Summer Youth Corps Youth Member

Summer Youth Corps 

Summer Youth Corps Youth Positions 

Crew Member

Crew Members will travel, camp, and work with a crew of their peers. Crew Members are expected to work collaboratively with their fellow members to complete work projects, daily camp chores, and daily educational activities.  

Previous Experience: No prior experience necessary

Pay: Crew Members earn a living allowance of $490 / week.  

Location: In partnership with Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, SYC has a base camp in Finland, MN. Members will arrive at Wolf Ridge and spend initial days of training at base camp, then travel to various park locations for weekly projects throughout duration of the program 

Schedule: Crews complete project work 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, and enjoy weekends traveling and exploring local events & activities. 

Youth Peer Mentor

Youth Peer Mentors (YPM) will travel with crews and serve as role models and mentors for first-year crew members. YPMs will work under the guidance of their Crew Leaders to develop and practice various leadership skills.  This role is ideal for SYC alum who hope to return as a crew leader in the future.  

Previous Experience: At least one previous season of work with SYC 

Pay: Youth Peer Mentors earn a living allowance of $510/ week.    

Location: In partnership with Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, SYC has a base camp in Finland, MN. Members will arrive at Wolf Ridge and spend initial days of training at base camp, then travel to various park locations for weekly projects throughout duration of the program 

Schedule: Crews complete project work 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, and enjoy weekends traveling and exploring local events & activities. 

Backcountry Wilderness Crew Member

Backcountry Wilderness Crew (BWC) is a back-country crew, meaning there will be no access to cell service or running water. WC members will likely be expected to hike several miles to and from worksites and take on additional tasks such as daily water filtration.  

Previous Experience: At least one previous season of work on a conservation crew or other similar wilderness setting y

Pay: Backcountry Wilderness Crew Members earn a living allowance of $500/ week. 

Location: BWC members will arrive at Wolf Ridge and train at base camp before embarking on their backcountry adventure. BWC’s primary project work will take place at Isle Royale National Park.

Schedule: Crews complete project work 8 hours a day, on a 10-4 schedule (10 work days, followed by a 4 day break) and enjoy off-days exploring the area.  

Additional Information About SYC Youth Positions 

Summer Youth Corps is dedicated to accessibility for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community and runs American Sign Language crews. All Youth are expected to engage in American Sign Language (ASL) lessons and games throughout training and continue practicing ASL throughout summer. 

SYC Youth Essential Job Functions:  

• Maintain professionalism and adaptability while living and working in a communal, outdoor environment with limited communication access to the outside world.  

• Demonstrate teamwork and respect by maintaining shared living spaces, handling program equipment responsibly, and participating in group activities.  

• Exhibit problem-solving and adaptability in response to challenges and conflicts that may arise in the field.  

• Hike 1-3 miles per day to and from the project site, carrying 5-40 lbs of tools, water, and equipment over uneven terrain.  

• Safely and effectively operate hand tools (training provided) with awareness of surroundings, performing repetitive lifting, swinging, digging, and striking motions as required by conservation projects.  

• Work extended hours in an outdoor setting, exposed to varying and extreme weather conditions (e.g., high heat index up to 105°F, heavy rain, cold, and wind), as well as natural environmental elements (e.g., bugs, wildlife, and allergens).  

• Engage in daily camp operations necessary for maintaining a functional and safe living environment, including tent setup/breakdown, tool maintenance, and water filtration.  

• Follow food safety and outdoor hygiene protocols, including proper food storage, preparation, sanitization of equipment, and use of camp stoves to ensure personal and group health.  

• Maintain adequate nutrition and hydration necessary for safe participation in physically demanding conservation work. This includes consuming enough food and fluids to sustain energy levels for extended outdoor activity.  

• Fully participate in all program activities, including conservation projects and structured educational sessions, to meet program requirements and objectives. 

Training:   

• No prior training is required. CCMI will provide all members with the necessary training to serve as an active member with the Summer Youth Corps 

• Training includes Corps policies, proper use of hand tools, risk management, camping skills, Leave No Trace, team building, educational activities, stretching, intro to American Sign Language, Deaf Culture and more. 

Work projects: 

• Work projects vary from year to year, but some projects may include: 

• Trail maintenance 

• Basic trail construction/re-route 

• Planting of native species 

• Introduced plant removal 

• Boardwalk construction 

• Hand tools used for projects include pulaski, loppers, hammers, shovels, wheelbarrows, pick mattock, ax mattock, hazel hoe, rock bar, bow saw, hand saw, pole saw and other conservation hand tools. 

• Work projects are completed outside even during hot/cold weather or rain (except lightning or severe weather). 

• An additional one hour per day is dedicated to learning about the environment and team-building skills. 

Living conditions: 

• While on spike, youth will sleep in tents separated by gender (male, female, or nonbinary), typically in county, state, or national park campsites.  

• At campsites, crews will cook meals together over a fire or camp stove. 

• At basecamp, crews will sleep in dorm rooms separated by gender (male, female, or nonbinary) 

• All food, transportation, and lodging are provided throughout the duration of the program 

Code of Conduct:  

Our program invests in building a community that values being present; therefore, we do not allow youth to bring electronics into the program (including cell phone, game consoles, music players, etc.). Each crew member (not including Wilderness Crew) will have the option to call, text, or facetime family/loved ones on a weekly basis, using the shared crew phone  

Additionally, SYC abides by 10 major rules. These rules are non-exhaustive, but if breached, will be addressed directly by program managers and may be a means for immediate dismissal; members who break one or more of these rules may be required to leave the program at personal expense.  

1. No tobacco products during your term. This includes both possession and use. *Cultural exemptions apply 

1. No alcohol during your term. This includes both possession or consumption.  

1. No drugs. This includes both possession and use. *Drugs here does not include medications. 

1. No harassment. This includes though is not limited to: verbal, sexual, racial, and physical harassment. 

1. No fighting. 

1. No firearms or weapons. 

1. No gambling of any kind. 

1. No vandalism or theft. This includes state and private property. 

1. No exclusive relationships, including no activity that is sexual in nature. 

1. No leaving the crew, unsupervised and without direction. 

While this description describes the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position, it is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.  All positions at Conservation Corps Minnesota may require duties outside of the normal responsibilities as needed.  

About Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa:  
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa, a nonprofit organization and AmeriCorps grantee, engages hundreds of youth and young adults each year in in meaningful service, leadership development, and environmental stewardship. Our vision is a world in which everyone has equitable access to nature, is equipped to succeed in career and life, and is empowered to make a difference in conserving natural resources. Our projects and programs embody our core values of safety, service, respect, equity, and community. In working toward our vision, we believe it is important to acknowledge that natural resources organizations, including Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa, have a legacy of supporting and benefiting from systems that have restricted access to public lands and careers for marginalized groups. To challenge this, we commit to using equity as a lens for the work we do and decisions we make, building a shared vision surrounding justice, equity, diversity, and Inclusion goals with our partnering organizations and communities and providing an equitable training environment and high-quality programming to all our participants.   

Other Information 

Women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ people, Deaf/Hard-of-hearing, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Questions? Please contact: Summer Youth Corps Staff at SYC@conservationcorps.org