Conservation Crew Leader Positions
Wilderness, Roving, Community, Leadership Development, Park,
and U.S. Forest Service Crews
Leading a crew for the VYCC is a combination of hard work and adventure; it's a challenging and rewarding journey unlike any you've ever experienced before!
- 2010 Crew Leader Details
- Position: Crew Leader
- Position Type: Seasonal, Field or Community based
- Salary: $430, $460, or $500 per week, depending on experience
- Position Dates: Varies with different crews
- Application Process: Complete online application and submit cover letter, resume, and 3 references. Application will not be considered until we have received all four documents.
- Application Deadline: Open until filled
Training
Corps Members
Projects
Education
Challenges & Rewards
Crew Types & Dates
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Benefits
As a VYCC Crew Leader you will serve as a teacher, work supervisor, and a role model for your crew of young adults. Together with another leader, you will be responsible for:
- Building a community
- Overseeing the health and safety of your crew
- Professionally managing your work project
- Teaching both life and job skills
- Ensuring that high quality standards are achieved
- Facilitating crew education, including the WoRD program
- Upholding the VYCC’s mission statement
Training
Conservation Crew Leaders begin the season with an intense residential training period designed to teach the technical and interpersonal skills needed to be a successful leader at the VYCC. In addition to what is taught, each leader is encouraged to further develop, identify, and share his or her own strengths and enhance their existing skills. The long days and nights spent as a large group during training will also contribute to building a strong community of leaders, who learn just as much from each other as they do from the rigorous training sessions.
A sample of topics covered at Staff Training:
- Community and teambuilding
- Crew management and motivation
- Risk management and Emergency Response Plans
- Cooperative leadership
- Administrative paperwork
- Work project skills including working with stone, trail theory, and bridge construction
- How to facilitate WoRD
- Choice Theory
- Conservation education
After training, co-leading pairs will have one week to plan and prepare for the arrival of their crew. This week includes project site visits, vehicle and gear distribution and contacting Corps Members to make sure they have everything they need for their crew experience.
Corps Members
VYCC crews are made up of Corps Members between the ages of 16 and 24 that come from all walks of life. The VYCC hires Corps Members of varied interests and talents, representing many social, economic, and geographical backgrounds, and most crews are co-ed. VYCC Conservation Program Corps Member opportunities are also paying jobs as youth earn minimum wage. Park Crew members receive an AmeriCorps living stipend and education award upon completion in lieu of minimum wage.
Projects
Each year, VYCC crews complete hundreds of hours of high-priority conservation projects in a wide variety of focus areas. Most crews work on projects that are a short drive or hike from their crew base or campsite. Projects can last anywhere between one and five weeks. Park Crews work on projects within the State Park they are managing (see Park Crew page for more details).
| Past Projects: | Past Project Sponsors: |
|---|---|
| -Trail construction | -US Forest Service |
| -Trail maintenance | -Green Mountain Club |
| -Park operations | -The Nature Conservancy |
| -Watershed restoration | -VT Agency of Transportation |
| -Carpentry, including bridges, kiosks, staircases |
-VT Department of Environmental Conservation |
| -Trail structures, including drainages, rock staircases, retaining walls, and step stones | -VT Department of Forest, Parks & Recreation |
| -Historic building restoration |
Education
Built into each work day is one hour for the VYCC educational program called WoRD, which stands for Writing, Reading and Discussion. Using a compilation of current articles and essays, all crews read aloud about important environmental and social issues that are relevant both locally and nationally. The crew then engages in thoughtful discussion and spends time journaling on the topic. The goal of WoRD is not necessarily to teach new concepts about the environment or conservation but to help participants learn to listen to other points of view and articulate their thoughts and opinions in a safe environment.
Crew Leaders are also encouraged to bring other educational experiences to their crew, whether it is related to the project, the natural world or personal development. Residential crews can also partake in educational activities on the evenings and weekends, and go to museums, hear lectures, go on nature hikes or facilitate their own lessons.
Challenges and Rewards
The combination of a diverse crew with excellent, highly-trained leaders working together on a high-priority conservation project creates a dynamic and educationally rich experience for everyone involved. Once your crew arrives, you will combine your previous experiences with what you've learned at training to transform your crew from a varied group of strangers into a tight-knit community.
It will not be easy. Days (and some nights!) will be long, and you and your co-leader will have a roller coaster of experiences. In the end, however, leading a group of young people in the completion of a backcountry bridge, one mile trail reroute, or construction of urban rain gardens will teach you and your crew lessons you will use for the rest of your lives.
Crew Types and Dates
There are seven different types of crews to choose from within the Conservation program, each with its own schedule and type of experience. Each crew type has its own page with more detailed information, or you can download the Crew Comparison document, which breaks down details for each crew. Download Crew Comparison PDF
*Crew Leader training periods are colored blue.
| Community Crews | U.S. Forest Service Crews |
| Park Crews | Leadership Development Crews |
| Wilderness Crews | Learn, Earn, and Prosper Crews |
| Roving Crews |
Crew Leader Responsibilities
- Provide leadership, supervision, motivation and direction to a diverse group of Corps Members
- Effectively work with a co-leader
- Build a healthy community
- Uphold VYCC mission
- Train crew in work skills and proper tool use and maintenance
- Work with project sponsors to coordinate and ensure project completion or state park management
- Enforce VYCC policies and follow appropriate discipline procedures
- Facilitate the WoRD Program, and integrate environmental education into crew experience
- Process paperwork and payroll
- Maintain regular communication with supervisor and VYCC headquarters
- Take responsibility for personal development and engage in VYCC Leadership Review process
- Use sound judgment to navigate difficult situations and decisions
- Write a detailed final evaluation of the program
Residential Crews Only:
- Ensure that healthy food is prepared
- Budget management and bulk food purchasing
- Encourage minimum-impact camping and Leave No Trace policies
Qualifications
- Minimum age of 22 years old
- Background in education, parks and recreation management, environmental studies, or related field
- Leadership experience with diverse groups of young people. Outdoor leadership experience preferred.
- Budget management and bulk food purchasing experience
- Excellent organization and communication skills
- Ability to adapt and be flexible in a variety of situations
- Strong work ethic and ability to work long days in challenging conditions
- Maturity, optimism and a sense of humor
- Red Cross Standard First Aid/CPR or equivalent (Wilderness First Aid required for Wilderness Leaders, preferred for all)
- A good driving record and a valid driver's license
- Willingness to undergo a criminal background check
Benefits
- Competitive Salary of $430-500 per week, based on position, crew duration, VYCC experience, and other relevant experience
- Training Stipend – Crew Leaders will receive between $200-$250 per week compensation while attending our residential training
- Room and Board - Provided for all staff on residential crews (Park, Wilderness, Roving, LEAP, Forest Service and Leadership Development)
- Pro-deals and discounts with local businesses
- Sterling College Education Award - $1,000 scholarship available to all VYCC alumni accepted to attend Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont.
- Valuable Job Skills - Learn management, work project, supervisory, and leadership skills.
- Exceptional Work Environment - Live and work with a community of people in the Green Mountains of Vermont!
For more information about Conservation Crew Leader positions, please contact Katherine at 802.434.3969 Ext 135 or katherine.buell@vycc.org.
Apply Online!
The VYCC has been the ultimate challenge for me. There is almost nothing to actually prepare you for the craziness of 4 weeks living and working in the outdoors with a group of teenagers. I expect big and good things from myself from here on out. – Carly, 2008 Roving Crew Leader
I would tell a crew leader just about to head into their first session to be open to whatever may come, to see each challenge as an opportunity, be open to personal growth, to challenge their crew on an individual basis, and to have a blast! - Amanda, 2008 Community Crew Leader