Every bit of the earth needs saving, even those portions that are right in your neighborhood. SCA’s Community Programs offer you a way to make an enduring environmental impact while commuting from home to local sites in your community. You’ll make friends, improve the health of your city, and start on your way to becoming a leader in the local conservation movement. Community programs will also set you on the path to other SCA opportunities, like National Crews and Conservation Internships.
Youth Crews
School Year Community Programs and Summer Community Crews team you up with other local young conservationists to restore parks, waterfronts, and urban landscapes.
- High school students ages 15-19 are eligible
- Crews include 6 to 12 teenagers
- Programs are supervised by experienced adult leaders
- Members live at home and commute to work sites
- Community Programs offer both volunteer and paid opportunities
School Year Community Programs
The school year program is active after school and on weekends from September through May. As a member of a School Year Community Program you can:
- Volunteer on weekends throughout the school year in the city where you live or receive a stipend/wage to complete service in your community
- Build trails, restore river and lakefront environments, and conserve habitats
- Explore green jobs and career opportunities that exist in your region
- Learn about your environment through field trips and weekend camping excursions
- Give back to your community through service projects
SCA School Year Community Programs offer both volunteer and paid service opportunities. Volunteer programs occur on weekends while some paid service programs require evening and weekend participation. Contact a local SCA office for more information on programs happening in your community.
Summer Community Crews
Summer Crews run five days a week June through August. As a member of a Summer Community Crew you can:
- Develop collaboration and leadership skills while working with 6 to 12 other high school students
- Complete trail maintenance and site restoration projects in national, regional, state, or local parks
- Learn about your local environment through field trips led by your Crew Leader
- Explore green jobs and career opportunities that exist in your region
- Plan and go on a recreational trip where you will learn outdoor skills and participate in activities such as hiking, canoeing, biking, and camping
- Earn a stipend or wage for your work or receive credit for community service hours
Young Adult Crews
The Young Adult Crews offer hands-on experience to recently graduated high school students, college students, and people searching to gain more conservation knowledge. SCA forges a more resilient and equitable natural world by connecting BIPOC and other young people to the outdoors.
- Young Adults ages 18 + are eligible
- Crews include 6-12 young adults
- Programs led by experienced leaders
- Members live at home and commute to work sites
- Offer both paid and volunteer opportunities
Young Adult Crews typically work in the spring, summer, or fall to preserve park lands and historical places, maintain and plant trees, and more. As a member of a Young Adult Crew you can:
- Participant in professional development and skill building as a team
- Complete important conservation and city resiliency projects at local, state, and national parks and green spaces
- Explore green jobs and career opportunities
- Earn a stipend or wage for your work or receive credit for community service hours
Contact a local program office for more details on the programs near you.
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