CONSERVATION CORPS OF LONG BEACH

ON ANY GIVEN DAY, MORE THAN 100 CORPSMEMBERS AGES 18-26 PERFORM A WIDE ASSORTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH AND SURROUNDING CITIES INCLUDING AVALON ON CATALINA ISLAND, THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST AND ALONG THE LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE PLANTING AND CARING FOR TREES, ABATING LITTER THAT IS AT-RISK FOR GETTING INTO OUR WATERWAYS, BUILDING COMMUNITY GARDENS, CONSTRUCTING PARKS, MAINTAINING WETLANDS, BUILDING TRAILS, RESTORING NATIVE HABITATS, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. CORPSMEMBERS ARE LED BY PROFESSIONAL STAFF SKILLED IN ARBORICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, BIOLOGY, CONSTRUCTION, AGRICULTURE, ECOLOGY, AND OTHER RELEVANT DISCIPLINES NEEDED TO PROVIDE CCLB'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. CCLB EDUCATES AND TRAINS CORPSMEMBERS PROVIDING THE JOB SKILLS AND SUPPORT FOR THEM TO GAIN VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE, EARN JOB-RELATED CERTIFICATIONS, AND EXPLORE VARIOUS CAREER PATHWAYS. CCLB IS A CALIFORNIA LOCAL CERTIFIED CONSERVATION CORPS. ONLY 14 CORPS IN THE STATE CURRENTLY QUALIFY FOR THIS DESIGNATION. THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS IS OVERSEEN AND ADMINISTERED BY THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) AND WAS INITIALLY A DESIGNATION THAT SERVED THE DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES RECYCLING AND RECOVERY, OR CALRECYCLE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1987 THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING AND LITTER REDUCTION ACT, LOCAL CERTIFIED CORPS ACROSS THE STATE RECEIVE FUNDING TO SUPPORT LITTER ABATEMENT AND RECYCLING ACTIVITIES IN THEIR CATCHMENT AREAS. THROUGH THE REDUCTION ACT, THE CCC IS THE RESPONSIBLE ENTITY TO ENSURE THAT FUNDING IS ONLY DISTRIBUTED TO CERTIFIED CORPS' THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH A RIGOROUS PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE ELIGIBLE ANNUALLY BY THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: -YOUNG ADULTS DESIRING TO BECOME A CORPSMEMBER ARE MOTIVATED TO WORK. -PARTICIPATION AND COMMITMENT IS FOR AN INITIAL ONE-YEAR PERIOD. -THE LOCAL CORPS OPERATES BY WORK CREWS - CORPSMEMBERS WORKING IN SMALL GROUPS WITH A CREW SUPERVISOR AT THE HELM. -THE LOCAL CORPS PROGRAM INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES (VOCATIONAL, CHARTER, AND/OR POST-SECONDARY), WORK EXPERIENCE, AND FURTHER PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. -CORPSMEMBERS ARE PAID AT LEAST MINIMUM WAGE. -CORPSMEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO POST-PROGRAM CAREER DEVELOPMENT. -WORK PROJECTS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES IN RECYCLING AND LITTER ABATEMENT, AS WELL AS OTHER KEY PROJECTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PARK DEVELOPMENT AND RESTORATION, AND FIRE FUELS REDUCTION. -EACH CORPS MUST MAINTAIN AN ENROLLMENT OF AT LEAST 50 YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18-26. IN ADDITION TO ACCESSING CALRECYCLE FUNDING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, LOCAL CERTIFIED CORPS ARE TYPICALLY ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE FOR OTHER STATE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WHEREAS CORPS THAT ARE NOT CERTIFIED ARE NOT ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS. AS PART OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, CORPSMEMBERS ARE INTERVIEWED BY CCC STAFF TO REVIEW THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT, PROJECT WORK EXPERIENCE, JOB TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH TRANSITION AND JOB PLACEMENT SUPPORT RECEIVED. THE VOICE OF THE CORPSMEMBER IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THIS ANNUAL PROCESS. ADDITIONALLY, SOME GOVERNMENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ALSO AWARD MORE POINTS TO APPLICANTS WHO COMMIT TO CONTRACTING WITH CERTIFIED LOCAL CORPS TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

CONSERVATION CORPS OF LONG BEACH (CCLB) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1987 TO SUPPORT YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18-26 AS THEY REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL THROUGH WORK, SERVICE, CONSERVATION, AND EDUCATION. CORPS MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM COME FROM AND LIVE IN HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITIES WHERE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES LIKE INADEQUATE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, AIR AND WATER POLLUTION, AND INADEQUATE TRANSPORTATION ARE PREVALENT. THEY ARE TYPICALLY NO LONGER IN SCHOOL OR WORKING AND FACE MULTIPLE LIFE CHALLENGES. OUR FOCUS IS ASSET-BASED, AND WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN "MEETING YOUNG PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE" RATHER THAN HAVING THEM FIT INTO A PRECONCEIVED BOX. WE PRIORITIZE CONSERVATION-FOCUSED SERVICE PROJECTS AND CAREER TRAINING IN ADDITION TO MEETING OTHER COMMUNITY NEEDS. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CASE MANAGED AS SUCH AND PROVIDED WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MOVE BEYOND THE RACIAL INEQUITIES THAT EXIST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND INTO FUTURES THAT NEED THE EXPERTISE THAT THEY BRING WITH THEM AND A SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT EXISTS WHILE THEY ARE GETTING A SOLID FOOTING.THROUGH CCLB, CORPSMEMBERS GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOP IN-DEMAND SKILLS. ON ANY GIVEN DAY, MORE THAN 100 CORPSMEMBERS PERFORM A WIDE ASSORTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL WORK PROJECTS THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH AND SURROUNDING CITIES AND COMMUNITIES INCLUDING CATALINA ISLAND, THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST AND ALONG THE LOWER LOS ANGELES AND SAN GABRIEL RIVERS. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE PLANTING AND CARING FOR TREES, ABATING LITTER THAT IS ON A TRAJECTORY TOWARDS MAJOR WATERWAYS, RECYCLING, AIDING IN DISASTER RELIEF AND REBUILDING, CREATING FIRE RESILIENT WILDLANDS, CREATING DROUGHT-TOLERANT LANDSCAPES, BUILDING COMMUNITY GARDENS, CONSTRUCTING PARKS, MAINTAINING WETLANDS, BUILDING, AND MAINTAINING TRAILS, RESTORING NATIVE HABITATS, AND EVEN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.