The Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) has announced that 200 Colorado young people ages 16 to 25 will get jobs this summer thanks to funding approved by the board of directors of Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) on June 15. The GOCO board voted to disperse $500,000 in lottery funds to local government and open space organizations for critical outdoor recreation and land conservation projects that will enhance Colorado’s trails, parks, open spaces and wildlife habitat. Local governments will receive $250,000 and open space organizations will receive $250,000 to hire youth corps to implement these projects statewide.
For example, along Colorado's Front Range, the Mile High Youth Corps received $19,460 to help with rehabilitation efforts in recreational areas, removal of invasive Russian Olive trees and other unwanted plants, and fire fuel mitigation and wildlife habitat restoration in city parks.
Collectively, the approved local government and open space projects will result in youth corps completing 20 miles of trail construction and repair, open space maintenance and enhancement, and construction of parks and park amenities, from the Four Corners and the Western Slope to the Front Range and southeast Colorado.
Support for land stewardship projects is in high demand. CYCA has received $1.3 million in project requests from 29 counties, and has funding to support $500,000 of those proposals. The good news is that there is plenty of work to keep 200 young people employed this year and next – while providing them with valuable transferable skills. Of the counties that proposed projects, 20 will receive youth corps crews.
In April of this year, Governor John Hickenlooper announced that $1 million in GOCO/Lottery funding would create 400 statewide outdoor jobs for youth and young adults through the 10 youth corps accredited by the CYCA. This week’s vote by the GOCO board to begin leveraging those funds is well timed with a number of land stewardship projects being launched by youth corps this month. Additional projects are slated for 2012. The remaining $500,000 will be allocated equally for youth corps projects within Colorado State Parks and State Wildlife Areas.
The funding initiative announced in April provides jobs for a segment of the population with high unemployment. The national unemployment rate for 16-to-24 year olds is currently 25 percent.
Statewide projects approved to receive support include Button Rock Preserve Watershed (Boulder County); River Bluffs, Lions & Horsetooth Mountain Open Space (Larimer County); Evergreen Lake & Park in the Town of Evergreen; Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space (City of Centennial); Genesee, Bear Creek, & Bear Valley Parks (Denver Mountain Parks); Park to Park Trail (Town of Silver Cliff); Black Forest Regional Park (El Paso County); Sitzmark Trail (Town of Winter Park/Fraser); New Park Site & Open Space (Town of Oak Creek); Rehder Ranch Nature Preserve (Yampa Valley Land Trust); Golden Horseshoe (Summit County); Cement Creek River Park (Town of Silverton); Sage Grouse Habitat Improvement (The Trust for Land Restoration); Placers Property (Lake County); Greenbelt Recreation Area (Costilla County); River Valley Ranch (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust); Ben Oswald Soccer Complex (City of Salida); Yampa River Core Trail (City of Steamboat Springs); West Lake, Burkey, & Matchett Parks (City of Grand Junction); Baxter Gulch Trail Construction (Town of Crested Butte); Mesa County River Front Trail (Mesa County); and Ranches in Morgan, Logan, and Sedgwick Counties (Ducks Unlimited).
Projects will be served by Boulder County Youth Corps, Larimer County Youth Conservation Corps, Mile High Youth Corps, Mile High Youth Corps - Colo. Springs, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Southwest Conservation Corps - Four Corners, Southwest Conservation Corps - Los Valles, Steamboat Springs Community Youth Corps, Western Colorado Conservation Corps, and Weld County Youth Conservation Corps.
Youth corps teaches job readiness and leadership skills with the goal of preparing young citizens to be productive and ready for the work force. It also gives young people important time in the outdoors and educates them about a range of stewardship issues, including water conservation, land use, fire danger and the impact of invasive species. While in the corps, members can receive high school or college credits or prepare to take their GED. They are also eligible to receive AmeriCorps education awards for college, trade school or student loans. Corpsmembers also earn a full-time wage.
The Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) is a statewide coalition of 10 accredited youth conservation corps that employ and train youth and young adults on land, water and energy conservation projects. Youth corps is a proven strategy for engaging young people in service to their communities and stewardship of their environment while cultivating valuable skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century. For more information about CYCA or the statewide youth corps coalition, visit www.CYCA.org.
For example, along Colorado's Front Range, the Mile High Youth Corps received $19,460 to help with rehabilitation efforts in recreational areas, removal of invasive Russian Olive trees and other unwanted plants, and fire fuel mitigation and wildlife habitat restoration in city parks.
Collectively, the approved local government and open space projects will result in youth corps completing 20 miles of trail construction and repair, open space maintenance and enhancement, and construction of parks and park amenities, from the Four Corners and the Western Slope to the Front Range and southeast Colorado.
Support for land stewardship projects is in high demand. CYCA has received $1.3 million in project requests from 29 counties, and has funding to support $500,000 of those proposals. The good news is that there is plenty of work to keep 200 young people employed this year and next – while providing them with valuable transferable skills. Of the counties that proposed projects, 20 will receive youth corps crews.
In April of this year, Governor John Hickenlooper announced that $1 million in GOCO/Lottery funding would create 400 statewide outdoor jobs for youth and young adults through the 10 youth corps accredited by the CYCA. This week’s vote by the GOCO board to begin leveraging those funds is well timed with a number of land stewardship projects being launched by youth corps this month. Additional projects are slated for 2012. The remaining $500,000 will be allocated equally for youth corps projects within Colorado State Parks and State Wildlife Areas.
The funding initiative announced in April provides jobs for a segment of the population with high unemployment. The national unemployment rate for 16-to-24 year olds is currently 25 percent.
Statewide projects approved to receive support include Button Rock Preserve Watershed (Boulder County); River Bluffs, Lions & Horsetooth Mountain Open Space (Larimer County); Evergreen Lake & Park in the Town of Evergreen; Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space (City of Centennial); Genesee, Bear Creek, & Bear Valley Parks (Denver Mountain Parks); Park to Park Trail (Town of Silver Cliff); Black Forest Regional Park (El Paso County); Sitzmark Trail (Town of Winter Park/Fraser); New Park Site & Open Space (Town of Oak Creek); Rehder Ranch Nature Preserve (Yampa Valley Land Trust); Golden Horseshoe (Summit County); Cement Creek River Park (Town of Silverton); Sage Grouse Habitat Improvement (The Trust for Land Restoration); Placers Property (Lake County); Greenbelt Recreation Area (Costilla County); River Valley Ranch (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust); Ben Oswald Soccer Complex (City of Salida); Yampa River Core Trail (City of Steamboat Springs); West Lake, Burkey, & Matchett Parks (City of Grand Junction); Baxter Gulch Trail Construction (Town of Crested Butte); Mesa County River Front Trail (Mesa County); and Ranches in Morgan, Logan, and Sedgwick Counties (Ducks Unlimited).
Projects will be served by Boulder County Youth Corps, Larimer County Youth Conservation Corps, Mile High Youth Corps, Mile High Youth Corps - Colo. Springs, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Southwest Conservation Corps - Four Corners, Southwest Conservation Corps - Los Valles, Steamboat Springs Community Youth Corps, Western Colorado Conservation Corps, and Weld County Youth Conservation Corps.
Youth corps teaches job readiness and leadership skills with the goal of preparing young citizens to be productive and ready for the work force. It also gives young people important time in the outdoors and educates them about a range of stewardship issues, including water conservation, land use, fire danger and the impact of invasive species. While in the corps, members can receive high school or college credits or prepare to take their GED. They are also eligible to receive AmeriCorps education awards for college, trade school or student loans. Corpsmembers also earn a full-time wage.
The Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) is a statewide coalition of 10 accredited youth conservation corps that employ and train youth and young adults on land, water and energy conservation projects. Youth corps is a proven strategy for engaging young people in service to their communities and stewardship of their environment while cultivating valuable skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century. For more information about CYCA or the statewide youth corps coalition, visit www.CYCA.org.