Leaders aren’t born, they become inspired, mentored, and then cheered on to do great things. We want to take your leadership potential to the next level and teach you how to lead young people on outdoor projects that really matter. Team up with our dynamic staff and guide our Crew Members to do their best work. If this fires you up, then we want to meet you!
Keep scrolling to learn more about how Assistant Crew Leaders, Crew Leaders and seasonal HQ leadership positions are the magic makers at VYCC.
Questions? DM our Recruitment Team or text us at (802) 560-8466.
In 2020, VYCC will hire 40 Crew Leaders to fire up, teach, and cheer on dozens of Crews and hundreds of Crew Members on outdoor projects across Vermont. This will be the most rewarding, and likely hardest, position you will love, ever. We want to give you all the info you need to get you excited to apply and what to expect. So, get your scroll on and dig in.
Each position is detailed below with information on the position type, crews, and position descriptions with details on compensation, duties, required experience, and how to apply for each leadership role.
Can’t find what you are looking for? DM our Recruitment Team or text us at (802) 560-8466.
Spring Peer Crew is perfect for leaders who want to hone in on leadership and technical skills before jumping into a Summer or Fall Season with VYCC. It is also a great fit for folks who want to get some shoulder work in before completing other summer work. Participation in Spring Peer Crew does not require leading a crew in the summer of fall with us.
The Spring Peer Crew wil live and work together as a team for a 4-week session starting on April 15, 2020. Your weekly schedule will roughly be Monday through Friday working 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. At night, you’ll spend time with you crew, while on weekends you get to go on adventures or explore on your own!
Your compensation and perks will include: $535-585/week while working on projects, $300/week (pro-rated) during training, camping accommodations, and meals and snacks while in the field.
A VYCC experience will also teach you, a lot! On this one-month crew, you will get hands-on training and coaching in professional and personal growth. You’ll receive a 3-day training that covers information about VYCC culture and expectations, technical training for your projects, Risk Assessment and Safety Management, and more! You will also gain valuable skills to improve your communication, teamwork, and self-care skills. Additional professional and technical trainings are provided by professionals in the field of forestry and land management, and have opportunities for networking and relationship building.
You will leave your mark for generations to come. Spring Peer Crew is the opportunity to join other leaders during the long bluebird days of April and May to complete either carpentry work with VT State Parks or Water Quality and Planting for DEC for four weeks.
For more information on this position and crew, please contact Pilar Lopez-Gomez, Conservation Program Manager.
Assistant Crew Leaders are the next generation of VYCC leaders. We often hire former Crew Members to become ACL’s as the natural next step in their leadership development. These positions intentionally fuse AmeriCorps service experience with VYCC Conservation program leadership duties. Together with a Crew Leader, you will lead a Youth Camping Crew on a variety of projects.
Each year VYCC hires only four ACL’s, to join the leadership team on our Youth Camping Crews. ACL’s may join one of the Youth Camping Crews, or one of VYCC’s two identity-based Youth Camping Crews. Youth Women of Wilderness (WoW) and the Youth Queer Creer are designed to encourage more young people who identify as cis-women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, or questioning to pursue careers and adventures in the great outdoors. In a rural state like Vermont, the power of a shared experience with peers who share a similar identity as you is undeniable. These crews experience all the elements of a Youth Camping Crew, but are designed to provide a more powerful experience for those seeking one like this.
Assistant Crew Leaders live and serve with their crew, 24 hours a day, for four weeks, camping and completing projects. They have time off between the 4-week sessions in mid-July.
Your compensation and perks of being an Assistant Crew Leader include: a weekly stipend of and a Segal Education Award (awarded upon completion of the term of service). You’ll also be provided housing (camping) and food while in the field.
As an AmeriCorps Member, VYCC will help you access AmeriCorps benefits, such as student loan deferment and interest repayment for certain student loans. We’ll also help you access federal assistance, such as SNAP/EBT and fuel assistance.
A VYCC experience will also teach you, a lot! You will get hands-on training and coaching in professional and personal growth. VYCC offers certified trainings, such as Leave No Trace, technical training in carpentry, trail building, etc, how to support your Crew Members as they get ready to join workforce, and increasing your skills to take care of yourself in stressful or new situations. You will also gain valuable skills to improve your communication, leadership and teamwork, and self-care skills. Additional professional and technical trainings are provided by professionals in the field, as long as opportunities for networking and relationship building.
You will leave your mark for generations to come. Conservation Crews take on projects in public parks, state parks, the Green Mountain National Forest, Long Trail, and many other public lands in Vermont. This work includes trail construction and maintenance, wildlife habitat and forest enhancement, light construction and maintenance work, and protecting the health of rivers, lakes, and streams.
2020 Camping Crews
Crew Name
Location
Project Focus
Season of Crew
Weekly Schedule
Compensation
Ready to apply?
Camping Youth Crews
Camping throughout Vermont (Youth and AmeriCorps Crews)
Conservation projects
June 15 – August 21, 2020
2, 4-week sessions with short break between, camping and serving with crew during the sessions
$ 250 weekly stipend & $1,612.43 Segal Education Award
Crew Leaders are the heart and soul of VYCC. You will join nearly 40 other Crew Leaders to be the everyday, in the rain, mud, and sun, go-to supervisors of our youth and young adult Crews. As a Crew Leader, you will teach project and interpersonal skills that will set up your Crew Members for long-term success in their careers and lives. With the backing of the talented VYCC staff, you will help inspire a generation of world changers. We have a wide range of Crew types for 2020 in our Conservation and Food & Farm programs. To find out where Youth Day Crews, Youth Camping Crews, and AmeriCorps Crews are working in 2020, check out the chart below.
Crew Leaders are individuals who are experienced leaders, facilitators, project managers, and community builders. You are responsible for creating a safe, inclusive, supportive, and productive crew that works hard and plays hard. These Leaders appreciate the importance of place, whether that be a perfectly tilled field, a sturdy rock wall, or row after row of spring onions, and the different ways a place can shape young people.
Crew Leader positions are seasonal, running for three or six months, from mid-May to either mid-August or early-November.
Your compensation and perks of being a Crew Leader include: a weekly stipend that is determined by the type and duration of the position, housing or a stipend to support housing costs, and if the positions is an AmeriCorps position, you’ll receive a Segal Education Award at the end of the service term (amount is determined by your length of service).
A VYCC experience will also teach you, a lot! You will get hands-on training and coaching in professional and personal growth. VYCC offers certified trainings to many of our leaders, such as Leave No Trace (c), Game of Logging, or Wilderness First Day. will also gain valuable skills to improve your communication, leadership and teamwork, and self-care skills. Additional professional and technical trainings are provided in the field, as well as opportunities for networking and relationship building.
You will leave your mark for generations to come.
Conservation Day Crews take on projects in public parks, state parks, the Green Mountain National Forest, Long Trail, and many other public lands in Vermont. This work includes trail construction and maintenance, wildlife habitat and forest enhancement, light construction and maintenance work, and protecting the health of rivers, lakes, and streams.
Food and Farm Day Crew projects include vegetable production (from seeding to harvesting) where all produce goes to our award winning Health Care Share project, livestock/animal care, farm infrastructure construction and maintenance, and cooking and food preparation.
Each year VYCC hires about 15 Day Crew Leaders, to lead during the summer, fall, or both. Competition can be fierce, don’t delay in applying! The full Crew Leader position description (listed below) details your duties, requirements, and compensation.
Crew Leaders are the heart and soul of VYCC. You will join nearly 30 other Crew Leaders to be the everyday, in the rain, mud, and sun, go-to supervisors of our youth and young adult Crews. Often with a co-leader, you will teach project and interpersonal skills that will set up your Crew Members for long-term success in their careers and lives. With the backing of the talented VYCC staff, you will help inspire a generation of world changers.
Camping Crews Leaders venture out, explore new places, and find rhythm in living outdoors. These leaders take on the responsibility of managing projects, building community, and being the catalyst for making the world a better place. No small task, but worth it in all the ways (sharing meals over a campfire, seeing a young person gain confidence and grit, leaning into conservation projects with your own two hands).
Camping Crew Leaders live and work with their crew, 24 hours a day, for either one month at a time or on a two-week hitch.
Summer and Fall Crew Leaders are with their crews for one or two months, camp together for 4 weeks at a time, camping and completing projects. They have time off between the 4-week sessions (either in mid-July or late-September).
“If you can see it, you can be it.” Two of these summer crews are our identity-based cres, Youth Women of Wilderness (WoW) and the Youth Queer Crew. These crews are designed to encourage more young people who identify as cis-women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, or questioning to pursue careers and adventures in the great outdoors. In a rural state like Vermont, the power of a shared experience with peers of a similar identity is undeniable. These crews experience all the elements of a Youth Camping Crew, but are designed to provide a more powerful experience for those seeking one like this.
Long-term (5 month) AmeriCorps Camping Crews operate on a two week “hitch” model. These crews are out in the field for 11 days together, camping and completing projects and then have three days off. This two-week cycle continues for the duration of the service term (5 months).
Your compensation and perks of being a Crew Leader include: a weekly stipend of that is determined by the type and duration of the position. Room and board are also provided at no charge.
A VYCC experience will also teach you, a lot! You will get hands-on training and coaching in professional and personal growth. VYCC offers certified trainings in Leave No Trace, Wilderness First Aid (WOFA), and Game of Logging. You will also gain valuable skills to improve your communication, leadership and teamwork, and self-care skills. Additional professional and technical trainings are provided by professionals in the field, as long as opportunities for networking and relationship building.
You will leave your mark for generations to come. Conservation Crew take on projects in public parks, state parks, the Green Mountain National Forest, Long Trail, and many other public lands in Vermont. This work includes trail construction and maintenance, wildlife habitat and forest enhancement, light construction and maintenance work, and protecting the health of rivers, lakes, and streams.
Each year VYCC hires Camping Crew Leaders, to lead during the summer, fall, or both. This year we are hiring eight Long Term (summer through fall) Camping Crew Leaders and about 15 summer Camping Crew Leaders. Competition can be fierce, don’t delay in applying! The full Crew Leader position description details your duties, requirements, and compensation. You must be at least 19 years old to apply for this position
A*C Project Leads are essential to the Health Care Share, a nationally-recognized VYCC program that provides foods to Vermonters facing food insecurity. Providing fresh produce to hundreds of Vermont families weekly is a Herculean task, and it takes a team of whip-smart and committed A*C Project Leads to ensure that the food makes it from the fields to those most in need. Some Project Leads focus on food production, some on cooking, and others on crew leading. Regardless of the role, each member puts their skills and talents to use leading young adults in growing food for the greater good. It doesn’t get much better than that.
A*C Project Lead positions run for nine months, from March to Decemeber. Your weekly schedule will change throughout the season, but will roughly be Monday through Friday, 8:00am until 4:30pm in the early spring, 7:00 am until 5:00pm in late spring, summer and early fall and 8:00am until 4:30pm in the late fall. There will also be occasional weekend responsibilities and share weekday farm chores.
Your compensation and perks of being A*C Project Lead include: a weekly stipend, Segal Education Award, shared housing at the Farm at VYCC and fresh produce from the farm to take home weekly. As an AmeriCorps Member, VYCC will help you access AmeriCorps benefits, such as student loan deferment and interest repayment for certain student loans. We’ll also help you access federal assistance, such as SNAP/EBT and fuel assistance.
A VYCC experience will also teach you, a lot! You will get hands-on training and coaching in professional and personal growth. VYCC offers trainings, such as best practices in farming, valuable skill building to improve your communication, leadership and teamwork, and self-care skills. Additional professional and technical trainings are provided by professionals in the field, as well as opportunities for networking and relationship building.
You will leave your mark for generations to come. Food and Farm Crews complete projects including vegetable production (from seeding to harvesting) where all produce goes to our award winning Health Care Share project, livestock/animal care, farm infrastructure construction and maintenance, and cooking and food preparation. Plus, you are very likely leading the next generation of Vermont farmers!
We are hiring 6 A*C Project Leads for 2020, who will work alongside our talented VYCC Food and Farm staff. The full A*C Project Lead position description details your duties, requirements, and compensation.
Our Field Supervisors key members of our Conservation team. Their season starts by working with our year-round staff to recruit and hire over 250 young people onto diverse and inclusive crews. During the field season they will be based out of our headquarters balancing office work with days (and nights) traveling throughout Vermont supervising crews and managing projects. Field Supervisors and staff then train, support, supervise and inspire our Crew Leaders through the challenging experience of leading a VYCC Crew.
It’s a lot of work but the rewards, professional development, networking, industry credentials, doing something you love, are well worth the effort. A Conservation Field Supervisor must be willing to put in the extra effort (working outside of the normal work day hours) to help craft experiences that build resiliency, grit and leadership for all Corps Members.
The Field Supervisor position starts in mid-March and runs until late-September.
The full Field Supervisor position description details your duties, requirements, and compensation. In 2020, we are hiring just one Field Supervisor for a six-month (March until September) seasonal position.
**This position has been filled for the 2020 season.**
VYCC is challenging by design. We believe that young people discover their true potential when things get tough. Our programs set you up for success with training, support, and resources that nurture the development of:
Grit & Resiliency—When you join a VYCC Crew, you are tested physically, emotionally, and mentally. There will be rain, bugs, and mud but these experiences provide opportunities to rise to the challenge. With the support of your Crew, you will become stronger and more resilient.
Service — VYCC is dedicated to making this world a better place, but we can’t do it without you. With your help, we will build trails that increase access to the outdoors, create backcountry infrastructure that support our state lands, grow fresh food for Vermonters in need, and improve water quality. Join the hundreds of VYCC Corps Members who make a difference in Vermont every year.
Leadership— Leaders aren’t born, they are inspired. Every day on a VYCC crew will be filled with opportunities to engage, aspire, and grow. This is your chance to be the spark that ignites your crew and your community.
Every season, VYCC Corps Members rise to the occasion when faced with the hard work that defines life on a VYCC crew. It takes a willingness to push yourself and, for this reason, VYCC may not be for everyone. But if you are ready to dig in, with a spirit of curiosity and courage, then this is the place for you. Believe in yourself, you got this.
Diverse crews are strong crews. We believe we are strongest when VYCC represents all members of our community. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse experience for our Corps Members. VYCC, along with many other Corps in the country, are committed to reducing barriers and ensuring that people can see themselves on a VYCC crew.
I initially joined the VYCC because I wanted to experience something different. I was looking for adventure and an opportunity to try something new, I had no idea I would discover a field of work that I would become so passionate about.
