also recruit from specific populations, for example, Native Americans. What kinds of projects do youth corps perform?Youth corps traditionally complete non-technical to semi-technical conservation r-related projects. Projects include trail construction and maintenance, fence construction and removal, habitat restoration, streambed repair, and noxious weed mitigation. Youth corps arrive at project sites in crews of 8-10 with the necessary hand tools and safety gear and are fully supervised by 1-2 adults. Many crews camp near the work site to reduce travel time and maximize project work time. How do youth corps differ from other environmentally based youth programs?Youth corps are not recreation programs or typical environmental education programs. Colorado youth corps use the employment experience, through environmental and conservation-based projects, as the means of providing a structured, disciplined environment where young people gain on-the-job skills, learn self-discipline, leadership skills, how to receive direction and how to work in teams. The youth work in adult-supervised crews, in full or part-time work on projects ranging from forestry and parks projects to services in urban parks, renovating houses, and assisting in human service agencies. Each corps program allocates between 10% - 20% of their time to education – including environmental education, pre-GED, GED, college credit courses, and life management skill development. How are youth corps programs funded?Youth corps are funded through a variety of sources including private foundations, local businesses, individual donors and government grants. In addition, youth corps perform conservation work projects for public land managers on a “fee-for-service” basis.
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