Youth Conservation Corps

What is the Youth Conservation Corps?

The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer youth employment program that engages young adults in meaningful work experiences on federal public lands. Crew members are engaged in fun, exciting work projects designed to develop an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility such as trail maintenance; preserving and repairing historic buildings; removing invasive species; helping with wildlife and land research; and leading environmental education. YCC supports the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, or 21CSC, mission to put thousands of America’s young people to work protecting, restoring, and enhancing America’s great outdoors.

• Affords members the opportunity to work and learn alongside federal employees in a wide range of natural and environmental projects
• Assists youth to develop a life-long ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility through team-based work projects and individual placements
• Works to instill young adult awareness and appreciation of the public lands legacy and of the nation’s natural, cultural and  historic resources

The above information is from the U.S. Forest Service YCC webpage, which can be found here.

As a historic summer expedition program, Cottonwood Gulch YCC has a special focus on environmental education, allowing crew members to collaborate with summer staff to support youth programming, if desired.

Crew Life: What to Expect

The YCC is a residential program: the crew is expected to remain together during the entire duration of the session. The crew will live and work together 24/7, as well as cook and share meals in a community setting. Each crew member will be provided their own 2-person tent for the season.

A significant part of the YCC program is providing crew members with a variety of professional development opportunities, including but not limited to: a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification, a Sawyer crosscut saw certification, leadership training, developing land stewardship ethics, collaborative group work, and honing outdoor technical skills in the frontcountry and backcountry. As part of a thriving summer camp community, YCC crew members will be mentors and models for younger trekkers, ages 8-18 years old. 

On their “off-time” the crew will engage in activities like rock climbing, exploring slot canyons, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and learning about the arts and cultures of the Southwest. These activities reflect similarly immersive experiences to our summer trekkers and is part of what makes our YCC unique.

Who is Eligible?

Our YCC program is specifically designed for impassioned young people who are interested in learning more about southwest ecosystems, doing hard work to apply conservation principles to the land, and educating and engaging young people in the outdoors.

To meet eligibility requirements, applicants must be:

• At least 18 years old at the start of enrollment and must not reach age 22 before completion of the program
• A U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S., its territories, or possessions
• Have a valid U.S. Social Security number or have applied for a valid Social Security number
• Able to fulfill the essential functions of the assigned work with or without reasonable accommodations
• Actively committed and willing to complete the assigned work projects

Crew members must commit to the full length of the program, from June 21 to August 4. Hired crew members will receive a full packing list and have the option of renting gear from Cottonwood Gulch. Essentials include: a backpack (55 liters or larger) and appropriate clothing, including: long-sleeve shirts, long pants, hiking boots, and work boots. Crew members need to be capable of walking up to 3 miles with 45lb packs upon arrival, with the expectation to eventually accommodate up to 7 miles with 45lb packs. We expect crew members to have a willingness to learn to use hands for tools, controls, and other objects and they will be expected to occasionally lift and move up to 50 lbs.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews will be scheduled as soon as possible. Hiring for summer 2025 is now closed. Email ycc@cottonwoodgulch.org if you're interested in receiving an email notification when hiring opens for our fall 2025 YCC and/or our summer 2026 YCC.