ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOUTH CORPS

RMYC IS UNIQUE IN THE WORLD OF SERVICE AND CONSERVATION CORPS IN THAT WE ARE THE ONLY CORPS IN THE STATE OF COLORADO THAT ENGAGES CORPS MEMBERS FOR EXTENDED (2 WEEKS +) 24/7 EXPERIENTIAL WORK AND LIVING OPPORTUNITIES. YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS WORK ON MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS THAT PROTECT HABITATS WHILE MAINTAINING OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL AMENITIES THAT COLORADANS ENJOY. WE PROVIDE UNIQUE PROJECT SERVICES AND TRAINING AROUND HIGHER-LEVEL HARD SKILLS, SUCH AS CHAINSAW CERTIFICATION, WILDLAND FIRE FIGHTING CERTIFICATION, HIGH ALTITUDE SITES (COLORADO FOURTEENERS), INTRICATE ROCK WORK, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND WILDERNESS SPECIALTY WORK, SUCH AS CROSS-CUT SAW USE. WE PROVIDE AN AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE FOR PUBLIC LANDS MANAGERS TO COMPLETE PRIORITY PROJECTS WITHIN RECREATION, WILDLAND FUELS, HABITAT, AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SECTORS. YOUTH CORPS PROGRAMS:SERVICE LEARNING CREW (SLC) IS A YOUTH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT TO ROUTT AND MOFFAT COUNTY YOUTH AGES 11-13. SLC SESSIONS ARE TWO WEEKS IN LENGTH, MONDAY - FRIDAY, WITH A TWO-NIGHT CAMPING EXPERIENCE AT THE END OF EACH SESSION. SLC PROVIDES ENTRY-LEVEL JOB SKILLS WHILE ENHANCING THEIR RESILIENCY AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AND MEANINGFUL SERVICE PROJECTS. SLC WAS CREATED IN 2010.YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS (YCC) SERVES YOUTH AGES 14-18 THROUGHOUT COLORADO. MEMBERS LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER DURING THE ENTIRE SESSION. PARTICIPANTS CAN CHOOSE BETWEEN A TWO-WEEK OR A FOUR-WEEK OPPORTUNITY. THE RESIDENTIAL NATURE OF THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO BE FULLY IMMERSED IN ALL ASPECTS OF WORK AND CAMP LIFE. LIKE THE SLC PROGRAM, MEMBERS WORK FOR PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS ON PRIORITY SERVICE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT NW COLORADO. YCC MEMBERS EARN A WEEKLY STIPEND DURING THEIR TIME IN THE PROGRAM. YCC WAS OUR FIRST PROGRAM, STARTING IN 1993.YOUNG ADULT CORPS PROGRAMS:CONSERVATION CORPS (CC) SERVES YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18-25 THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. CC CREWS SERVE ON CONSERVATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT NW COLORADO AND WYOMING. MEMBERS EARN A WEEKLY STIPEND AND AN AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARD. CC CREWS ADDRESS PRIORITY CONSERVATION GOALS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, THE NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION, AND A GROWING CIRCLE OF MUNICIPLE AND NON-PROFIT PARTNERS. WHILE COMPLETING PRIORITY PROJECTS ON PUBLIC LANDS, PARTICIPANTS LIVE IN GROUPS OF 8-10 FOR 10 TO 22 WEEKS. THESE CREWS WORK ON BUILDING AND MAINTAINING TRAILS, BRIDGES, AND FENCES, REDUCE WILDLAND FUELS, REHABILITATE WILDFIRE BURN SCARS, RESTORE RIPIRIAN HABITAT, CREATE ACCESS TO WILDERNESS AREAS, AND MUCH MORE. CC WAS CREATED IN 1999.NATURAL RESOURCE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (NRI) IS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 16-30 YEARS IN VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCES WITHIN NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND NON-PROFITS. INTERNS ARE RECRUITED AND MANAGED BY RMYC TO ADDRESS PRIORITY CONSERVATION GOALS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, THE COLORADO YOUTH CORPS ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION, AND A GROWING CIRCLE OF ADDITIONAL AGENCY AND NON-PROFIT PARTNERS. INTERNSHIPS ARE DESIGNED TO ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO ADVANCE CAREERS IN NATURAL RESOURCES. RMYC PROVIDES SUPPORT TO ALL INTERNSHIPS WHILE THE INTERN WORKS UNDER THE DAILY SUPERVISION OF THE HOSTING PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT AGENCY OR NON-PROFIT. INTERNS EARN A WEEKLY STIPEND AND AN AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARD. NRIP WAS CREATED IN 2015.OTHER YOUTH PROGRAMS:YAMPA VALLEY SCIENCE SCHOOL WAS DEVELOPED IN 2000 AND SERVES ALL ROUTT AND MOFFAT COUNTY SIXTH GRADERS (APPROXIMATELY 400) EACH YEAR. STUDENTS ARE IMMERSED IN THIS FOUR-DAY, ONE-OVERNIGHT EXPERIENTIAL, PLACE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM. THE CURRICULUM ALIGNS WITH CO DEPT. OF EDUCATION CONTENT STANDARDS IN SCIENCE. THE LESSON ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AT OPTIMAL LOCATIONS FOR HANDS-ON LEARNING. RMYC UTILIZES THE CONNECTION OF YOUTH TO THE OUTDOORS TO ATTAIN THE SELF-DEVELOPMENT ASSETS THEY NEED AT THIS TRANSITIONAL TIME, WHILE IGNITING AN EXCITEMENT FOR LEARNING. YVSS WAS CREATED IN 2000. 2025 PROGRAM OUTCOMES:-RMYC'S YOUNG ADULT CONSERVATION CORPS PROGRAM HIRED 126 PARTICIPANTS -RMYC'S YOUTH CORPS ENGAGED 162 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR VARIOUS UNDER 18 PROGRAM MODELS-RMYC'S NATURAL RESOURCE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM HIRED 96 INTERNS. -RMYC'S YAMPA VALLEY SCIENCE SCHOOL ENGAGED 408 6TH GRADERS.-BUILT OR MAINTAINED THE EQUIVALENT OF 156 MILES OF TRAIL AND TREATED OR IMPROVED 1,252 ACRES OF LAND ACROSS ALL RMYC PROGRAMS