California Conservation Corps

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Hard Work, Low Pay, Miserable Conditions and
more!
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Mission of the California Conservation Corps

• The young women and men of the Corps work hard
• protecting and restoring Californias environment
  and responding to disasters, becoming stronger
  workers, citizens and individuals through their
  service.

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California Conservation Corps

• CCC is California state department under the
  Natural Resources Agency, circa 1976
• 7 residential centers, 3 non-residential with 16
  satellites
• Corpsmembers are state residents, aged 18-25
  no parole or formal probation approximately
  2,000 served yearly
• 1 year commitment, hard work, service, training
  education, minimum wage, promotional and
  post-corps transition opportunities

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California Local, Non-Profit Conservation Corps

• Local Corps 12 local, independent, non-profit
  Corps, mostly urban, nonresidential serve 2,500
  annually circa 1985
• Program purpose conservation, education,
  service
• Certified by CCC, largely funded through
  Department of Conservation recycling funding
• California Association of Local Conservation
  Corps
• http//www.californialocalconservationcorps.org

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CCC Corpsmember Profile

• 73 Men, 27 Women
• 26 African American, 27 Hispanic, 36 White,
  8 Asian-American, 3 Native American
• 50 w/o HS diploma 8 with some college
  generally low reading and math skills
• 87 unemployed at time of hire
• 70-80 w/o drivers license
• 5 homeless
• California Local Corpsmembers
  
• more ethnic minority members
  fewer high school
  diplomas

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Public Service Natural Resource Conservation

• Forestry Restoration Trail Building
• Park Construction, Landscaping
• Watershed Improvement/ Flood Erosion
• Fire Hazard Reduction
• Native Plant Fish Habitat
• Restoration

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Disaster Response Work

• Fire Response and Camp Support
• Flood Earthquake
• Oil Spill Clean Up
• Insect Infestations

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Energy Conservation Projects

• Low Income Home Weatherization Services
• Solar Panel
• Installation
• Lighting
• Projects

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CCC Green Industry Sector Pathways

• Natural Resources forestry and park management,
  environmental protection and restoration,
  hazardous material mitigation
• Public Safety firefighting, disaster response,
  law enforcement, emergency management
• Construction green and energy efficient
  building and retrofitting for public agencies

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Conservation Corps Pathways
Recruits
INITIAL ORIENTATION ASSESSMENT TRAINING
ENROLLMENT
RECRUITMENT
Refer to another job or training opportunity
PUBLIC SERVICE WORK PROJECTS
EDUCATION TRAINING SUPPORT
Jobs
Higher Education
POST-CORPS TRANSITION
Vocational Training
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
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Conservation Corps Pathways
Recruits
INITIAL ORIENTATION ASSESSMENT TRAINING
Potential drop-outs
Unemployed
ENROLLMENT
Academic, Vocational Life Skill Assessment
Placement into residential and non-residential
programs
Dropouts
Enroll in statewide charter school or community
colleges
Foster youth
RECRUITMENT
High school graduates
Interest, Eligibility Selection
Other corps
Crew placement
Diversion
Charter high school Adult basic education
Work readiness training evaluation
Community colleges
Alternative pathways
Life job skills training
CBOs
Leadership training
PUBLIC SERVICE WORK PROJECTS
WIBs
Support services

• Project sponsors, e.g.
• - U.S. Forest Service
• - National Parks Service
• - Dept. of Parks Recreation
• - Utility companies
• Bureau of Land Mgt.
• Cities and Counties
• State resource departments
• Community Based Organizations

Civic development
Jobs
EDUCATION TRAINING SUPPORT
Pre/Apprenticeships
Green jobs
Credits toward high school diploma and/or
community college certificates
POST-CORPS TRANSITION
Higher Education
Academic, Vocational Life skills
post-assessment
Vocational Training
Restoring lands waters, Energy conservation,
Disaster response
Community Environmental Benefits
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Education Scholarships

• Education Requirements
• - If no high school diploma- attend school
• - If high school diploma--continuing education
  required
• Scholarships
• 2,000 CCC 4,725 AmeriCorps
• - CCC 1 year service good work rating career
  conservation courses community service
• - AmeriCorps 1,700 service hours integrated with
  work projects

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Corps American Reinvestment Recovery Act
(ARRA) Partnerships

• Federal Public Land Agencies
• Energy Sector - California Energy Commission,
  Department of Community Services Development
• Department of Labor - Pathways Out of Poverty,
  Summer Youth Programs (WIA)
• AmeriCorps/VISTA
• Governors Green Job Corps

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Corps ARRA Public Land Agency Partnerships

• Partnering agencies - USFS, NPS BLM, NOAA
• CCC Centers Inland Empire, Redding, Fortuna,
  Fresno, Camarillo
• Corps member Work Projects- trail construction
  and maintenance, fire hazard reduction, fisheries
  habitat restoration, weed and non-native plant
  removal
• Corps must contract with the public agency does
  not receive direct funding
• Work is integrated with education and training,
  including job-specific training, work readiness,
  environmental education, and career development

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Corps ARRA Energy Sector Partnerships

• California Energy Commission (CEC) - Green
  Building or Clean Energy Pre-Apprenticeship
  Training Grant
• Purpose - promote use of industry sector training
  strategies to address need for skilled workers
  in
• Energy efficiency Water efficiency Renewable
  energy (distributed generation and
  utility-scale) and Clean and renewable
  transportation technologies.
• CCC as a partner in a larger collaborative
  (including community colleges)
• La Trade Tech LA/CC
• Humboldt County Fortuna Center
• SLO WIB Los Padres CC
• CCC refers cms into the training, provides paid
  internship opportunities

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Corps ARRA Energy Sector Partnerships

• Low income home weatherization services
• CCC and Local Corps partners with local energy
  service providers funded by CSD and DOE
• Fee for service contracts at the local level
• Formal 1- 2 week training provided through the
  CSD training institutes in Stockton (PGE) and San
  Bernardino

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Corps ARRA AmeriCorps - VISTA Partnerships

• California Energy and Environmental Conservation
  Recovery Program (CEECRC)
• 1.5 million ARRA grant through CNCS and CV, 115
  members
• Low-income home weatherization services improve
  the building envelope of a residence, outreach
  and eligibility determination, pre-post audit
  assessment
• Public lands environmental conservation projects
  - fire fuel load reduction, habitat restoration,
  invasive plant removal, trail construction, and
  watershed restoration activities.
• CCC and Local Corps serve as the placement sites
• Local partnerships with CSD energy service
  providers NPS, USFS
• Service hours integrated with training in
  weatherization, public land restoration, trail
  development

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Corps ARRA AmeriCorps - VISTA Partnerships

• Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA ) Program
• 22 VISTAs placed at CCC headquarters and CCC
  centers
• Service activities - strengthening the Corps
  Pathway
• CCC education, training, and support services
• Post-corps transition into higher education,
  employment and green jobs (community colleges)
• Partnership and systems development
• 3 year program, each VISTA serves 1 year
• VISTAs receive living allowance and educational
  award
• No funding to support the VISTAs- placement site
  responsibility

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Corps ARRA Governors Green Jobs Corps
Partnerships

• Governors Green Jobs Corps Initiative
• 10 million 11 awards statewide
• Purpose - prepare 1,000 at-risk youth ages 16-24
  for jobs in Californias emerging green economy
  by providing life and soft skills, academic
  training, job training and experience, and
  service activities.
• Collaborations Local WIB or community college
  are eligible lead applicants multiple partners
  including CCC or local corps
• CCC and Local Corps partners LA, Monterey,
  Placer, Redding (2) Long Beach CC, San Francisco
  CC
• CCC and local corps roles are varied work
  readiness training, paid internships, work and
  service opportunities, high school education,
  funding through fee for service work, recruitment
  and referral services for the training

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CCC Model-AmeriCorps Green Jobs Corps

• Combines Governor Green Job Corps (Greater South
  Bay Green Job Corps), CCC AmeriCorps with
  CCC-Monterey Bay Center
• Funding sources-- different eligibility
  requirements age, background checks, at risk,
  low income, barriers
• Funding sources-- different missions objectives
• CCC role AmeriCorps service year, GreenCorps
  training part of service year, CCC work
  development

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CCC Model-AmeriCorps Green Jobs Corps

• Challenges of Program Different timelines,
  different objectives, budget alignment
• Highlights of Program
• Central Coast Energy Services- State energy
  conservation leader low income home
  weatherization
• 150 homes weatherized in first 6wks
• Employment weatherization training--at risk
  youth (foster youth dropouts)
• Support services child care, health benefits
• Educational goals high school achievement
  employment in green, high demand career path

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CCC/LCC Partnership / Models

• Traditional
• 1 year work with education/community service
• CCC Career Paths
• Natural Resources (forestry, horticulture)
• Energy/ Utilities
• Construction

• Nontraditional
• Recruitment pool
• Community service
• Conservation, sustainability class
• Internship
• Work experience
• Job placement

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CCC and LCC Contacts

• CCC Directory (handout)
• LCC Directory (handout)
• Brad.Duncan_at_CCC.CA.Gov
• [phone]
• Louise.Chiatovich_at_CCC.CA.Gov
• [phone]
• Brenda.Burks-Herrmann_at_CCC.Ca.gov
• [phone] x 202

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