The Trail Town Outreach Corps (TTOC) was developed in 2009 to give young people hands-on sustainability experience promoting community revitalization, conservation, tourism, and recreation along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail. The River Town Outreach Corps (RTOC) was developed in 2011 along the same model to promote these goals in the Monongahela River corridor.
TTOC and RTOC provide ten-month internships in select communities in southwestern Pennsylvania. TTOC focuses on communities along the Great Allegheny Passage trail, while RTOC works in communities along the Upper Monongahela River. Members work in collaboration with community partners on local and regional initiatives that address regional issues and opportunities to build connections between towns via trail-based or river-based tourism and recreation. Members bring skills from a range of disciplines and duties which include, but are not limited to: creating and implementing visitor and business attraction strategies; creating and implementing Main Street revitalization efforts; coordinating and leading outdoor recreation, cultural, and community events; educational programming; community outreach; habitat restoration, enhancement, and improvement; volunteer recruitment and coordination; and creating content for marketing materials such as websites, newsletters, blogs, brochures, and social media.
Members of RTOC and TTOC engage with thousands of citizens each year via hands-on habitat restoration projects, presentations, service projects, and educational programming on public lands and in communities in southwestern Pennsylvania. Members gain meaningful professional experience and exposure to sustainability and community development professionals across government and nonprofit sectors.
Trainings Offered:
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and must pass a background check.