Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)

# Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) The United States Youth Conservation Corps is a federal youth employment program that puts young people to work on public lands - national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and fish hatcheries - while building an ethic of stewardship and civic responsibility. Programs generally run 8 to 10 weeks (and can go up to 18), and members are paid at least the state or federal minimum wage, whichever is higher, for a typical 40-hour week. ## What You'll Do - Build and maintain trails, fences, and campgrounds on federal public lands - Improve wildlife habitat and carry out stream restoration projects - Contribute to place-based STEM projects and historic building preservation - Join educational field trips to wildlife, geology, and cultural sites within your park or refuge - Work in crews with other teens under federal staff supervision ## Who Should Apply Youth 15 through 18 years of age who are permanent residents of the United States. YCC is a local program: participants must be able to commute to the federal site daily, since almost all crews are day programs without housing (Yellowstone National Park is currently the only overnight program). Applicants use the standard DI-4014 YCC application and apply directly to the participating park, forest, refuge, or hatchery. ## Outcomes Members earn a paycheck, gain documented federal work experience, and get direct exposure to careers with the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - a common first step toward seasonal ranger and resource-management jobs.