The CCC is a one year program in which a Corpsmember works on many different conservation and community service projects. Corpsmembers also respond to emergencies such as floods, forest fires, oil spills, and major earthquakes. Under the direction of the CCC staff, a Corpsmember learns the skills necessary to complete projects while gaining valuable work experience. In addition, Corpsmembers are required to participate in educational programs either to obtain a High School diploma, or to further post-high school education. Corpsmembers also are required to participate in physical fitness training and conservation awareness programs.
Service Activities
Service activities are site-specific, based around available project work and center focus.
Projects may include:
> Natural Resource Enhancement: Tree planting, stream clearance, erosion control, fuel breaks, trail construction and maintenance, seed collection and wildlife habitat improvement.
> Construction: Carpentry, plumbing, and masonry, including framing, fence and rock wall construction.
> Deconstruction: Taking apart and salvaging building material for reuse.
> Maintenance: Renovation of structures: painting, repair and remolding of buildings, both interior and exterior.
> Landscaping: Plant identification and propagation, planting, sprinkler and irrigation installation and nursery operations.
> Emergency Response: Firefighting, flood control and clean up assistance following oil spills and major earthquakes.
> Food Service: Quantity food preparation, menu planning, sanitation and safety.
> Energy and Water Conservation: Conduct energy audits, retrofit lighting systems, install water saving devices, weatherization of homes or buildings, photovoltaic installation and other energy conservation projects.
Community Need Addressed
Specific community needs will vary by location; applicants can discuss their specific interests with a recruiter during the application process to identify the best match.
> Energy sites perform energy audits and basic retrofits for schools and public buildings.
> Fire centers prepare corpsmembers to serve on Type II fire crews, performing fuel load reduction and emergency response.
> Sites with resource crews work to restore public lands, trails, and waterways; actual work varies based on location (e.g. trail building, invasive species removal, fisheries, park development, etc.). Resource crews may be called upon to respond to emergencies, including floods, fires, agricultural pests, and more.
Position Outcomes
All CCC projects must meet the criteria outlined in the legislative mandate. Projects are evaluated on the following criteria:
> Whether they conserve, improve, and develop natural resources or maintain environmentally important lands and waters.
> Whether they provide public benefit and/or access (estimated visitor use, increased safety, reduced maintenance costs, etc.)
> Whether they provide corpsmembers with opportunities for training in employable skills (e.g. specific tools and use, fire control, carpentry).
The desired outcome pertaining to the AmeriCorps Education Award Program is to have corpsmember improve public lands, trails, and waterways; the specific target is outlined in the programming contracting documents, which are submitted annually and adjusted based on program capacity (for 16/17: 2624 acres of public land, 41 miles of trails, and 3.68 miles of waterways). Corpsmembers do not need to serve on a resource or fire crew to be eligible to serve in an AmeriCorps position, however, as most other CCC activities fall under the umbrella of AmeriCorps allowable activities. Outcomes are verified through sponsors surveys, which are conducted twice a year.
Benefits
Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Housing
Corpsmembers are paid an hourly wage and eligible for overtime pay and/or CTO for hours worked over forty hours per week (e.g. emergency response), and receive paid holidays and accrue vacation and sick time. Corpsmember who need a high school diploma are required to attend high school classes through our partner charter schools (located on-site). Corpsmembers may be eligible for an additional scholarship after completing all program requirements; currently, this scholarship is $2000, with a second $2000 scholarship available to corpsmembers serving in AmeriCorps-excluded positions (e.g. culinary program). Corpsmembers may apply for promotional opportunities (specialist, crew leader) and special programs (Backcountry Trails Program, Australian Exchange).
Room and board is available at residential locations only (Fortuna, Butte, Ukiah, Greenwood, Auburn, Tahoe, San Luis Obispo, Camarillo) for a monthly maintenance charge of $325.
Education Benefits
GED/High School Diploma
All corpsmembers receive First Aid & CPR on COMET. Corpsmembers will also have the opportunity to earn their Class C and Class B licence and gain an understanding of best practices for drivers should they choose to complete the CCC's Blue Card curriculum. Many other training and certification opportunities are available; these vary by site.
Skills you will gain
Dependability, work site relationships, work ethic
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines
Planning
Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization