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Crew

Summer Youth Corps

At a Glance

Durations

AmeriCorps: 2.5-month, Youth: Five week

Regions

St. Croix State Park

Age Ranges

15-18 (Youth), 18-25 (AmeriCorps)

Eligibility

  • AmeriCorps members must be a US Citizen, national, or permanent resident
  • AmeriCorps members must not have more than three prior AmeriCorps service terms
  • Youth participants must be willing to live outdoors and work hard on a team with peers from all different backgrounds

Interest Areas

  • Camping
  • Habitat Management & Improvement
  • Parks
  • Prairie Restoration
  • Trail Building & Maintenance
  • Youth Engagement
Find Open Positions

Summer Youth Corps (SYC) is a residential summer work program for youth, ages 15-18, led by AmeriCorps members, ages 18-25.

Crew members receive environmental and job-skills training while working in crews with other high school youth and two AmeriCorps crew leaders. Crew members live, work, and play together in this residential program based at St. Croix State Park from early-July to mid-August while conserving natural spaces and improving parks throughout Minnesota and neighboring states.

Summer Youth Corps is dedicated to accessibility for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community and runs an American Sign Language (ASL) crew. Since the late 1970s, Summer Youth Corps crews and all education/recreation activities have been inclusive, with ASL interpreters.

AmeriCorps crew leaders grow personally and professionally during their summer service term while gaining hands-on skills in conservation and youth development fields. Crew leaders train and supervise crew members on project work and also lead one hour of education activities Monday through Friday, along with engaging youth in recreational activities on the weekends. AmeriCorps Crew Leaders are responsible for encouraging the development of good work habits and basic skills such as work safety, environmental knowledge, and “leave no trace” principles.

Young adults, ages 18-25, who join our Summer Youth Corps program are committing to a full-time AmeriCorps experience for a 2.5-month term to serve their community through environmental stewardship and youth engagement.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that addresses challenges in our communities through the dedicated service of its members. AmeriCorps serve directly with nonprofit organizations (like Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa) to tackle our nation’s most pressing challenges. Members join to give back to their communities while gaining a foundation of marketable skills for natural resource careers.

COVID-19 Notice

CCMI continues to diligently monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. As we learn more about what to expect regarding COVID-19 protocol for summer 2023, we will update this page and applicants and members with logistics for our residential summer youth program.