Overview
CDTA Youth Corps is supported by a generous grant from REI and with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service.
What’s this program all about?
Give something back to the environment while serving with a Continental Divide Trail Alliance crew. All of CDTA’s crews complete meaningful projects of lasting benefit to the Continental Divide Trail, the landscapes it protects and the communities it connects. You will learn job skills and work habits that will help you find and keep a good job.
Live outdoors with newfound friends! This will be your life with the Continental Divide Trail Alliance Youth Corps – challenging and rewarding, but always fun. The rigors of swinging heavy hand tools during long workdays will exhaust your body and challenge your spirit. Working out a conflict with a fellow crewmember takes reflection, initiative and leadership. Instructing a class before your peers will challenge your leadership skills. If you are prepared to invest yourself fully in a physically and personally demanding experience, then CDTA will give you the tools to help you make a difference in the world – and in your life. CDTA values each individual as a responsible citizen and promotes responsibility in actions.
CDTA Youth Corps is split into two distinct seasons – Spring and Fall in New Mexico and Summer in Colorado and Wyoming . Spring (April-May) and Fall (August-October) participants are employees of Southwest Conservation Corps and will be based in Durango, Colorado. Summertime (June, July, and August) participants are employees of Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and will be based out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
CDTA Youth Corps crewmembers are part of a functioning crew of workers taking part in a group living and educational experience. Projects consist of trail construction, trail maintenance, fence construction, habitat restoration, noxious week eradication, campground cleanup and other conservation related work. The work is physically demanding and requires sustained effort. Educational hours, 7-10 per week, are accrued through activities and discussions facilitated by Conservation Corps Mentors. Weekends provide time for recreational activities, performing personal tasks such as laundry and moving camp when necessary. Crew Leaders and participants are expected to remain with their crew for the duration of their term of service and participate in all aspects of the program. CDTA Youth Corps crews generally camp in semi-remote areas at or near vehicles (15 passenger vans) but extended-stay backcountry camping may also be required. Continental Divide Trail Alliance, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and Southwest Conservation Corps programs are drug, alcohol, and tobacco free programs (zero tolerance).
What types of projects do we complete?
CDTA will engage you in conservation service projects that enhance the environment of the Continental Divide, its landscape, and its surrounding communities. On each project assignment, you and your crew will contribute to a national legacy of service to public lands by assisting in the construction of the Continental Divide Trail, the most significant trail system in the world. You will learn useful skills and discover your own resources as a leader, a participant and a citizen. Each day will bring new challenges and opportunities for service and learning. Education is incorporated into each day both on the project site and back at camp. On some projects you may be living in a remote site. At other times, you may be based from the trailhead or nearby public campground. Commitment to your crew may be the most important part of your experience. It will involve a determined decision to be a part of a team and participate fully to put the needs of your crew before your own interests. Your commitment to service and learning begins with a commitment to your crew. When your experience is completed, this is what will give you the greatest challenge as well as the greatest rewards.
Are there any qualifications?
Joining a CDTA crew is not a job – it is a serious commitment to national service and participation as an active learner in the on-going process of becoming a leader. Specific qualifications can be found on position descriptions for Corpsmember, Mentor or Crew Leader.
In general, we are looking for applicants who are:
- Committed to helping others and to completing an entire term of service
- Wanting to participate as a positive member of a crew
- Motivated to provide responsible leadership
Applicants must have:
- A willingness to serve long hours and live outdoors in all weather conditions
- Effective communication skills
- US Citizenship
Also helpful are:
- Technical skills including trail work, construction, knowledge of tools
- Experience in leadership or service to your community
What will my weekly schedule look like?
Participation in CDTA’s programs involve more than a commitment to each conservation project. Living, working and traveling with the same crew for the duration of your term of service may present a large challenge, but it also has its rewards: experiencing the thrill of completing a project together, breaking down camp in record time, sharing a soak in a local hot spring. Many of the lessons of CDTA are taught through conservation projects. CDTA crews are expected to work a full 40 hours each week on assigned conservation projects. A typical day begins around sunrise with breakfast followed by a stretching and safety circle. Crews then proceed to their work site and begin working through the day. You should expect to work hard and consistently throughout the day. Upon returning from the work site, you will be asked to complete assigned community duties, eat dinner and participate in SEED activities (1-2 hours nightly).
What do we do on the weekends?
Weekends provide time for laundry, showers, re-supply, moving camp and recreational opportunities. Each crew remains together throughout the weekend to take advantage of outdoor recreation, relaxation and other group activities. Possibilities for weekend fun could include backpacking, hiking up a 14,000 foot peak or just time for reading and relaxing in a spectacular setting.
Where will I live and eat?
In general, you will spend your entire term of service living in a tent and providing for your needs in an outdoor setting. Many past participants pride themselves on spending months or years in a tent as part of a CDTA crew. CDTA crews camp at or near their assigned vehicle (15 passenger van), although some circumstances may require extensive backpacking or long distance hiking. An outdoor kitchen with propane stove, coolers and food boxes are provided for meals and storage for food. Special dietary requirements are difficult to meet and must be disclosed by the corpsmember prior to arrival. Vegetarian options are generally provided at each meal if corpsmembers communicate their needs; vegan or other dietary restrictions are difficult to accommodate. Bathroom facilities range from campground pit toilets to latrines or ‘cat holes’ following Leave No Trace guidelines. CDTA crews are functioning communities. You will be expected to complete tasks which benefit your entire crew.
Where will our projects and campsites be located?
CDTA crews travel frequently throughout each week, and throughout the summer. Crews provide service throughout New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. Crews utilize 15 passenger vans to meet their travel needs. Your personal vehicles must be stored at RMYC or SCC headquarters.
How will I gain valuable leadership skills and an understanding of the natural world?
CDTA values education as a key component of its programming. You will be expected to participate fully in all training and educational aspects of your experience; the more you put into your experience the more you will receive back. There will be opportunities for discussion, activities, games and journaling on a variety of topics. Training and education sessions are facilitated by Conservation Corps Mentors who are trained in facilitation and instructional techniques.
How does CDTA promote healthy lifestyles?
CDTA believes in healthy lifestyles modeling. As a participant there are plenty of opportunities to eat well and use your body to its fullest capacity. Therefore the possession or use of alcohol, nicotine, or drugs is strictly prohibited. Practicing a healthy lifestyle is a skill that will enhance your life for years to come.
What kind of equipment will I need?
You will be responsible for your own work and personal clothes, leather boots, work gloves, and personal camping equipment. Group food, group camping gear and other supplies will be provided by CDTA/RMYC/SCC. A complete Equipment List will be provided upon hiring and enrollment.
How do I get involved?
Please visit Spring and Fall in New Mexico or Summer in Colorado & Wyoming for job descriptions and to download an application. For more information, contact Teresa Martinez at 1-888-909-CDTA or email teresa@cdtrail.org.